euskalkultura.eus

EuskalKultura.com was awarded the Buber Award for the best website or application in 2013 in relation to Euskera. The award was presented at a ceremony that took place at the Technology Park of Araba. Receiving the award, Joseba Etxarri, director of EuskalKultura.com thanked --“This award is yours,” he said-- everyone from the most diverse places in the world working hard for their Basque communities. "You work made this award possible, thanks for your commitment and for being an active Basque in your community". Organized by the Internet and Euskadi Association, the Buber Awards are the oldest in the Basque internet world and recognize the best contributions of the year on the web.

Miñano, Araba.  “We weren’t expecting this at all.  We were among the five nominees with the most votes, and then we became a finalist in our category.  Thinking that this was prize enough, we went to the ceremony just for courtesy but without expecting to win.  So we got, not sure if I should call it a big scare, or a tremendous surprise, certainly a very nice one, but even more striking because it was completely unexpected,” according to those representing EuskalKultura.com at the ceremony, Joseba Etxarri and Itxaso Diaz de Arcaya.

[Group photo of 2013's Buber Award winners, holding their statuettes (photoEuskalKultura.com)]

“When you work on an initiative that you know is not in the mainstream, nor sports, but related to culture and diaspora, and besides, it’s in Basque, you do it because you believe in what you are doing and you take risks for that, but you don’t expect that it is ever going to bring you any recognition or awards,” they said.  “That is why we are especially grateful, above all since we weren’t expecting this, because it is awarded here but takes the Diaspora and the Basque culture that is developed outside of the Basque Country into account, as part of the Basque production, and its cultural universe.”

“As we were saying, when we found out we were finalists, but now with the award in hand, this recognition comes at a time of cuts, where the department of Culture has denied a grant that we have received for the last several years, and without which it will be very difficult for us to survive, or at least do so with a modicum of dignity.  So, we are taking advantage of this occasion to ask for a review of our application of what we have done in this regard,” they concluded.

2013 Buber Award winners in different categories are:

-Best Web or corporate blog: www.bancaparaempresas.com
-Best Blog or personal page: www.reharq.com
-Best website or application in free software: www.elkarteak.info
-Best website in its contribution to the Basque language: www.euskalkultura.com
-Best mobile application: www.spotbros.com
-Best website or social or solidarity project: www.ahotsargiak.com