EINSTEIN’S KIND VISIT
MORE THAN 800 MAYORS INWINTER FAVOR 2015 OF INDEPENDENCE
UP CLOSE WITH CATALAN MUSICIAN JOSEP TERO SPRING 2015 AICSUSA.ORG
AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CATALAN STUDIES SINCE 1979 CONNECTING NORTH AMERICA TO CATALONIA
aicsusa.org
Hellena Cardus Publisher AICS President Spring 2015
Welcome to our Spring edition of CATALONIA, a quarterly publication by AICS (American Institute for Catalan Studies) which is based in the mega metropolis of Houston, Texas. This is the fifth edition of CATALONIA and over the past year AICS/ CATALONIA Staff has grown and expanded over 2 continents and consists of the following contributors. Hellena Cardus, AICS President, V.P. of North America FIEC (Federation of Catalan Entities), CATALONIA Publisher Roslyn Smith, AICS Cultural Arts Chairperson, Editor in Chief CATALONIA Jordi Guillem, AICS Vice President, Senior Writer, CATALONIA Mayte Duarte Seguer, AICS Cultural Liaison, Interviewer and Senior Writer CATALONIA Francesc Beltran, AICS Publicity, Senior Writer and Translator CATALONIA Esther Beltran, AICS Scientific Liaison, Senior Writer CATALONIA AICS has translated and published Catalan literary works including Uncertain Glory by Joan Sales, translated by David Rosenthal, The Catalan Nation and its People, by Josep Carner-Ribalta and Public Power in Catalunya, by Philip B. Taylor. We encourage you to become a member by visiting our website AICSUSA.org and receive a complimentary copy of CATALONIA. If you are interested in becoming a Sponsor for CATALONIA magazine, please contact: Jordi Guillem jguillem@cataloniamagazine.com Share the Experience!
Hellena Cardus hcardus@cataloniamagazine.com
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Roslyn Smith
Editor-in-Chief AICS Cultural Arts Chairperson
Spring 2015
CATALONIA LINKS Don’t forget to like us on Facebook.com/CataloniaMagazine rsmith@cataloniamagazine.com
CATALONIA FACTS ° Population, 7·6 million people (like Switzerland) ° Surface area: 32,114 km2 (bigger than Belgium) ° GDP: €204,000 million (like Denmark) ° Over 10 million people speak Catalan in Spain, France and Italy (more than Swedish for example). ° Catalonia’s Government has had 129 Presidents to date. Its first Constitution dates back to the 13th century.
VULL VOTER.CAT
Catalans que viuen a l’estranger que VOLEN VOTAR al referendum per la independència de Catalunya Eleccions Catalanes 27 Setembre 2015
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CONTENTS
CATALONIA 12
2127
3 PUBLISHER’S NOTE 7 800 MAYORS IN FAVOR OF INDEPENDENCE 11 POEM “Nothing is paltry” BY JOSEP OBIOLS
12 EINSTEIN IN BARCELONA “Kindness, warmth, friendliness” BY ANTONI ROCA ROSELL
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21 JOSEP TERO, CATALAN MUSICIAN “ A poet, a jester, a songwriter” BY MAYTE DUARTE
26 CAP DE CREUS “Between land and sea”
27 CATALONIA EN CATALÀ
6 CATALONIA MAGAZINE is published quarterly by AICS- American Institute for Catalan Studies . Contact: aicsusa.org Publisher Hellena Cardus hcardus@cataloniamagazine.com Editor-in-Chief Roslyn Smith rsmith@cataloniamagazine.com Senior Writer Jordi Guillem jguillem@cataloniamagazine.com © 2015 CATALONIA MAGAZINE. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Printed in the U.S.
