300,000 items for the Catalan Wikipedia

The Catalan edition of Wikipedia arrived on Wednesday to 300,000 items. The growth of the Catalan Wikipedia continues steadily. O March 2010 passed 250,000 articles, in September 2009 exceeded 200,000 articles, and in January 2010 reached the number one position worldwide in quality. Amid all this the British Museum was awarded two prizes for a couple of articles.


It is just in the 13th position in world ranking for this category. This summer, for instance, topped the Norwegian edition.. This sort of ranking for more than 270 editions of Wikipedia as its extension and the achievement of the 1000 articles considered most important by users of an encyclopedia. You can view the full details of the Catalan version of Wikipedia in the Statistics section.

Pujol (autonomist leader): "Bridges are broken between Madrid and Catalonia"

Jordi Pujol was the president of the autonomous government of Catalonia 23 years. He represented (represents) the Catalonians who want an entente with Spain but maintaining their Catalonian identity. His coalition CiU has always defended self-government in spite of independence. But things have changed…

You can read (in French) his new opinions in this "Le Figaro" interview. For instance:

"Bridges are broken between Madrid and Catalonia"

"There is now a climate of anti Catalan hostility in Madrid"

"Spain has done so in most regions, but Catalonia has resisted."

"Specifically, 8.5% of GDP in Catalonia disappears in favor of other Spanish regions. This situation is not tolerable."

"We can agree, but on one condition: the attacks against Catalonia must stop."

Pujol is a dreamer: the attacks will no stop.

Catalan nationalism increases vote, seats and parties

Catalan nationalism obtained a significant increment of vote, seats and even number of parties in the parliamentary elections held yesterday. On the contrary, Spanish allegiance parties globally got the worst results ever since the reestablishment of the Catalan Parliament. Convergència i Unió (center-right moderate Catalan nationalists) will then form government despite it didn't reach an absolute majority. However, CiU is to face the most fragmented opposition ever.

The advance of Catalan nationalism is mainly due to the progress of CiU, which gains 260,000 votes and obtains 14 seats more than in 2006 elections, with a total of 62 -6 below the absolute majority. This large majority will allow CiU (a federation of CDC and UDC) and its leader Artur Mas to form its own government with the eventual support of 4 different parties in opposition with whom it may reach parliamentary majority: PSC-PSOE (Catalan labour with links with Zapatero's PSOE), PP (Popular Party, Spanish conservative nationalists), ICV (eco-socialists) and ERC (Catalan Republican Left of Catalonia, pro-independence). The advance of Catalan nationalism is also due to the entering into Parliament of SI (Catalan Solidarity for Independence), the new party created by former FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta. This is the first time there is a second pro-independence party in Parliament after ERC.
Success by CiU and SI makes light of ERC's free fall. Catalan Republicans have lost 200,000 votes and 11 of the 21 seats obtained in 2006. Pro-independence republicans have been inflicted a hard blow, as they got the worst results since 1988. Leader of ERC Joan Puigcercós has come behind eco-socialists (ICV) in number of votes although both former allies in power have got the same number of seats (10). ICV also decreased its vote and lost 2 seats, 1 in Barcelona and 1 Lleida electoral districts.
Spanish nationalism toughens
Performance of Spanish allegiance parties (PSC-PSOE, PP and Ciudadanos) is worse than in past elections. It amounts to 49 seats, 5 less than in 2006. In spite of this, both PP and Ciudadano's extreme Spanish nationalism increased: PP obtained 70,000 extra votes and 4 seats more, while C's obtained 15,000 extra ballots. As regards Catalan socialists with links with Zapatero's PSOE (PSC), they've got the worst results ever, losing 225,000 votes and 9 seats. PSC's performance has been regarded as a total failure considering its leader José Montilla has been holding the presidency of Catalonia for the last 4 years.
Xenophobic discourse takes shape but remains out of Parliament
Josep Anglada's PxC (Plataforma per Catalunya) captured 75,000 votes. For the first time a xenophobic party has been about to enter parliament, but only secured 2.4 % of the vote 0.6% below the 3% threshold to gain seats. Joan Carretero's Reagrupament Independentista (RICat), with 40,000 votes, also failed to enter the chamber. Despite obtaining 3.3% of the share in the electoral district of Girona, the recently created pro-independence party fell short in the rest of electoral districts.
Nationalia
Full results

New York Times: benefits of independence in the long term are huge

Catalonians will decide next Sunday their autonomous Parliament. Finally there will be four independentist options: Esquerra (ERC), Reagrupament (Rcat), Solidaritat (SI) and Des de Baix. Esquerra is a moderate left party who has governed last 7 years with the Spanish nationalist PSOE. The improvements for Catalonia have been almost zero so the historic party will have a strong fail. Reagrupament is a ERC's split with  a personal leader, doctor Joan Carretero. Solidaritat is a coalition lead by ex-Barcelona F.C. president, Joan Laporta. The coalition is formed by the independentist wing of CDC (an autonomist party), another ERC's split and minor parties: Greens, Republicans and Marxists. Finally Des de Baix is a coalition of three trostkist groups formed by federalists and independentists.
An USA newspaper, "New York Times", includes a full report about elections. Only Solidaritat is asked by the NYT. In the report a Catalonian economist says "the benefits of independence in the long term are huge". The paper says independentist division will weak the movement. This election is a historic opportunity to take a decisive step toward independence,” says Joan Laporta to NYT: The right to handle our own money is a priority."

1st national convention of Catalan Solidarity for the Independence (SI)

