An international academic seminar on Basque immigration will be held at Boise State University July 28-30, at the height of the once-every-five-years "Jaialdi" celebration of Basque culture. The seminar, held in a different European or U.S. location each year, will include scholars from the U.S., Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Spain, France, Italy, Iceland and the Madeira Islands, and presentations will cover everything from the status of the Basque language in America to the origin of Basque surnames.

The symposium is entitled "Euskal Herria Mugaz Gaindi," or "Basque Country Beyond Borders." "It is an honor, but quite appropriate, for Boise State to host such a gathering of the world's leading Basque scholars," said Alberto Santana, director of BSU's Basque Studies Program. Boise State has the largest Basque studies program in the world outside the Basque country.

The Jaialdi festival is scheduled for July 27 to Aug. 1, and several popular downtown Boise hotels already are sold out. The event draws thousands of attendees from around the world; there's more info here.