AICS NEWS On Sunday, April 19th 2015, AICS held its annual Sant Jordi Celebration at Vintage Park in Houston, Texas, along with the local Catalan loving community, in commemoration of Catalonia’s Diada de Sant Jordi, (Patron Saint of Catalonia) and the Day of the Book and the Rose (April 23rd). Approximately 70 people attended the festive event, including many existing members and recent Catalan immigrants. The winter edition of CATALONIA magazine featuring Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia was gifted to each of the participants, as well as other AICS publications. Books were exchanged by the participants and roses given to all of the beautiful ladies who attended the event. A Catalan Trivia game also provided much entertainment for the occasion and a Pa de Sant Jordi provided by Chef Eric ended the wonderful occasion. Visca Catalunya! By Hellena Cardus
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CATALONIA
October 4,2014
NEWS
Group photograph oin the Pati dels Tarongers
President Mas: "As much as they try to silence the people of Catalonia, they will not succeed. We will triumph" AICSUSA.ORG | CATALONIA | 7
The President of the Government of Catalonia, Artur Mas reassured that “as much as they try to silence the people of Catalonia, they will not succeed. We will triumph”. The Chief Executive expressed this message in the Palau of the Generalitat to more than 800 mayors out of the 920 municipalities of Catalonia who approved the accords in favor of people of Catalonia’s right to decide on their political future. Catalonia has 947 municipalities, so more than 95% of them officially support the consultation. Artur Mas emphasized that the great social and political majorities of Catalonia in favor of the consultation have expressed themselves by holding demonstrations on the streets of Catalonia and through the ballots in the recent elections. Mas also stressed that “we have a majority of votes and a majority in Parliament, there is political consensus, we have a mobilization on behalf of the Catalan people which has been clearly expressed, and now we have the unity of the Catalan municipal Administrations”. “If all of this comes together, the process cannot be stopped” revealed the President. In this regard, the Head of the Catalan Government, made reference to the meeting held yesterday with the parliamentary groups favoring the right to a consultation and explained that “[yesterday] we were able to agree and today Catalonia, through its municipalities has been able to come together, yet again”. Artur Mas insisted on the importance of unity at these particular moments and emphasized that “it is what our country needs right now and it is the best image we can give”. The President also used the event to send a message to the State institutions, reminding them that in the elections of November 2012 “the people of Catalonia decided exactly on what is currently being carried out and now there are some who are telling us that we should change our ways, that is to say, to not keep our promise, to not even listen to the voice expressed through the ballots. This we will not do”.
Mayors of Catalonia during the President's speech
On the same note, the President of the Government stated that "what is happening in Catalonia is a democratic challenge in capital letters" as " any state within a democracy and after witnessing the demonstrations which have occurred, the parliamentary majorities that have been brought into being through the elections, the positive way in which the Catalan people have expressed themselves and seeing what is happening at this very moment in the Palau of the Generalitat, would already be sitting at the table negotiating the legal means to vote”. The President began his speech by noting how the image of today’s ceremony "will make history" and told the mayors of the Catalan municipalities that "you will be the main characters, and above all, so will the people whom you represent, meaning the whole of the Catalan nation”. Artur Mas finished his speech by thanking the mayors not only for their support on the Consultation of November 9th, but for their daily efforts, because with them "you are holding the country together in very complicated conditions”. The Chief Executive also used the ceremony to thank the president of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), Carmen Forcadell and the president of Òmnium Cultural, Muriel Casals, both of the also having assisting the event, for "everything that you are doing in the name of freedom, which is not just a grain of sand, but entire beaches in terms of the immense service you are providing this country with". The event was also attended by the President of the Parliament of Catalonia, Núria de Gispert; the VicePresident of the Catalan Government, Joana Ortega, and the Minister of the Presidency, Francesc Homs, among other authorities. Aside from the speech by President Mas, interventions were also made by the president of the Catalan Association of Municipalities and Mayor of Premià de Mar, Miquel Buch; the president of the Association of Municipalities for Independence and Mayor Vic, Josep Maria Vila d’Abadal and the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias.