More than 1.500 supporters of the SI in the 1st Convention. In the first National Convention of the Catalan Solidarity for Independence, held on October 24th in the Congress Palace of Catalonia. The Election Manifesto of the coalition was passed with 894 votes in favor, 2 blank and none against it. Out of the passed amendments one is referred to the replacement of the word espoli for espoliació ( both mean plundering with a shade of meaning). In this case the amendment was passed with 436 votes in favor, 238 against and 204 blank ballot papers.
At the time of the election for the Manifesto there were 896 joint members in the auditoruim but throughout the morning the number of joint members and supporters has increased until it exceeded 1500 people.
After passing the Manifesto, some of the party representatives that are part of the coalition (Els Verds-Alternativa Verda, Catalunya Nació Independència, Partit Republicà Català, PSAN, Democràcia Catalana i Solidaritat per la Independència) gave a brief speech. For instance, Santi Vilanova, representing the party Verda-Alternativa Verda, has highlighted that « the nation that we aspire to has to be ruch in life quality » and, for that reason, they are committed to ecological policies to preserve the environment. The leader of the Partit Socialista d’Alliberament Nacional (PSAN), Josep Guia, has admitted the following: »Now not only the Valencians must talk about the SI, all of you must talk about it as if you were Valencians », highlighting this way the importance of acheiving the unity of all the Catalan regions. Agustí Soler, representative of the Partit Republicà Català, has assured that « the greatness of the nations is measured by their people, let’s promote then the values of peace, human rights and the rights of the people ».
After that, Anna Arqué, the number five of the SI in Barcelona, announced the social entities that were present in the First Nacional Convention of the SI and gave her word to the members of international parties like the N-VA in Flanders, represented by Jan Jambon, who emphasized that his presence in the National Convention of the SI is, above all, due to his affinity with Catalonia: »I’m not here just as a member of the party but also as a Flemish nationalist because there are a lot of similarities between both territories ». In fact Jambon has given support to the political project led by Joan Laporta. He manifested « I’m here for the peaceful fight and for freedom ». Anyway, Brice Lafontaine, general secretary of Unitat Catalana, party that has signed a collaboration contract  the SI, he brought up the marginalization of the catalanism in the North of Catalonia, but he also stated that thanks to his party’s work Catalan has gained visibility in the public sphere.
In her turn, the writer Isael-Clara Simó, number 4 of the SI in Barcelona, said that « this is boiling of independence, so it’s ready », however, she admitted that « maybe we’ll get some scratches but the path has begun and those who don’t want to see it should get used to it » and she remembered in front of the more than 1500 members and supporters of the SI that « the enemies of an Independent Catalonia would be the Spanish, the Catalan Spanish nationalists and the puritan independentists that always find reservations in joining the path to freedom »
Afterwards it was time to introduce the candidates of the four constituencies, which heads of the list praised their lists. The candidate of the SI in Girona, Toni Strubell, announced that he ignores « the century the other organizations represent, but the SI is the independentist option of the 21st century ». Strubell explained that the list for Girona is transverse and admitted that what « makes me happier is that there are such important people in it from the beginning to the end » he also added that Núria Cadenes closed the list he headed. On the other hand, the head for Tarragona, Hèctor López Bofill, has assured that « we will get the 68 deputies we need for the Independence » because « we are the hope, the excitement and the truth » and he highlighted his list was diverse « with competent people that loves the nation ». And Francesc Xavier Segura, who heads the list for Lleida, has insisted that « the people of the SI is brave because has hold onto the opportunity of attracting people like me to Independence and we have passes the election manifesto that tell us how to go where we want to go ».
The last candidates to take part ere the promoters of the SI project. The number three of Barcelona, Uriel Bertran, explained that « the 26th of November we will have existed for three months, and if in this time we have been able to achieve everything we have now, in four months we should obtain the absolut majority » Bertran has warned that they’ll try to take us apart, but it will be too late because this movement is not us but the Catalan nation » and precisely because of that, « from this movement will rise the people that will rule the country ». The candidate of the SI, referring to the anthem of Catalonia, remembered that « the 28th of November will be the fight of our ancestors and be will aim for the 68 deputies ».

Alfons López Tena, number 2 in Barcelona, has emphasized that « here we are the ones that must hold the beating heart that is the hope of Catalonia ». López Tena also assured that « now is the moment to work for Catalonia’s freedom » because « we shouldn’t leave another generation under Spain ».
And finally, the candidate of the SI to the presidency of the Generalitat, Joan Laporta, defended the independence as a solution for the global crisis and explained how was created the coalition that he heads: » I put my fame to the service of this country because as a Cataln I had the obligation to do so but what actually triggered the creation of the SI was the visit of Uriel Bertran and Alfons López Tena who sacrificed a lot » and also « the protest on the 10th of July which wasn’t against the Constitutional Court but called for independence ». Furthermore, Laporta thanked the Constitutional Court because « it’s taught us the path we should take », actually with a free state « Catalonia wouldn’t lose 22.000 million € every year « sum that represents 10% of the Catalan GDP. Laporta insisted that independence will be achieved through peaceful and democratic means » and asked all the members and sympathizers to have « courage and audacity » to achieve freedom. « The day after the independence Catalans will go to work as always with the only difference that they will be ruled by someone that cares about their interests », stated the candidate to the SI to the presidency of the Generalitat.
Joan Laporta added that the politics « have done nothing but crying and that should be punished in the elections, democratically » since « after the shame we’ve got to go through with the Statute now they say they will develop it in secret, which we don’t accept because we hold our head high ». The head of the list of the SI has highlighted that « we will be independent when women want us to be so because all great countries are matriarchies and they will be the ones who will bring independence to life ».Nevertheless, Laporta has declared « I don’t want my children to be independentist, we all have the right to the pursuit of hapiness ». To end the ceremony all the candidates of the SI went on stage to sing « Els Segadors », Catalan national anthem.

The Catalan lipdub for independence, world record

Up to 5730 people have finally participated in the historic Lipdub for Independence. It was  was recorded on Sunday at Vic (Osona), so the bulk interpretation of 'Flame', the Valencian band Obrint Pas (Opening Step): The lipdub get a certificate of World Records Academy as the most followed lipdub. You can follow this at Nació Digital.

Five parties claim Autonomy for Northen Catalonia

On September 26, five political parties met in Donibane Lohizune (French Basque country) to discuss the proposed land reform the French government. The parties issued a joint statement where they observe that the government's response is global even meeting different scenarios. The proposals, they say, tend to go back on decentralization and local democracy using the excuse of simplifying and good management committed to measures that reinforce centralism. Examples are made the suppression of "pays” (countries) in Brittany and Northern Basque Country (Iparralde).


However there are positive aspects as the mergers in Alsace and Savoie (now divided into two departments each), or the reunification of Brittany. The statement claims to transform the Catalan and Basque departments into news entities with special status. This figure already exists in Corsica as a self-government with limited powers.
The signatories of the declaration are Unser Land of Alsace, Parti Breton / Strollad Breizh Brittany, Democratic Convergence of Catalonia North Ligue Savoisienne and Basque Nationalist Party of Euskadi North.

Thousands demonstrated in València

Thousands of Valencian people demonstrated on October 9th in defense of their roots, the culture and social cuts against the Spanish government. Called by various organizations and parties led by the capital Acció Cultural del País Valencià (ACPV), Valencian Country Cultural Action resorted to 15,000 people according to the organization. The march commemorated the entry of Aragon and the Catalan troops of James I to the city from the river Turia on 1238. In Castelló de la Plana dozens of people stopped an Spanish fascist concentration.

