Eusko Etxea - Casa Vasca de Valparaíso

The Eusko Etxea of Valparaíso, now in Viña del Mar, was founded by Basque merchants in 1943 and had a forerunner in a Basque mutual society from 1915. That Centro Vasco Chileno de Socorros Mutuos had been founded by other merchants on 17 June 1915, and it also admitted Chileans and people from other regions of Spain. The Eusko Etxea was born on the night of 13 May 1943, when a group of Basque merchants drew up its founding charter at the Academia de Billares on Avenida Pedro Montt; the house was inaugurated with a banquet on 20 April 1947, and one of its seven aims was “to devote special attention to our language, Euzkera”. In 2014 it opened its own headquarters on Calle Quillota, with support from the Basque Government, which has recognised it since 1999; its register lists 784 members.