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Why a Vote? Catalonia has always had a distinct culture and language and a strong desire for self-government. Though Catalonia lost its independence in 1714, there was a political and cultural renaissance in the 19th century which eventually led to the proclamation of the Catalan Republic in 1931. Subsequent negotiations with the Spanish Republic led to a wide-reaching autonomy. However, General Franco’s fascist victory in 1939 led to the suspension of Catalonia’s autonomy, a ban on the Catalan language, and a fierce repression forcing 200,000 Catalans to go into exile. Franco also ordered the execution of Catalonia’s President at that time, Lluís Companys.
After Franco’s death, 1977 saw the return of the Catalan President, Josep Tarradellas who had been elected in exile. This allowed for the reestablishment of the autonomous government. Subsequently, the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the 1979 Statute of Autonomy for Catalonia set the limits of its autonomy.
Spain has become economically and socially modernized since then but it has not fully accommodated its internal diversity into its political setup. A new statute of autonomy, agreed by referendum in Catalonia and passed by the Spanish parliament in 2006, was drastically altered by a controversial court ruling in 2010. Catalonia’s proposal for greater fiscal autonomy was then rejected out of hand. Attacks against Catalonia’s education system and linguistic rights have also increased and more and more recentralization measures are being taken.
A referendum on self-determination is necessary to reset the relationship between Catalonia and Spain.
It is the popular demand of more than 80% of Catalans in opinion polls, and of a clear majority of members of the Catalan parliament.
Catalonia voted on 9 November 2014 in a non-binding participatory process which showed, once more, the determination of the Catalan population to decide their own future. Despite the firm legal and political opposition of the Spanish Government and judicial bodies, a total of 2,305,290 Catalans cast their vote, 35.81% of those who were eligible to do so. 80.76% of these citizens voted in favor of independence, 4.54% against and 10.7% in favor of a non-independent state (the federal solution).
As this vote was a non-binding one, the Catalan President, Artur Mas, called an early election with a plebiscitary character to be held on 27 September 2015. This vote will become a “de facto” referendum on independence from Spain. This kind of election with a plebiscitary character is not the ideal solution (unlike a binding referendum agreed with the Spanish State would have been) but it will offer the democratic guarantees and international validity required by any process of independence.
CataloniaVOTES.eu
NOTHING IS PALTRY
Josep Obiols Nothing is paltry nor any moment barren, nor is night's fortune dark. And the dew is clear as the sun leaps out, stuns and delights in his wash: that mirrors the bed of all creation. Nothing is paltry, all is rich like wine and a flushed cheek. And the billowed sea laughs forever a river, Spring in winter — Spring in summer. And everything is Spring: and every leaf ever green. Nothing is paltry, for the days do not pass; and death does not come even if called. And if you have called he hides like a hole for to be reborn we must first die. And we are never grief but a delicate smile which opens like the lips of oranges. Nothing is paltry because the song sings in every flake of things. — Today, tomorrow and yesterday a rose will wither: and to the youngest virgin's breast comes milk. “Nothing is Paltry” is the translation of the poem “Res No Es Mesqui” by Josep Obiols. Translation by Dominic Keown and Tom Owen from THE ANGLO-CATALAN SOCIETY
LA MONA DE PASQUA La mona de Pasqua is a tradition that symbolizes easter in Catalonia, the egg symbolizes the leading principle of life . The tradition of la Mona dates back to the fifteenth century, and its origin is limited to Catalonia and Valencia. Some say the word Mona comes from " muna " an Arab word, meaning gift. Today, monas come in a wide variety, but before they were generally round . Initially, the cake was made out of a sugary dough and other goodies with eggs on top , as shown in the picture at the top right.
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EINSTEIN’S KIND VISIT TO BARCELONA IN 1923 ANTONI ROCA ROSELL Einstein spent some nice days in Barcelona, as he wrote in his personal diary. Invited by the Mancomunitat (commonwealth) to launch a modern scientific community in Catalonia, this article includes the details of his visit in the city, people he met and, particularly, the big effects he, as a great social phenomenon, provoked in the written press.