Letter to President Obama about Catalonia

Harvard professor Obama can now apply his theories of democracy on Catalonia.
The Catalan independence star, here on July 10, is taken from the Cuban flag, whose independence leader was the Catalan José Martí.


Anthropology professor Susan M. DiGiacomo has written to former Constitutional Law professor Obama about the scandalous disrespect for democracy by Spanish nationalists and their corrupt Supreme Court denying fundamental constitutional rights to Catalans (Search Carter Calls for Catalan Independence).

I write to you not only in your capacity as President of the United States, but also as a former professor of Constitutional Law. In The Audacity of Hope, you propose we understand democracy “not as a house to be built, but as a conversation to be had. The American Constitution organizes the way by which we argue about our future. Implicit in its structure, in the very idea of ordered liberty, was a rejection of absolute truth, the infallibility of any idea or ideology, any tyrannical consistency that might lock future generations into a single unalterable course.“ In Catalonia what is happening is precisely this attempt to end conversation by arguing that the house is already built, constitutionally, and that no further debate is even legimate. A completely politicized court uses the Constitution as a weapon to crush the legitimate national aspirations of a people and to set absolute limits. Its statute of autonomy was approved no fewer than three times: by the Catalan parliament, by the Spanish Congress, and by the Catalan people in a referendum. What is happening here, then, is an assault on democracy. In the United States, when the will of the people is not reflected in the Constitution, the Constitution has been amended. What the Spanish court has done is to consider the Spanish Constitution untouchable, engraved in stone, and their reading of it is so restrictive that the democratically expressed will of the Catalan people has no place in it. Catalonia is an ancient European nation with an equally ancient tradition of representative government, predating the English Magna Carta. In the Middle Ages Catalonia was an independent polity. Catalonia did not lose its institutions of self-government until 1714, by force of arms when an absolutist monarchy came to power. With the death of General Franco, Catalonia began to recover once more its political institutions abrogated by the victorious fascists. On July 10, more than a million Catalans filled the streets of Barcelona to reject the court’s decision. Increasing numbers of Catalans see no other path to national survival except through full sovereignty within the framework of the European Union. There is nothing in international law that prevents a people from unilaterally declaring independence. Former president Jimmy Carter in Barcelona described the court’s decision as an error, and offered to send observers in the event of a referendum on Catalan independence. I ask only that you establish contacts with the Catalan government that will emerge from this fall’s election. Catalonia badly needs international interlocutors and international visibility.

Catalan News Agency: a fantastic tool

Next October 1st, the Agència Catalana de Notícies (ACN) will present its English news service, the Catalan News Agency (CNA). ACN’s director Saül Gordillo says that the CNA aims to publish main news stories from Catalonia for an international audience. “The CNA wants to inform people from abroad about Catalonia, but from a Catalan point of view, so that foreign media do not only have the perspective of the Madrid based press”, argued Gordillo.

The director of the agency says that the CNA is an “ambitious” project. He explained that the English website is not an automatic translation of the agency’s main contents. On the contrary, journalists elaborate the information in English starting from scratch, bearing international media and the public in mind. “We offer more contextualised information that helps to understand the Catalan reality (...) There is no news provider in Catalonia with the intention of being understood abroad”.
The director of the agency said that the CNA is a “strategic plan for the future”' in order to “open” the company to the world. “The Agència Catalana de Notícies is the national news agency of Catalonia. As a public service, we thought that we should project Catalonia into the world. And to do it in English, especially in this moment of economic crisis and when the relationship between Catalonia and Spain is widely discussed”, he stated.
The English language service of the Catalan News Agency has 3 parts:
- The first one is a digital newspaper that includes the main news stories of the day.
- The second part of the website is an opinion blog called 'Catalan Views' in which recognised figures from the Catalan political, cultural, economic and social spheres participate.
- The third one is a newsletter with the most important information from the last fifteen days that will be sent to Catalan institutions abroad, foreign media, enterprises, tourist operators and universities. All the content of the CNA website is multimedia.

A former Catalan regional minister with Solidarity

A former minister of the Catalan regional government has announced it will support the new coalition SCI. Carles Solà was born in Xàtiva, Valencian Country on 1945.He awarded a PhD degree in Chemistry, he has carried out research in Biochemical Engineering with 130 publications, having tutored 22 doctoral theses. Solà was Rector of a Catalan University (UAB). He also was president of the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities and member of the Executive Committee for the International Association of University President as well as member of the Board of the European University Association. He was awarded Doctor Honoris Causa in Science from the University of Southampton (1999) and is member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Solà was proud to be in the last position in the Solidarity’s list. He says this is the best option fos catalan people to be independent and to be, withou filters, in Europe.
Other personalities are supporting the new movement as the Valencian writer Isabel Clara-Simó, prominent teachers of law and economics as Hèctor López Bofill and Emili Valdero or the notary Alfons López Tena. They are forming a storng team with key personalities of the “referendum movement” as uriel bertran and Anna Arqué. Last year about 500 referendums have been organized across the country with half a milion voters.

Reagrupament strong effort

The party lead by Doctor Joan Carretero is doing a strong effort to be visible. Some days there are ten meetings in several localities to explain the independence benefits. Reagrupament Independentista (Independentist Rally) will be the name of the electoral platform. About twenty electoral offices have been open last weeks to support their list. On eleventh September Reagrupament was one of the stronger movements to mobilize people with a popular lunch and a demonstration. The last one was followed by more than two thousand people.

Spanish terrorist attack against independentist meeting

Around 21 hours on Saturday 09.18.2010, during the presentation of the Catalan Solidarity Independence in Cervera (Segarra), unidentified individuals burned a Catalan Starry flag (cpopularlu called “estelada”), approximately ten feet. It hunged from the main facade of the Gran Teatre de La Passió de Cervera, the theather were the meeting took place. A number of firefighters personed immediately to the scene while the fire was initially turned off by a member of the organizing team. The fire did not caused any injury.

There were a strong crowd of four hundred people inside the building, who had not news of the fact until the end of the event. Sources firefighters ensured that the fire, very bulky, could jeopardize the integrity of the building, which housed hundreds of reminding people of all ages inside. Solidaritat Catalana per la Independència asked Spanish nationalist parties to denounce the terrorist attack. Nor PSOE, PP or C’s did it. This is a reason to be ilegalized in the Spanish law. Is this law the same for everybody?.

Fist meeting for independence held in Arenys

On September 12th was held the first gathering for Independence in Arenys de Munt. It celebrated the anniversary holding the first consultation on the independence of Catalonia. Since then there have been about 400 consultations with over 50,000 volunteers. Last three consultations were celebrated on September 11th with a 87-95 % of yes.

