 The conference will be held in the Gandiaga Centre, located in Arantzazu, an amazing place where modern Basque art, religious meaning and an astonishing natural environment mix together in the Sanctuary of Arantzazu. It is an emblematic place for the Basque people because of its beauty, historical, architectural, spiritual, artistic and environmental significance
 About the origins of this name, it is said that the Virgin once appeared to a shepherd, over a thorn tree. Astonished, he said "Arantzan zu?" (Basque for "You, in a thorn tree?"). At that moment, it was born the devotion for the Virgin of Arantzazu. In 1951, after a fire destroyed the small temple, the order of the Franciscans, keepers of the sanctuary since 1499, made a brave decision: to build a huge basilica using the language of contemporaneous art. Therefore, it was built up with arrow stones, designed by Saenz de Oiza y Laorga, who got contributions from important Basque artists such as Jorge Oteiza (sculptures in the façade), Eduardo Chillida (gates), Lucio Muñoz (impressive wooden altarpiece) or Nestor Basterretxea (crypt paintings). It is 9 km away from the town of Oñati (Gipuzkoa), over a cliff on the Azkorri Mountains, making the Sanctuary of Arantzazu, a unique place.
It is in this natural environment where the Gandiaga Centre is, a modern building with cubic forms, provided with different services and a wide offer of resources both human and technical, which will contribute to the good operation of the event. The building will be at our disposal over the whole conference. The accommodation for participants will also be organised in one of the hotels around the location.
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