M
arch 4, 1923, the writer Josep Maria de Sagarra said with a little irony in, La Publicitat:
"All of these manifestations of simplicity and affection (referring primarily to the presentation in la Universidad Industrial)seem fine to me and if I were a great man, I guess that now I would take them with great resignation and perhaps they would bring me great , personal satisfaction.” Kindness, warmth, friendliness ... are all adjectives that were constantly repeated in the tales from Einstein’s first visit to Barcelona that took place February 22th through the 28th in 1923. In just six days, Einstein was entertained, listened to and debated over, while also getting to know some points of interests in Catalonia. It is known that Einstein jumped onto the world stage in November of 1919, after the expeditions of the Royal Society whose observations on the eclipse of May, 29th were consistent with predictions of the theory general relativity. In presenting this result, British scientists said Einstein was the new Newton. Keep in mind the times of confrontation, the hatred, and revenge that World War I caused. In this context, the fact that a German scientist was consecrated by an English institution pointed to science as a way to overcome the terrible moment. Einstein was known in Spain but particularly in Barcelona through the great Esteve Terradas, in whose writings had mentioned Einstein's work since 1908, although until 1911 he was not fully aware of the uniqueness of this star. Many may have wondered how can one make this claim; response is in an error that appears systematically published by Terradas in that period.
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It explains correctly the quantum theory of Einstein, the theory of Brownian motion, assumes that the theory of relativity will be essential for all of physics, but he misquotes the name of Einstein: he writes Eisenstein, mistaking it with the German mathematician of Jewish origin Gotthold Eisenstein (1823-1852). In 1911, probably thanks to having attended the Congress of German Naturalists and Physicians in Karlsruhe, Terradas realized the uniqueness of the creator of the relativity and other theories. In subsequent years, he followed Einstein's scientific career, in 1914 he gave a lecture on relativity and gravitation and another on atomistic in 1915. After the jump to fame, Einstein was invited to visit many countries. Throughout the successive years, he accepted some invitations: 1921, The United States and The United Kingdom; 1922, France and Japan; 1923, Palestine and Spain; 1925, Argentina. That’s not even counting private trips he took many times to the Netherlands, where he had many friends, one being Paul Erhenfest. As studied by Thomas F. Glick, invitations from Spain began in 1920. Among them, the invitation from Terradas must have been made in 1921. In Fondo Terradas del Institut d'Estudis Catalans, is a conserved response letter from Einstein, which reads: Berlín, 16-VII-1921 Very honorable colleague: Your cordial letter of March the first filled me with joy and sadness at the same time. Sadness is due to the fact that a long and important job will not allow me to be away from Berlin for a long period of time before next summer. I assure I regret very much that this does not allow me to accept your invitation, but anyway I'm sure I will be able to accept it during the academic course of 1922-1923, if you still hold your invitation. With my sincere esteem, A. Einstein Without a doubt, the Board of Education of Mancomunitat on behalf of Terradas, who had invited Einstein, agreed to wait a year. And Einstein fulfilled. In a note to Rafael Campalans, dated September 6, 1922, from Carnac, in Brittany, France, commented that they would see Einstein in a few days and asked about how much money could be offered to him, 3000 or 4000 pesetas. The response from Campalans revealed to us, that during that time there wasn’t a budgetary provision for Einstein’s pay, but Campalans believed 3500 pesetas could come from somewhere. Einstein went on a trip to Japan, where he was lecturing for a few weeks and then stopped in Palestine to see firsthand the project of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, then a British protectorate. From Singapore, Einstein had telegraphed the Mancomunitat announcing his arrival would be in late February in Barcelona.