The congregation met a crowd of three thousand in the Maresme’s town In the framework of the festival was signed on Commitment of Arenys de Munt. The text says: "We are committed, and the political forces which be belong, to propose, to the Parliament that will emerge from the elections planned for this fall, to work to build, the most socially possible, to exercise our right of self-determination. After it we can break the constitutional pact and to hold a referendum that allows all people to express on the Catalonia’s desire to become an independent state "

It was signed by Catalan Solidarity Independence represented by Joan Laporta. Rally with his president Joan Carretero and ERC. The ERC’s representative was the European Parliament Oriol Junqueras. In the afternoon Moisès Broggi opened the monument to independence. A lot of people demanded Solidaritat and Reagrupament to unite.

Demonstrations for independence throughout Catalonia

September eleven is the Catalan national day. It evokes the last day of Catalan freedom before to be defeated by French and Spanish armies on 1714. The night before torchlights marched through forty villages. In Berga there were three hundred people, in Vilafranca the march was followed by 2.000 and three thousand lighted Manresa or Vic.


Demonstrations for independence were convoked the days ten and eleven. For instance in Vic, Reus, Lleida (half a thousand people for independence and 2.000 demanded more self-government), Girona (5.000 for independence and 200 for self-government) and Barcelona. In the main city division between several independentist proposals was highly lamented. Local police counted nine thousand people (last year they counted 14.000). Organizers counted 30.000 as the last year.

A fist march ended in the Fossar de les Moreres were 1714 martyrs are buried. There was a meeting and some masked people burned Spanish and French flags as well as a portrait of the Spanish king. All this acts are prosecuted with high penalties in Spain. In USA you have the right to burn a USA’s flag. The second march was lead by civical platforms with no political form (Plataforma pel Dret a Decidir and Sobirania I Progrés). It was followed by two new independentist parties, Catalan Solidarity for Independence and Rally. Some people demanded unity between them because their aims are the same. At last there was the ERC’s march with several members of the autonomous government. Scottish delegations supported ERC and Solidarity and the PQ’s president, P. Maurois, from Quebec, was in the ERC’s block. No violent incident was reported unlike unionists meetings as the World championship celebrations with dozens of people detained or the pro bullfighting who destroyed a ERC’s building last July.

35 Torchlight marches on 10-S

Every September tenth, at night, are held at various Catalan locations torchlight marches. It is a symbolic event the night before the national day: the eleventh of September. That day, in 1714, Barcelona surrendered to the Spanish invasion that turned the war of succession. Since then, Catalonia lost its rights and institutions.

All in all, on 2003 at Vilafranca del Penedès was held the first torchlight march. The torches symbolize the light of the Catalan resistance despite 300 years of military occupation, economic pillaging and cultural denial.
Gradually there were more people and adding more villages to the point that this year there will be marches in 35 locations. So, that the list is not yet defined. In Manresa, for instance, on last year was held the first of nearly 2,000 people.

Solidaritat (Solidarity) elects candidates in primary elections

Catalan Solidarity for Independence (SCI) has chosen its candidate.
 It has been done with primary elections.
The movement was founded with the intention of creating a grand coalition Catalan independence.
The response of the existing parties has been negative and SCI decided to launch a new electoral list. The primary elections have been an historical step in Catalan democracy history, SCI says.

The movement is led by Joan Laporta (FC Barcelona former chairman) and prominent members from CDC (the party founded by Jordi Pujol), ERC and Reagrupament (meaning Rally).
The lists elected will be lead by Laporta, Hèctor López Bofill (from ERC), and Francesc X. Segura and Toni Strubell (from Rally).

International sheepdogs competition in Catalan Countries

Catalan sheepdogs (gossos d’atura) are the dogs which help sheperds in the work of bringing cattle. They are used all over the Pyrenees (Aragonese, Basque, Catalan and Occitan parts).

Every year an international competition is organized in eight rounds. The fifth round was played yesterday in Castellar de N’Hug. The last one will be held in Felanitx (Mallorca’s island). Castellar de N’Hug is a small and beautiful village in the Catalan mountains. It is placed in the Berguedà region.
All dogs follow a unified regulation, which governs the area, laid out the evidence and gives a score according to the jury, usually composed of veterinarians. Obedience is first valued in the ability to drive sheep. The first contest was played in 1962. A Catalan federation organizes the competition. Josep Armengou, a shepherd from Castellar de N'Hug, once more won the first place. The second one was for Juli Bayoy from Ares del Maestrat (Castelló) and the third one for Miquel Adrover, from mallorca. The public was formed by more than six thousand people.

A Catalan Man in court over Northern Ireland riots

Roger Jorro i Costa, from Barcelona, has been charged with 'riotous assembly' by the British police. The 28-year-old Catalan man has appeared in court in Belfast accused of attempting to murder a policewoman during the Twelth July rioting in Ardoyne, Belfast. The PSNI had issued a photograph of a man investigators wanted to question in connection with an incident in which a policewoman suffered head injuries when a concrete block was dropped on her.
He went to a police station after a photo was released of a man police said they wished to question.

First meeting for independence to be held in September

On September 12 will be held at Arenys de Munt a big meeting (Aplec in Catalan) “for independence”. It will be a festive event coinciding with the first anniversary of the first consultation on independence from Spain organized by civil society. It was on 13thj September 2009. The organizers invite all promoters of consultations on the independence of the Principality to participate, and all the Catalan separatists in a meeting that will pay tribute to the organizing committee, will encourage consultation and decides Barcelona will coincide with the opening the 'Monument to Independence', in homage to the historic launch of the consultations.

The promoters are preparing a lot of festivities with a load of emotion and demands for independence, the desire to make the day 'shaken' again the foundations of current political structures. The celebration will be on September 12 and not 13 because this year falls on Monday, and want to use the conference to bring together the best of separatist movements and to become a day participatory at all levels', according to the Mayor Arenys de Munt, Carles Móra.

Summer Catalan University 2010

From August 16th to August 24th Prada de Conflent will host the Catalan Summer University. Prada is a village under French administration but a Catalan one. It is placed in Northern Catalonia.

Catalan Summer University (UCE) arises from the festivities organized in 1968 in Prada along the Catalan Youth Cultural Group and the Group of Catalan Studies Roussillon, after May 1968. From this successful experience, and the interest of the people of Northern Catalonia to promote and advance the language and culture and the need of the people of the Principality, the Islands and Valencia to find a space of freedom at a time when Franco was very alive in the summer of 1969 emerged the first UCE.

