Senator of eUniv, Maria Cucurull, participates in the event “One Language, the Same Cause” at the Ateneu Barcelonès
The Ateneu Barcelonès organized the round table “One Language, the Same Cause” on Thursday, October 24, to address the critical situation of Catalan across Catalan-speaking territories from diverse and cross-sectional perspectives. Senator of the European University (eUniv), Maria Cucurull, participated on behalf of Andorra and Cultura Activa, alongside Xavier Antich, president of Òmnium Cultural; Anna Oliver, from Acció Cultural del País Valencià; Antoni Llabrés, president of Obra Cultural Balear; and Guillem Dalmau, president of Òmnium Cultural Catalunya Nord.
During the session, moderated by Lluïsa Jordà, vice-president of Ateneu Barcelonès, it was shown that, while there are particularities in the situation of Catalan in each territory, certain underlying currents are shared. Cucurull highlighted the importance of an educational model that supports knowledge and use of Catalan, as well as the need for public institutions to allocate resources to promote the language. In this regard, the new law on Catalan as an official and native language was noted as a tool to reverse the situation of Catalan in Andorra, while it was emphasized that without resources to ensure its implementation, the law will not have the desired effect.
The discussion emphasized that there are “reasons for hope” in each Catalan-speaking territory. These include a powerful critical mass of Catalan speakers willing to promote and use Catalan, a recent ecosystem of Catalan influencers on social media who can serve as role models for young people, and initiatives like Escoltes del País Valencià, which promote the use of Catalan in recreational spaces.
The event concluded with a musical performance by Borja Penalba, who performed musical adaptations of several poems by Catalan-speaking authors.
