The phenomenon of migration, whatever its cause, is part of humanity as an intrinsic element of its history. In all cases, it responds to an individual determination to seek a better life and/or flee from situations of adversity.

Basque society has not been oblivious to this reality and we can go back several centuries to see that there have been various circumstances that have led to this circumstance. And nowadays, although this trickle of outward migration continues to occur, there are various causes that lead to the arrival of people who have the desire, energy and ability to move and want to live among us. We are therefore (we have been a few years) in a new era, which in turn pose new challenges, and why not say it also, new opportunities. Circumstances that generate uncertainty in some social spheres that require a broader outlook, generosity, greater cooperation and collective action.

We understand that it is necessary to locate the cause of migratory processes. To locate them in human beings who seek or need hope for a life that is lacking in their places of origin. To place them in the context that we are all human beings who deserve the best for the lives we have been given to live. And in this sense, we are talking about 272 million international migrants, with rights to a dignified life without exclusion. 

We talk about integrating, sharing, learning, merging, co-creating, agglutinating, mixing, respecting, far from states of comfort and fear that prevent us from growing and evolving as a society. 

December 18 is not just another day; it is a day to reflect, to understand, and to take action.