On April 11, Iñaki Martínez de Luna received the Manuel Lekuona Award from Eusko Ikaskuntza, at the Casa de Cultura Ignacio Aldekoa in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

In an event chaired by journalist Edurne Begiristain, after reading the jury's ruling by the president of the Barandiaran Foundation, Abel Ariznabarreta, received the award from the president of Eusko Ikaskuntza-Sociedad de Estudios Vascos, Ana Urkiza, who acknowledges her work for the Basque community. Urkiza defined Martínez de Luna as "an intellectual with a broad view of the linguistic fact. One of the main Basque socio-linguistic agents today. A leader and linguistic impeller." In this sense, the deputy general of Álava, Ramiro González, highlighted the contribution of Martínez de Luna to the revitalization of the Basque country in Álava, since in 1980 4% were able to understand and use the Basque country, and today they are more than 50%.

In his speech, Martínez de Luna thanked all the messages of congratulations and protection received. He talked about the relationship with the Basque people throughout their lives, as well as the evolution of the Basque country in Álava and the current challenges. He stressed the need to activate and extend the adhesion of society to Basque. The award mentioned the impossibility of performing the award ceremony at Izaskun Arrue Kulturgunea.

We are delighted to be a lehendakari of this kind at Garabide, and this was also stated by the coordinator Eñaut Agirre in the verse sung at the event:

To extol a great friend

I would like to excuse

Presidency of Garabide

for several years

bellow of ideas

or blanket of fights

any kind of work

one Alavese

meeting time

thousand decisions

what you don't know is hard to know

know

meeting time

thousand decisions

you deserve it

thousand congratulations Iñaki