Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales, visited Athletic Club’s headquarters at Palacio Ibaigane on Friday as part of an official Welsh Government visit to the Basque Country, with Newport County proudly represented during discussions celebrating historic ties between Wales and the Basque region.
The visit highlighted the enduring legacy of the Basque Children of 1937, who were evacuated to Wales during the Spanish Civil War, with Newport playing a key role in welcoming and supporting many of those children.
During the visit, the Welsh delegation formally presented Athletic Club with a Newport County shirt, symbolising the strong historic and cultural links between Newport, Wales and the Basque Country. The shirt presentation followed last summer’s joint initiative involving Newport County, which paid tribute to the Basque children who found refuge in Wales and reinforced the connection between the two football clubs.
The delegation was hosted by Athletic Club Vice-President Nerea Ortiz and Director General Jon Berasategi. The visit included a tour of Palacio Ibaigane and a meeting in the boardroom, where discussions focused on the shared history between the two nations and the role sport can play in preserving heritage and strengthening international relationships.
Representatives from the Basque Government and the UK Basque Children of ’37 Association were also present, underlining the commemorative and institutional significance of the occasion.
The visit followed the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding between Wales and the Basque Country, signed earlier in the week, which continues to promote cooperation, cultural exchange and shared heritage between the two regions.