It atracts about about two thousand people and members of tha main national parties visit it and gave speeches. CiU, ERC and Reagrupament members are expected this year. CUP will pay homage to the patriot and well known painter Manuel Viusà.

International meeting of Corti: hope instead of resentment

The ghjurnate di Corti are a gathering of national movements throughout the world. This weekend was celebrated the 29th edition. It is a meeting point by national liberation movements.

This year there were delegations of Ireland (Sinn Féin), Catalan Countries (Catalan Solidarity for Independence, State Catalan, Catalan Committee of Internationalist Solidarity), Euskal Herria (Construction of Autonomy, Askatasuna, Batasuna), Sardinia (Sardinia Natzione, Independentzia Repùbrica di Sardinia), or New Caledonia (FLNKS, USTKE, and Parti UNPK Travaillistes Kanak). The organizers were Corsica Libera. Other years there has been Occitan, Welsh, Breton, Alsatian or Scottish delegations.

The program included several activities: a workshop for young people, the first assembly of elected councilors for independence, the projection of the film "Bloody Sunday" and a debate on "land". Corsica is experiencing a very tough because the pressure of real estate speculators trying to build. It is always easy to get a permit. The national movement opposes to the island filled with cement. A space was devoted to Corsican political prisoners .

Years ago, these days we lived in a climate of resentment. Even there had been shot submachine guns. Now the national movement hearts just get the best results in its history. Within the independence of these have exceeded the 10% barrier. They are in parliament. And the guests also come with progress under his arm.

Days of Corti: the voice of the international delegations

The Basque delegation with Maite Goientxe of Batasuna has emphasized that "these meetings are an asset because you learn and make known the conflicts that we suffer." In an optimistic tone believes "there are real conditions to win the right to self determination." Precisely Kanak delegation explained that a maximum of three years the nation will convene in the Pacific "a local referendum for self-determination" according to agreements between the independence movement and the French government (Noumea agreement).

Also optimism in the Catalan delegation where Uriel Bertran, former ERC MP and a promoter of the new movement Solidaritat Catalana per la Independència, said that "the popular movement for independence alive a force unprecedented in our country". It is prepared on a "big coalition" for independence. Sardinia was represented by Gavino Sale, from IRS, who is a newly elected provincial. Their movement is inspired by Gandhi and opposed all forms of violence. Its growth has been steady in recent years with a very successful work. For Sale "accepting the hypothesis of independence has become a reality." And this is already a victory. "It takes the example of Catalonia, or the case of recognition of Kosovo by the Hague tribunal.". Sale was one of international observers to consultations on independence held in Catalonia.

Finally there was an Irish delegation. It was led by Paul Fleming, Mayor of Derry and POW from 1974 to 1990. "Today, he says, Sinn Féin has assimilated the idea of discussion abandonment of armed solution." The policy is the way that favors the party that keeps growing in every election and have on the horizon the achievement of an unification with the rest of Ireland. Fleming and the language is' an important vector. Northern Irish government has just announced it will open four Gaelic schools next September.

Letter from 28 intelelctuals (from 6 states) to The Economist about bullfighting

The next letter has been sent by 28 intellectuals from 6 states to 'The Economist' for its tendentious treatment about the question:

Sir, We strongly disagree with your treatment of the Catalan Parliament's decision to prohibit bullfighting in Catalonia ("The land of the ban", July 29th 2010).
We find the title itself tendentious, and several other phrases appearing in the article (for example, 'What will Catalonia outlaw next?'; 'a taste for outlawing whatever irks them'; and 'spasm of intolerance') are inaccurate, offensive, and out of place in a publication of The Economist's caliber.
As people who know Catalonia well, we fail to recognize in those expressions what we have always found to be a progressive, open-minded and welcoming society.
We would expect The Economist to be able to offer its readers a more truthful account of the state of things in Catalonia today.

Víctor Alexandre, Writer and journalist


Iñaki Anasagasti, Member of the Spanish Senate

Helena Buffery, Lecturer at Birmingham and Cork Universities

Montserrat Armengou TV documentary-maker

Salvador Cardús i Ros, Dean, School of Political Science and Sociology, UAB, Barcelona

Eugeni Casanova, Author and journalist

Josep Cruanyes, Lawyer and President of Plataforma pel Dret a Decidir, Barcelona

Francesc de Dalmases i Thió, Director, Catalan International View

Susan M. DiGiacomo, Professor, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona

Henry Ettinghausen Emeritus Professor, University of Southampton.

Armand de Fluvià, Genealogist and heraldist, University Professor, Barcelona

August Gil Matamala, Lawyer

Montserrat Guibernau Pofessor of History, Queen Mary's London

José Luis de las Heras, Professor of History, Salamanca University

Cristina Lagé Manich, Espai Catalunya Topalekua

J.C. Major, Col.lectiu Emma, New York

Joan M. Minguet Batllori, Art History Professor, UAB, Barcelona

Pedro Morón de la Fuente, Journalist, Sant Boi de Llobregat

Oriol Pi-Sunyer, Emeritus Professor, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Jordi Porta, Ex President of Òmnium Cultural, Barcelona

Francesc Ribera, Musician, Berga

Isabel-Clara Simó, Writer, Barcelona

Toni Strubell, Coordinator of the Comissió de la Dignitat, Girona

Víctor Terradellas i Maré, Editor, Catalan International View

Josep Maria Terricabras, Professor of Philosophy at Girona University, Girona

Colm Toíbín, Writer, Dublin

Quim Torra, Publisher and writer

Amèlia Trueta, Historian, Oxford

Catalonia frees herself from Spanish bull-fighting

"Now yes", abolition is a fact

On July 28th, 2010 the Catalan Parliament outlawed Spanish tradition of bullfighting until death.
The result of 68 in favour, 55 against the prohibition, 9 abstentions. A popular petition collected 180.000 signatures to outlaw bullfighting on the grounds that it was cruelty to animals.
Many people hates this Spanish tradition for its cruelty against the animals. Only 5 states in the world (Spain and France) maitains it. “We don't have to ban everything, but the most degrading things should be banned," said Josep Rull (CIU). Many other people in Catalonia opposes bullfighting because it is a Spanish national feast and Catalan nation is absolutely different from the Spanish one. Catalans prefer football as British people.
Spaniard press sees the outlaw as a new sign that Catalonia is far from Spain. And eveytime more and more.
Spanish unionists tried in vain to oppose the resolution arguing for the Spanish unity. In Catalonia only one place in Barcelona had fights. Just 16 fights (in Madrid, for instance, there were 350) were held on 2009, and the stadium was less than half full. Many of them were tourists who think they were in Spain. From 2012 this mistake will not be possible.