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Consequently, on Wednesday February 21, 1923, La Publicitat announced the imminent arrival of Einstein, who was introduced as the creator of theories who "have completely revolutionized modern science". On February the 22th, La Tribuna reported that enrollment was 25 pesetas, an amount respectable at the time, and that admission was reserved because of the conditions of the establishment and type of conferences that were to be held. At the same time invitations were sent to people of Barcelona in the scientific world and, of course, the small group of teachers and students familiar with Einstein’s theories. Keep in mind, that in preparation for Tullio Levi Civitta’s visit in the Spring of 1921, Terradas had a course for several weeks on relativity, in which 81 people registered, as recorded in the Archivo de la Diputacion de Barcelona. The conclusion shouldn’t be that those people were experts in mathematical physics, but simply the number indicates the level of interests. The first press news from Barcelona and Madrid about Einstein’s arrival in Barcelona explained that Einstein reached Barcelona without anyone there to welcome him at the station because he didn’t have time to telegraph before taking the train out of Toulon, France. On Friday the 23rd, it was confirmed that Einstein would be lecturing at the Institut d'Estudis Catalans (whose headquarters was the Palacio de la Generalitat) was set to begin on Saturday the 24th. La Publicitat explained that Rafael Campalans and Casimir Lana went to see the mayor on Friday to announce Einstein had already arrived. On February 24th La Veu de Catalunya explains, Einstein had arrived in Barcelona and had visited Terradas after checking in at Hotel Colon (during that time it was located in La plaça de Catalunya. However, other newspapers such as El Debate de Madrid wrote on February the 25th that when Einstein arrived in Barcelona he wasn’t received by anyone. El Debate de Madrid also stated that Einstein had stayed in a very “modest” pension, in which the people of Barcelona says it was Las Cuatro Naciones pension. The owner of that pension immediately noticed the presence of the German scholar and immediately communicated to El Debate that Einstein was seen with a famous Catalan man, that he had been in contact with from Berlin. Apparently that person booked a different room for Einstein in the same pension but for a suite. Since Einstein already had been installed in the same hotel, but in a standard room, he did not want to move from there. However, La Veu de Catalunya gave a different version of his arrival: Einstein would have gone to Terradas’s home first and then to the hotel. Descendants of Terradas retain a handwritten note confirming this story. In it before the absence of Terradas, Einstein asked, in French, where should I go. Einstein gave the first lecture on Saturday February the 24th. The second and the third took place on the following Monday and Tuesday the 26th and 27th. On February the 28 th, he lectured at the Real Academia de Ciencias y Artes. The next day he took the train to Madrid where he arrived that evening. The press took great notice to all of his lectures, and also made the effort to reflect its contents on their pages. Let us note that, in general, the directors of the newspapers considered that what Einstein had to say really interested readers. There was, however, diversity of options and that very same diversity we approximate the "social phenomenon Einstein." 14 | CATALONIA | AICSUSA.ORG
Some newspapers were limited to giving summaries, staying brief about events and nor reproducing press information. Others, however, asked people within the scientific world to go over the collected information. From these requests, Ferran Tallada, a professor of mathematics in Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial de Barcelona (School of Industrial Engineering of Barcelona), wrote summaries of the three conferences for La Vanguardia on March 4th ,13th and 24th, when Einstein had already left Barcelona and Spain entirely. On March 14th, La Vanguardia de Madrid published an article critiquing the theory of relativity, written by their scientific collaborator, the astronomer Josep Comas Sola. Let us note that the newspaper, during that time while following Einstein’s visit, did not trust in him and sought out a recognized relativistic like Tallada. Meanwhile, La Publicitat commissioned a summary of the conferences by Catalan philosophers and brothers Ramon and Joaquim Xirau Palau. The articles provided an overview of the conferences as being very correct. Throughout the articles, it was stated continuously that the reader should excuse the astronomer Josep Comas Sola for inaccuracies or for simply not having the capabilities to do the summaries. La Publicitat also published chronicles signed by well known writers: Carles Soldevila, Sunday, February 25th, and Josep M. de Sagarra, March 4th. Both reflected the aura in which Einstein reached the city with. Sagarra regretted not having preserved the chalkboards Einstein wrote on, to support their explanations. Furthermore, his description of the human figure of Einstein is a testimony of great grace and literary quality. A topic that continuously came up and was discussed by experts and non-experts alike was the difficulty to understand Einstein’s conferences. According to Glick, Spain was the country where this argument was repeated the most. Keep in mind that Einstein’s conferences were not publicized. He spoke at Salo Sant Jordi de la Generalitat before more than a hundred people as if they were all experts in mathematical physics. Most of the audience wasn’t able to follow it. Actually, it's admirable that the press attempted to reflect the course content of Einstein. Only the director of Diario de Barcelona said the general press was required only to reflect the current environment, its impact on the cultural world and the general public. Comas Sola was one of the few who said at a press conference that it was disappointing not to be understandable, and he added that, in reality, there was nothing interesting to understand and, in the future, the theory of relativity would be forgotten and not applicable.
