Over the last century, overseas Basque communities have grown in both size and quantity, as is evident by the recognition of over one hundred and twenty-five Basque Centres since Act 8/1994 on Relations with Basque Communities and Centres outside the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country was passed on 27 May. Their history is also the history of the Basque Country, and a more detailed knowledge of their experiences and contributions to the culture and economic prosperity of their adopted countries will doubtless enrich our own country’s history.
There can be no doubt that overseas Basque communities, through diverse means and methods, have done much to spread the spirit of Basque culture throughout the world. They have been supported in this endeavour by the stable collaborative links established by the General Administration of the Basque Autonomous Community. It is therefore necessary, within the established provisions, to encourage the Basque Autonomous Institutions to use all the means of communication at their disposal to contribute to the task of making the current situation of Basque communities located outside the Basque Country generally known, as stipulated in the aforementioned Act.
The 2000-2003 four-year institutional Plan of Action, approved during the 2nd World Congress of Basque Communities, held in October 1999 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, includes a proposal to foster the publication of creative or investigative works relating to personal experiences of Basques living outside the Basque Country.
This is the objective of the annual “Andrés de Irujo” Award, which aims to involve members of overseas Basque Communities and Centres in the task of recuperating part of our history.
On a proposal from the Presidency and having been debated and approved by the Cabinet on 6 of June 2000:
I STIPULATE:
Article 1.- Objective and call for applications.
The “Andrés de Irujo” Award for creative or investigative works relating to Basque presence overseas or the personal experiences of overseas Basque communities or individuals during the 20th century, will be awarded to the work which best complies with the conditions established in this document.
The Award, whose prize consists of the publication or dissemination of the winning work, will be conferred on an annual basis, and the call for applications announced in a Secretary of the Presidency Directive, which will specify the objective of the Award, the prize, the address to which entries should be sent and the entry deadline.
Article 2.- Requisites.
1.- Any creative or investigative works relating to Basque presence overseas or the personal experiences of overseas Basque communities or individuals during the 20th century may enter the Award.
2.- Works should be unpublished and written or recorded in Basque, Spanish, French or English.
3.- Entries are acceptable in all literary genres (poetry, plays, novels or essays) or audio-visual formats (audio, video, CD-ROM or floppy disk).
Written entries should by typed on a computer and both the printed version and software version submitted. Audio-visual entries should be submitted in VHS format, and audio entries on a CD. Entries submitted on a CD-ROM should be PC compatible.
4.- The receipt of other awards, grants or subsidies for the purpose of writing/creating the submitted work does not preclude entry for the “Andrés de Irujo” Award, providing that the work in question is unpublished.
Article 3.- Submitting entries.
1.- Any Basque Centre officially recognised by the Basque Government may enter the Award.
2.- Candidates may enter as many works as they wish, enclosing a covering letter addressed to the Secretary General for Overseas Affairs.
3.- All works should be presented either anonymously or under a pseudonym, the author’s name, surname, address, telephone number and written consent being submitted in a sealed envelope attached to each entry.
4.- The author’s written consent should be submitted in a sealed envelope along with each entry. Prospective candidates must therefore complete the corresponding Declaration, which should be sent to the correct address before the closing date specified in the annual Directive.
Article 4.- Correction of submitted entry forms.
In the event of a submitted entry form being incorrect or incomplete with regard to the specifications outlined in Article 2 of this document, the candidate will be notified and given ten working days, counting from the day after notification, in which to submit a corrected version. If a corrected version is not received within ten days, counting from the day after notification, the entry will be deemed invalid in accordance with terms stipulated in article 71.1 of Act 30/1992, dated 26 November on the Legal System of the Public Administrations and Common Administrative Procedure. Article 5.- Jury.
1.- The Jury appointed to judge the entries will consist of the following members:
- Chairman: The Secretary General for Overseas Affairs, or delegate.
- Other members:
- Director of Relations with the Basque Communities
- Three members of the Advisory Board for Relations with the Overseas Basque Communities appointed by the Secretary General for Overseas Affairs.
- Three members of the Presidency, one of whom will act as secretary.
Whenever possible, the Jury will include an even number of men and women.
2.- The names of the Jury will be announced in a Secretary of the Presidency Directive, which will be published in the Basque Country Official Gazette one month before the publication of the Award Adjudication Directive.
3.- Any conclusion reached by the Jury will require a favourable majority vote. The Chairman has a casting vote in the event of a tie. Any issue not covered in this document is subject to the jury regulations stipulated in Act 30/1992, dated 26 November, on the Legal System of the Public Administrations and Common Administrative Procedure.
Article 6.- Adjudication and presentation of the Award
1.- The Jury compiles an adjudication proposal, which the Chairman presents to the Secretary of the Presidency, who in turn compiles an Adjudication Directive, which having passed through the corresponding administrative channels, is published in the Basque Country Official Gazette. Winning candidates will be notified within a six-month period dating from the day on which the Directive to call for candidates to submit their entries came into effect. If, after the said six-month period, a candidate has not been notified, they should assume that their entry has not been selected, in accordance with art 44.1 of Act 30/1992, dated 26 November, on the Legal System of the Public Administrations and Common Administrative Procedure.
2.- The organisers have the right not to confer the Award.
3.- The winning candidate will be notified, and the published work presented during a public ceremony.
Article 7. Publication of the winning entry and copyright.
1.- The Administration of the Basque Autonomous Community will publish the winning entries either individually or jointly. The Award and the corresponding year are featured in the published work.
2.- Exclusive copyright for the winning entries must be signed over permanently and free of charge to the General Administration of the Basque Autonomous Community, under the terms stipulated in current copyright law. When required, winning candidates must submit the proper copyright transfer documents outlining the conditions described in this document. The General Secretariat for Overseas Affairs reserves the right to reproduce, distribute through sales, hire, loan or other means, communicate to the general public and transform the said works. If the winning entry forms part of a larger work, the Court may negotiate the publication of the complete work. In this case, the author would retain exclusive copyright.
3.- On request, the Administration may return copyright to the author two years after the Award.
ADDITIONAL PROVISION
The adjudication of the “Andrés de Irujo” Award supposes the prize-winner’s total and unconditional acceptance of the terms and conditions outlined in this Decree and the annual Directive to call for entries.
FINAL PROVISION
This Decree will come into effect one day after its publication in the Basque Country Official Gazette.
Vitoria-Gasteiz, 6 of June 2000
The Basque President
JUAN JOSE IBARRETXE MARKUARTU
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