Catalan Solidarity for Independece launched

Three key personalities from several parties have launched a call to form a Catalan Solidarity for Independence with two aims:

1) To submit a single candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Catalonia with the common goal of proclaiming the independence and subjecting it to a referendum at the next term (2010-2014).


2) To establish the Government of Catalonia to organize all the necessary aspects of the transition towards the creation of the Catalan state within the EU.

All citizens who are satisfied with this proposal we ask them to register on the website www.solidaritatcatalana.cat and organize their local municipal assemblies, constituted by the local coordinators to support the candidacy of Catalan Solidarity for Independence.

First camping for the language on the island of Menorca

For the first time a camping for the language will be held on the island of Menorca, the Balearic island where Catalan is more deeply rooted. For over a decade Youth of Mallorca for the Language have made this fun and vindicative activity. This year the is that the camp has moved to the island of Menorca. The musical programm is headed by Valencian band Obrint Pas. The activity takes place on 3 and 4 July in the village of Ferreries and they have opened a blog to explain the news. Yjey also organize a boat from Majorca. As one of the organizers says: "Being able to enjoy a weekend aimed at the normalization of the language, the feast and the defense and promotion of our language, it is a success. Ferreries will become a festive and assertive core. The ability to organize an activity of this scale shows that we’re alive. " More than a thousand people celebrated tehir own language in the festival and abround three hundred were camped.

Milion Catalonians march for right to be a nation: great impact on international press

International press has covered with great interest the biggest demonstration ever held in Catalonia.
Under the slogan “We’re a nation. We decide” the march was full of separatists flags. More of them are now in the windows of many homes.
Certainly the demo was to defend a greater autonomy but the Spanish opposition to accept it transformed the rally in a giant independentist show. Here are some links to follow the new, most of them taken by Vilaweb and the Emma Collective in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 posts as well as a good note:

Protest for independence in Spain. CNN

Multitudinaria marcha por la independencia en Cataluña. Clarín.

Mais de um milhão de pessoas pedem 'independência' em Barcelona IOL (Portugal).

Catalans rally for greater autonomy within Spain The Washington Post

Catalan protest over Court ruling Sunday Express

Manifestation pour la "nation catalane" Le Figaro

In South Africa, Catalans Lead Spain; In Spain, Catalans Want (More) Freedom. Time

Million march for Catalonia's right to autonomy. The Sidney Morning Herald

Catalans march to assert nationhood Al-Jazeera.

Un million de personnes pour la Catalogne. Radio Canada.

Hunderttausende Katalanen fordern mehr Autonomie Tagesschau

1.1 million people rally in Barcelona in favor of greater Catalan autonomy within Spain Los Angeles Times

Millionenprotest in Katalonien: 'Adéu Espanya' Der Spiegel.

Manifestation monstre à Barcelone pour défendre l'autonomie Euronews (vídeo).

Barcellona e la Catalogna sul piede di guerra contro la Spagna Giornalettismo .

1.1 million people rally in Barcelona in favor of greater Catalan autonomy within Spain Fox News.

Miljoen Catalanen betogen voor autonomie Het Journaal, De Redactie (Flanders)

'Wir sind eine Nation' Neue Zürcher Zeitung

Hunderttausende Katalanen fordern Unabhängigkeit i Katalonien will nicht mehr für arme Spanier zahlen  Der Standard (Austria).

Catalan protesters rally for greater autonomy in Spain BBC.

Catalonië protesteert tegen Spanje De Telegraaf

Let us call a Nation. Morning Star.

Spanish success raises nationalist hackles. Reuters

Catalonia never again will be the same: Biggest demonstration ever done

One milion and half people, an extraordinary crowd crossed Barcelona’s streets on July 10th. Their slogan was clear: “Som una nació, nosaltres decidim”. (“We are a nation. We decide”). Never such a biggest demonstration was held in Catalonia. Autonomist and independentists marched together but Catalan flags with a star (used to claim a Catalan state) were clearly more than Catalan flags. Never so many Catalan independentists have marched together. You can follow the news at BBC, Reuters, Al Jazeera; France 24 and Washington Post.
Catalonia never again will be the same.

Festival on Catalan identity in Northern Catalonia

Aire Nou de Baó has held nine editions of "Identi'CAT". It is a festival in the village of Baó, Northern Catalonia, under French administration. Singes in Catalan language, as well as popular traditions as human castles, fire feasts and several concerts were in the programm. The festival  lasted for four days. This year edition was dedicated to the gipsy culture wich is particularly strong ion Northen Catalonia. Gipsies in Northen Catalania has storng roots in the region and has preserved Catalan culture in spite of the French impositions.

Demonstration "We are a nation. We decide." convoked

As a clear answer to the cutting of the self-government statute by an Spanish tribunal, Òmnium Cultural has convoked a demonstration in Barcelona next July 10th. It will be a show of strength of the Catalan people. All the Catalan parties have supported it from the monarchists of the Carlist Party to Marxists of EUiA. A 90 % of the Catalan parliament also supports it. Only extreme unionists are opposed to the defense of the legal text approved by the Catalan people by a clear majority.
The majority of Catalan independentist parties support the demonstration and will march, side by side, with the autonomist forces. Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, Candidatura d’Unitat Popular are the biggest to march with autonomist forces as CiU and PSOE.

Aplec de la Plana, a good festival

The Aplec de la Plana is an organization totally independent, not tied to any political party or implied, to any other association, nonprofit, volunteer base that works with a strong youth and amateur nature. Even so, within a unitary act, they have gathered around this project, most organizations prefer our territory here in the Plana Baixa (Low Plain) an extremely important region of the Valencian Country. They are the Youth Cultural Action Valencia (ACPV), the PD yellow star, the Association for audiovisual Red Point, Tirant lo Rock Collective, Sonora Association Made in Onda, Onda Folk Group, the Association Helmet Historical Group WidgetLand Onda, Arteatre the SEPC, the Youth Assembly of the Plain (CAJEI), or the JERPV, Young Block (Bloc Jove) among others.

The festival has spent seven editions throughout the region, with a party that has been organized on various occasions in Vilareal or other locations as Borriana the villages, Almenara and this year will be held for the second time in Onda. It just tries to publicize and promote our culture in all areas, giving an overview not only from tradition but also with all the modernity and dynamism of our time, with a very varied range of activities, from visual arts, theater, correfocs, traditional dances or the dissemination of our writers. But if something stands for the Aplec of the Plain and attracts thousands of visitors for the quality of the bands involved. The festival overcomed more than 3,000 attendees in 2009.