Signature in the Book of Honor of the Poblet Monastery
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Comas’ position was explained by a debate that had faced him with his colleagues, mainly at the Academia de Ciencias, following a rather bold assumption about the aberration of light. To explain sudden movements that Comas had allegedly observed and dared to formulate a new physical theory, which was rejected by people like Ramon Jardí Ferran Tallada, Fontsere, and Eduard Esteve Terrades. On the second to the last day of Einstein’s stay in Barcelona, resulted in the only incident of his visit to Barcelona. That day the scientist gave a lecture at the Academia de Ciencias and Artes, headquartered in La Rambla, and then agreed to meet with Angel Pestana, a union leader of Confederacion Nacional del Trabajo (CNT) (The National Labor Confederation). The interview took place at the headquarters of the Sindicato Unico de Distribucion. Some newspapers talked about the interview explaining that Angel Pestana informed him about the seriousness of the social struggle in Barcelona and that Einstein commented. According to El Noticiero Universal on February 68 th, Einstein said, "he was also revolutionary but in the scientific order, and that he cared about social issues a great deal. " And, according to the same newspaper, he continued saying that “repression was more a fruit of stupidity than a fruit of wickedness”, and advised his listeners to read the philosopher Spinoza, whose works are fruit of many good things and very timely advice. This review appeared in more than one newspaper and surprised and worried Einstein, the most official visit was to take place in the following days, when he would be received by the King of Spain and other authorities. Therefore, during the trip to Madrid (which began on the night of February the 28th), he made a statement to a reporter from ABC that was reproduced in many other newspapers. He contradicted what he had said: "It is true ... I accepted the invitation from the Catalan labor unionists, but I said the opposite of what the newspapers write." Indeed, he denied having declared revolutionary or just in the scientific field, since his theory sought to reform or complement the classical theory, despite what the media worldwide said. What had happened? Thomas Glick believes that was a mix up of languages, since the interview was conducted in German and French, and the press put into the mouth of Einstein what Pestana actually said, to say since they were revolutionary in society, like Einstein in nature. What can certainly be attributed to Einstein is the advice to read Spinoza, one of his favorite authors. This incident, in which we see both Einstein committed to popular causes, and Einstein worried about his political independence and, perhaps, because of his public position, was one of the most relevant of his stay in Spain. Thomas Glick found in the memories of Diego Abad de Santillan a reference to this incident, but Santillan thought he remembered that the statements from Einstein had earned him expulsion from the country. A somewhat obscure reference in the biography of Carl Seelig can refer to this incident.
