Òmnium Cultural sets up a stand in the centre of Barcelona which will feature the presence of several writers on a day that is once again marked by the continued incarceration of Jordi Cuixart

Catalonia will celebrate Sant Jordi again on April 23rd, the day in which Catalans exchange books and roses en masse amongst themselves. It is the day of love and books in Catalonia, during which up to 1,5 million books are sold along with over 6 million roses. Òmnium Cultural, as an organization that was created in order to promote Catalan culture, joins Sant Jordi with several offers, chief among them being a stand which will feature several writers. Òmnium will use the occasion to denounce injustice, since its president, Jordi Cuixart, remains incarcerated as he undergoes an unjust in the Supreme Court. This festival has also spread throughout the world thanks to those Catalans who live abroad as well as the interest that it inspires in other countries.

Book signings at the Òmnium stand

Distinguished authors will sign books in the stand that will be placed at the intersection of Barcelona’s Rambla Catalunya and Diputació street.

At 10:30 am Jordi Cabré, winner of the 2018 Òmnium Sant Jordi Award, and Marta Pessarrodona, the winner of the 51st Honorary Award of Catalan Literature, will both be present at the stand.

More signings:

11h – 12h Marta Pessarrodona – Winner of the 51st Honorary Award of Catalan Literature
Màrius Serra – 2011 Sant Jordi Award winner
12h – 13h  Gemma Nierga – Co-author of “Three days in prison” along with Jordi Cuixart
Carles Rebassa – 2018 Carles Riba Award winner
13h – 14h Raül Garrigasait – Winner of the 2017 Òmnium Award for best novel
Melcior Comes – Finalist of the 2018 Òmnium Award for best novel
16h – 17h Víctor García Tur – 2018 Mercé Rodoreda Award winner
Jenn Díaz – 2016 Mercé Rodoreda Award winner
17h – 18h Jordi Cabré – 2018 Òmnium Sant Jordi Award winner
17h – 19h Jaume Cabré – Winner of the 42nd Honorary Award of Catalan Literature
18h – 19h Marta Orriols – Winner of the 2018 Òmnium Award for best novel
19h – 20h Pere Joan Martorell – Finalist of the 2018 Òmnium Award for best novel

Plaça Catalunya: yellow roses for freedom

Òmnium will once set up a wall of flowers in Barcelona’s Plaça Catalunya and encourages citizens to place a yellow rose on it in support of the release of Catalan political prisoners and the return of the exiles. This year the mural will be made up of giant letters which spell out the word freedom (LLIBERTAT in Catalan), and will serve as a gathering point for Catalan public representatives. In addition, it will also be possible to visit the “Democracy on Trial” travelling exhibition, which denounces the Spanish state’s violation of fundamental rights and freedoms.

The “Petonada”, love as you like!

Once again, Barcelona’s Plaça Universitat will be the scenario of the “Petonada” 2019, a kissing contest that serves as a festive, cultural, and socially committed event that Òmnium organizes in the middle of the city in collaboration with 16 local LGBTI associations.

Special satirical edition of the “Democracy on Trial” newspaper

Coinciding with Sant Jordi, Òmnium will distribute 100,000 copies of the third issue of the Democracy on Trial newspaper. This time it’s a satirical special edition that has been made in collaboration with illustrators not only from Catalonia but also from Spain as a whole as well as from abroad. These 100,000 copies will be available at the more than 120 stands that Òmnium will set up all over Catalonia throughout this Sant Jordi, and will also be distributed at train and metro stations next Thursday, April 25th. The illustrators that have participated in this special edition include Jaume Capdevila “Kap”, Manel Fontdevila, Toni Galmés, Eneko de las Heras from Venezuela, and Marinela Nardi from Italy, among others.