This year the festival will be attended by: La Línia XYZ, Naia, Almorranes Garrapinyaes, Malnom, Rapsodes, Tom Bombadil, Pirat’s Sound Sistema (The Bitch Deaf).

Republicat

On July 3 it will be held in Barcelona "Republicat." It is a festival organized by the Barcelona section of Repulican Left of Catalonia before ERC nowadays “Esquerra”. There are alot of activities: puppets, zip, inflatables, painting workshop for children, tuners, heck, dance, cricket, a chat called "Self-determination is democracy" and a meeting where Joan Puigcercós will be the speaker. The price of lunch is $ 5.

Spain strangles the Catalan self-government

A Spanish court has considered that the new Statute of Autonomy is not legal. It has been done by a narrow margin of votes and after several maneuvers removing the vote of some of its members with different arguments. Only six people have decided that the law adopted by the Spanish parliament, the Catalan parliament, the Spanish senate and the entire Catalan people,is just not legal. All of them were wrong. This six aged people are right, they think.

The ruling denies that Catalonia is a nation, it also denies the right to own justice, to use symbols like the flag as part of its institutional activities and to collect taxes. A portion of the sentence is particularly harsh: the Catalan language is considered by the court as a second language to Spanish subject. This will be a pullback towards the previous status where the Catalan language was a priority in the country. Until now, the autonomous TV was completely in Catalan, from now on it should be bilingual as the Catalan institutions activities and the language of the school. Never as now Spain and Catalonia were so far.

651,650 signatures for the reception of Catalan TV in València

On Tuesday 22th June 2010 Cultural Action presented a total of 85 boxes containing 651,650 signatures in the Electoral Board. Thus it exceeds 30% of the minimum half a milion signatures required by entering the pending bill to boost popular initiative “Television without Frontiers”.

Territorial distribution of  signatures delivered has been:

Catalan Countries:
Valencian Country .............................. 253,549
Autonomous Catalonia ........................321,150
Balearic Islands ................................... 29,472

Basque Country

Navarra ................................... 29,070
Autonomous Basque Country............... 16,141

Rest of territories ……………………..... 2,268

Vallencian Country is who has the highest percentage of signatures on the relationship / voters: this means that the claim of the continuity of TV3 Valencia is widely shared by a social majority that includes all political tendencies.
Now, the Electoral Board must notify the validity of signatures and thereby begin the process of parliamentary procedure to obtain the approval of the bill.

Cycling for the language to be official

Cycling 300 km for the Catalan language. Miquel Català has begun to turn the bike on Sunday 20th. He will cross about 300 kilometers separating Paris and Brussels. He has with him 32,000 signatures in favor of the Catalan language to be official in the EU. He will deliver them to the Catalan MEPs at the Flemish capital. Català started the race at in the morning from the headquarters of the Catalan Government in Paris, where he has received support from the government representative who wished him luck in the journey. The same language militant in 2008 translated the official website of the Catalan Parliament, a job which had the support of the majority of MEPs Catalans but it caused problems with legal services of the institution.

The website was well received among Internet users in April 2009 and Catalan embarked on another site, 'oficialitat.cat', through which he has collected some 32,000 signatures in 20 European countries in favor of official status of Catalan in the EU.
'I love cycling and I found a striking way to present the initiative and efforts somehow explain that Catalans are willing to do the official language', has pointed statements in young computer to journalists at the door of the offices of the Government in the French capital.
The battle for official recognition of Catalan in the European institutions that lasts for years, without significant advances that have occurred. It is necessary that the Spanish and French will have to convince the other members of the EU because the European Council declared an official language, Catalan. They won’t.

15’7 % people voted: 89,3 % said yes

The fifth wave of consultations about Catalonia’s independence obtained a 15.7% stake (14.2% of the census broadened). This is the lowest of those made so far. Before this wave, the average participation was 23.5%. This decline of almost eight points was motivated by the failure who have had the consultations in the area of Baix Llobregat. In this country the average participation was 9.1%, It means fourteen points below the average of 23 , 5%. Baix Llobregat is a small region near from Barcelona that it is mainly populated by Spanish people. Most of them have their origins in Spain because they have born there or are second (and third ) generation migrants. Most of them refuse Catalan identity and they live as they still were in Spain.

The other side of the coin of the day has been the consultation in Mataró. In this important city in the Maresme coast the participation was 27.2%, exceeding the 26.97% obtained in April in Girona. In Mataró 23,006 people voted. Just in Mataró two unionists assaulted on electoral college destroying material but there were no wounded people.
Should be noted also that in Cerdanyola del Vallès (also with high numbers of Spanish people) participation stood at 16,52%. Sobremunt a little village in the Osona’s county has been the people with more participation: 73.24.
In absolute numbers, 68.157 people voted on June 20th. 55,388 (89.3%) have done for independence, and 4,648 (7.5%) against. %. You can follow the complete results in the 48 villages in the Coordination web.

The show of force goes on: 500.000 people more to vote on independence

Half a million Catalan people could vote in the fourth wave of consultations for independence to be held tomorrow. On June 20th 46 municipalities may express if they want or not to be in a new independent state. With this fith wave will already have 508 municipalities that have expressed their desire democratically about dependency or independence. In the 48 municipalities wich will vote on Catalan sovereignty there will be 315 polling stations spread installed in 140 electoral colleges. Regional capitals as Mataró and Falset have convoked consultations for self-determination. The list of counties and municipalities whre there will be consultations on 20 June is the next one:


Alt Camp: Alcover

Alt Empordà: Navata

Alt Penedès: Avinyonet, El Pla del Penedès, Sant Llorenç d'Hortons

Anoia: La Pobla de Claramunt

Baix Camp: Mont-roig del Camp

Baix Empordà: Calonge-Sant Antoni, Santa Cristina d'Aro

Baix Llobregat: Cornellà de Llobregat, Esplugues de Llobregat, Olesa de Montserrat, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Sant Feliu de Llobregat

Cerdanya: Bellver de Cerdanya, Guils de Cerdanya, Urús

Conca de Barberà; Sarral

Garraf: Sitges

Maresme: Mataró, Òrrius

Noguera: Térmens

Osona: Sobremunt

Priorat: Falset, Ulldemolins

Ribera d'Ebre: Ginestar i Móra la Nova

Ripollès: Ogassa

Segrià: Almenar i Els Alamús

Selva: Osor

Tarragonès: La Canonja

Vallès Occidental: Cerdanyola, Palau-solità i Plegamans

Vallès Oriental: Vallromanes

Tens of thousands of Catalans march for self-determination in Barcelona

Tens of thousands of demonstrators demonstrated on Saturday 12th in the city of Barcelona to demand the right of self determination. They were 50,000 according to the organization, but the police said they were no more than five thousandUnder the slogan 'Self-determination is democracy", the demonstration has been called by the Platform for the Right to Decide (PDD, Plataforma pel Dret a Decidir). PDD’s chairman said that the demonstration today was a response to the outrage of the Catalans. 'The Spanish state does not recognize the personality of Catalonia as a nation or the rights granted to the Spanish constitution gives (…) referendums, presenting a demonstration on Saturday and the popular initiative are examples of disagreement with the current situation”.


