The Spokesperson for the Catalan Government, Francesc Homs, stated that knowledge of the Catalan language will be a very determining factor when issuing immigration certificates, such as family grouping or residency permits. Homs believes that if immigrants attain a certain level of knowledge of Catalan language, their integration into Catalan society will be easier.
After reading and listening to some opinions in Spanish media, it seems that, as usual, Spaniards do not agree the Catalan Government. Many of them believe that Spanish should be the only preferent language an immigrant should learn when coming to live to Catalonia. Although Spain usually displays itself as a multicultural country, reality is quite different: according to the Spanish thought, Catalan should be left as a "home-purposed" language to be spoken only with friends and family; Catalan should never be the preferent language over Spanish. This is an often controversial subject that eventually makes many Catalans to think that independence from Spain is the only way to protect the Catalan culture: if something is true is that a language having an independent State behind has more chances to survive than a language that is pushed into the background by laws that are on the side of a historically imposed language (in this case, Spanish).
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Photonic sciences researchers wanted
The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) powered by the UPC (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) is attracting leading researchers from all over the world, as is the case of F. Koppens, a Dutch scientist coming from the Harvard University and specialised in nanophotonics and quantum optics. Koppens is interested in studying the optical properties of a newly discovered material, graphene, which allows building 1-atom-thick layers of carbon atoms and whose features seem to be very important for the manufacture of future high-performance electronic devices. Melike Lakadamyali (from Harvard too) and Gerasmos Konstantaos (from University of Toronto, Canada) also came to Barcelona to join the ICFO for also working in this subject.
Read more at ACN.
Read more at ACN.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Google considers Catalan one of the 10 most active languages in the world
Representatives from Google pointed out the high presence of Catalan language in the Internet compared to the number of speakers (about 10 milion people around the world) during the Convit conference, whose goal is to discuss several language-related issues. Luis Collado, director of Google Books and Google News in Spain and Portugal asserted that Catalan falls into the range of the first 10 to 15 most active international languages.
Original information source (in Catalan)
Original information source (in Catalan)
Catalan music band Manel release their second album
Some days ago the Catalan music band Manel released their last album "10 milles per veure una bona armadura" (10 miles to see a good armour).
The band admit they are surprised to see the success this album has achieved because in few days it has become the #1 sales, not only in Catalonia but also in Spain. Manel has become the first Pop Music Band ever that has achieved the first position singing in Catalan. The top songs from "10 milles per veure una bona armadura" are "Aniversari" (Birthday), "Boomerang" and "La cançó del soldadet" (The song of the little soldier). But what has shaked the audience is the awesome music video of the song "Aniversari":
Manel made their debut in 2008 with the awarded album "Els millors professors europeus" (The best European professors). They quickly became famous and played around Catalonia and in cities like Madrid, Buenos Aires and London.
The band admit they are surprised to see the success this album has achieved because in few days it has become the #1 sales, not only in Catalonia but also in Spain. Manel has become the first Pop Music Band ever that has achieved the first position singing in Catalan. The top songs from "10 milles per veure una bona armadura" are "Aniversari" (Birthday), "Boomerang" and "La cançó del soldadet" (The song of the little soldier). But what has shaked the audience is the awesome music video of the song "Aniversari":
Manel made their debut in 2008 with the awarded album "Els millors professors europeus" (The best European professors). They quickly became famous and played around Catalonia and in cities like Madrid, Buenos Aires and London.
What is Catalonia?
I think the best way to start this blog is by talking a little bit about what Catalonia is. According to the definition from the Catalan Encyclopedia, "Catalonia is a country in the Mediterranean Europe, the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, nestled within the Spanish state as an autonomous region, and whose capital city is Barcelona". The picture below depicts the location of Catalonia (region painted red) within Europe:
Maybe you've listened about Catalonia before: in 1992, the Olympic Games were celebrated in Barcelona; the artist Salvador Dalí, born in Figueres, is worldwide known for his surrealist paintings; or maybe you've listened about Antoni Gaudí and his modernist architecture. Do you like medieval art? If so, you probably know the medieval churches of Vall de Boí, starring the paintings of Sant Climent de Taüll.Or maybe you love to delight your palate! Then sure you know Ferran Adrià, Carme Ruscalleda or Santi Santamaria (recently deceased).
The recent history of Catalonia has been really painful. Since 1714, Spain has tried over and over again to supress Catalan identity and culture, with the goal to homogenize the "Spanish culture" under a single language and single nation. The last attempt was performed by Franco during his dictatorship from 1939 to 1975. During this period, speaking in Catalan in the street was strictly forbidden and punished. Today, after about 30 years of democracy, Catalan people are allowed to freely use their language (not in all situations though), but Spanish laws still keep looking for homogenizing language and national identity. For example:
Another activity Catalans like to do is eating....Yes, we love eating! Our habits are based on the Mediterranean diet: olive oil, fruit, greens, dried fruit,... Perhaps our most famous dish are "calçots" some sort of thin and long onions that are cooked over a grill and eaten after dipping them in "salvitxada" or "romesco" sauce. The picture below shows an example of how "calçots" are served. Please, do not build an opinion in your mind based on their appearance. I promise you they are delicious!
Well, I think it's enough, so far. I miss a lot of things about Catalonia, but I will have time enough to talk about it in future posts. Cheers!
Maybe you've listened about Catalonia before: in 1992, the Olympic Games were celebrated in Barcelona; the artist Salvador Dalí, born in Figueres, is worldwide known for his surrealist paintings; or maybe you've listened about Antoni Gaudí and his modernist architecture. Do you like medieval art? If so, you probably know the medieval churches of Vall de Boí, starring the paintings of Sant Climent de Taüll.Or maybe you love to delight your palate! Then sure you know Ferran Adrià, Carme Ruscalleda or Santi Santamaria (recently deceased).
The recent history of Catalonia has been really painful. Since 1714, Spain has tried over and over again to supress Catalan identity and culture, with the goal to homogenize the "Spanish culture" under a single language and single nation. The last attempt was performed by Franco during his dictatorship from 1939 to 1975. During this period, speaking in Catalan in the street was strictly forbidden and punished. Today, after about 30 years of democracy, Catalan people are allowed to freely use their language (not in all situations though), but Spanish laws still keep looking for homogenizing language and national identity. For example:
- Catalonia cannot have its own national sport teams. Scotland does although it belongs to UK.
- Catalan people cannot vote in referendum to decide their future.
CanadaQuébec, Greenland and even Scotland are allowed to celebrate referendums. - Catalan people cannot define themselves as a nation.
- The use of Catalan language cannot be preferent to Spanish.
- and a long so on...
Another activity Catalans like to do is eating....Yes, we love eating! Our habits are based on the Mediterranean diet: olive oil, fruit, greens, dried fruit,... Perhaps our most famous dish are "calçots" some sort of thin and long onions that are cooked over a grill and eaten after dipping them in "salvitxada" or "romesco" sauce. The picture below shows an example of how "calçots" are served. Please, do not build an opinion in your mind based on their appearance. I promise you they are delicious!
Well, I think it's enough, so far. I miss a lot of things about Catalonia, but I will have time enough to talk about it in future posts. Cheers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)