Protesters have also shown banners and slogans in support of the popular Initiative recently approved by the Catalan parliament. The initiative is to convoke a consultation on independence. A concert ended the march with artists as Dekrèpits, Jaume Arnella, Pep Sala and Titot.

The march also served to honor the work done by volunteers from the consultations on the independence vote and to encourage the next lapse, the June 20th. Just to acknowledge the work done by hundreds of volunteers who took part in the organization of consultations, were those who led them. There were two big banners, the first one with the slogan 'Self-determination is democracy'. In the first one there were representatives of many local committees organizers of the consultations. The second banner was with the slogan 'For the self-determination, democracy, labour and solidarity'. Behind the second banner parties and organizations that supported the event, such as ERC, CUP, Rally, Maulets , PSAN and JNC.

Perpignan unanimously approved a charter for the Catalan language

The council of the Northen Catalonia capital, Perpinyà, unanimously approved a charter which recognizes the Catalan as co-official language of the city, along with the French. The charter is covered in several international texts in the French constitution and wants to ensure the survival and transmission of Catalan in the Catalan northern territory which is under French administration. This is the first council to claim official recognition of Catalan in the French state. All groups that make up the council, since the UMP majority group and the various opposition groups voted for the text. The next step from the City of Perpignan wants to carry out that the charter to be voted, approved and ratified in all 229 municipalities of the territory of Northern Catalonia. After this step institutions should create institutions that care for the development of the Catalan language, from education to government and institutions themselves.

Travel to Alguero...50 years later

In August 1960 a group of intellectuals and politicians from Catalonia, València and the Balearic Islands made a journey boat to the city of Alghero, where they were received by their brothers in the Sardinian town. L’Alguer, as it is named in Catalan language, is the only Catalan-speaking language in the Italian state.
That trip, known as ”Lo viatge del Retrobament” (the travel of Reunion), was to strengthen relations between the Catalan speaking territories. From 23th to 26th June a trip has been organized to celebrates the 50th anniversary reunion of the modern era. As the organizers say:

"When arrived news that abroad there was also a city where Catalan is spoken, a group of intellectuals from various Catalan-speaking territories wanted to come with a boat to retrieve the missing links. For expedition to the Catalans, who were admitted to see a crowd at the port of Alghero, with joy, enthusiasm exhibited by the Catalan flag, which at the time was banned by the dictatorship, it was a moment of great excitement and happiness. "

The ties had been broken for decades, and this trip helped them rebuild. A comprehensive program to celebrate a romantic anniversary: that of a people who reunited. Includes cafes, exhibitions, lectures, a commodity market, theater, concerts ... Very sincere congratulations to the organizers, the city of Alghero (ruled by the Berlusconi’s party), the Catalan Government and Catalan Travel Club (Club Català de Viatges).

' Goodbye, Spain?' on TV

Catalan TV, TV3, will broadcast today a documentary titled “Goodbye, Spain?”. It is a 90-minute documentary that compares the Catalan national situation with other similar cases. The other nations without state are like Scotland, Greenland and Quebec. It will be released by TV3 quarter to ten in the evening, the prime strip. Given the recent polls Catalan independentism is not just a minority feelin but it is difficult to translate it in an electoral option for storng differences among the political separatist options.


"Goodbye, Spain?" examines the positioning of the European Union "to the possibility of secession of a part of a Member State and its immediate inclusion in the Union”. It will interview Scottish Prime Minister, Alex Salmond from the Scottish National Party.

Sabadell, the biggest city to vote about independence

The consultation on the independence of Catalonia in Sabadell was organized on May 30. The Platform for Self-determination has registered a participation of 14.5%, with a total of 24,370 votes over a total of 173,426 who were eligible to vote. Sabadell also exceeds the 8.2% stake that was collected on April 25, Lleida, which until now was the largest town (114,000 inhabitants) which had organized a consultation.

A 92,53 % voted Yes, the 5.6% did it for not and the white vote and gets 1.8%. The Sabadell's results are despite lack of support or financial assistance from government institutions, although not official, and despite not having prepared an array of officials working there for free. For instance, over a 12% of participation was collected by a recent consultation on reform of the Diagonal Avenue in Barcelona. The last was organized a couple of weeks by the council of the Catalan capital. It squandered more than 3 million in municipal funds in Barcelona. Besides consulting Sabadell, as other questions about independence that have been made in the Principality, has received the approval and verification of international observers who have confirmed the validity and accuracy of them.

Thousand five hundred people in a concert for independence

The concert was played last Saturday in Mataró. It brought together more than 1,500 people and it was part of a campaign by CUP (Candidatura d’Unitat Popular). The campaign is called ‘Sí’ (‘Yes' in Catalan) to ask Mataró’s people to vote yes for independence in the referendum. Mataró decides, the association wich is behind the referendum has said that it has collected over 8,000 votes in advance. It represents 8% of the standard query that drives the platform decides Mataró when there is still almost a month to the vote day.

The query about the independence is to be held in the capital of the Maresme region on June 20th. The concert served to introduce La Gossa Sorda songs from its new album ‘L’últim heretge’( 'The Last Heretic'), another band, Brams, announced the recording of a new album and their effective return to the stage.

Catalan Wikipedia amounts to the 14th place worldwide

The Catalan language wikipedia advances the version in Finnish language and amounts the 14th place worldwide with over 235,000 items. The Catalan one is the first non-state language in the Wikipedias classification.

The Catalan edition of Wikipedia has surpassed the number of articles in Finnish edition, which has allowed to position itself in the 14th position in world ranking for this category. The growth continues with the Catalan Wikipedia firm, since September 2009 exceeded the 200,000 articles, and in January of this year reached the top position in global quality. This sort of ranking for more than 270 edits, as its extension and the achievement of 1000 items considered most important by users of an encyclopedia. You can view the full details of the Catalan version of Wikipedia in the statistics section.