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Indeed, returning to Germany that year in 1923, Einstein resigned from the Committee of Intellectuals of the League of Nations, and Seelig said, without elaborating, that it was because of "Katalonishen Frage", "the Catalonia problem". In his resignation letter, a claim that could indeed be related to the cause of democracy in Catalonia and in which Glick highlights. Einstein said that "the commission has favored repression of cultural minorities in different countries to create in them 'national committees' whose mission was to bridge between the intellectual and the corresponding state. By which I refuse to be moral support of these national minorities that are oppressed." This position of Einstein could be related to the exchange he had with the Catalan Socialist leader, Rafael Campalans, who was the director of the Escola del Treball de la Universidad Industrial and at the same time, general director of instruction of Consejo de Pedagogia de la Mancomunitat. In subsequent publications by Campalans, we see the impact of the conversations with Einstein was profound. Campalans was warned by Einstein about the inappropriateness of the "nationalist" name that was used by various fascist movements in Europe. Campalans, explained to Einstein the components of the Catalan struggle for democracy and respect for their identity, he made no further mention of this description. He replaced it with a more specific term "Catalanist", avoiding unwanted attention. Einstein's stay was complemented with cultural visits, almost all of them with the intent to know the past of Catalonia and modernization projects. The first Sunday of his visit was accompanied by Bernat Gassol Lassaletta y Ventura, among others, a visit to the Monasterio de Poblet. There are pictures to prove it that appeared en Mundo Grafico on February 25, 1923. In one of them Einstein appears with a group of villagers, many of them children. In a note it says that the expedition reached to Tortosa.
The following Monday, February 26, Einstein was accompanied by the president of the Mancomunitat, Josep Puig Cadafalch, to visit the pre-Christian and Romanesque of Egara, the old Terrassa. The architect Puig Cadafalch was a specialist in Romanesque art with international prestige. On that same Monday, it said in the Diario de Barcelona, Einstein visited Esteve Terrades accompanied by the rector of the Universidad de Barcelona, then the Marquis of Carulla. The secretary of the University, Calleja Borja-Tarrius; the dean of the faculty of Science, Vila Vendrell, and the Professor of Physics of the same faculty, Eduardo Alcobe, who then headed the Academy of Sciences and Arts were all present.
As for other visits of scientific and political significance, the most prominent was the reception at the Industrial School, called Universitat Nova. There Einstein heard a recital of popular songs and sardanas and was presented with an album that, according to some accounts, he kept listening to years later. The program appeared in La Publicitat on February 28th , where it was said that sardanas were performed by the Cobla Barcelona and dances by the Penya de la Dansa de la Associacio d’Estudiants de la Universitat Nova, led by J. Rigall, de l'Esbart Folklore de Catalunya. Several photographs show the presence of Einstein at the Industrial School, where Casimir Lana Sarrate, Francesc Planell, Carles Pi Sunyer, Isabelino Lana Sarrate and Senor Ribe, head of protocol for the City Hall all appear. 18| CATALONIA | AICSUSA.ORG
Einstein was received on February 27th at the City Hall by the Mayor. All newspapers echoed the act. In La Publicitat, they reproduced the discussions between the mayor and Einstein. The mayor gave a speech full of references to the harmony between towns, people and the need for peace. Einstein's words were in the sense of fighting to overcome hatred between people, a struggle in which hoped that Barcelona would participate in Barcelona. That same day the 27th at noon, according to the wishes of Einstein himself, visited by canoe along the harbor, accompanied by Lana Sarrate, by the principal engineer from the Junta de Obras, Ayxela, and by the deputy director, Jauregui. Earlier they had visited the Escola del Mar (School of the Sea), that represented the effort of pedagogical renovation of the City Hall. During the private visits, there was a dinner organized by Rafael Campalans in honor of Einstein, in which he had a menu printed in Latin "relativist", a gesture of good humor and warmth. A letter in the historical archives of the delegation informs us that the musician Eduard Toldra could not accept the Campalans’ invitation to provide music, which also indicates that most likely there was another performance. Einstein signed several menus: one is among the papers of Terradas in the Fondo del Institut d’Estudis Catalans, and the Campalans family retains several other details of that dinner. Terradas accompanied Einstein to several of these visits, and of course, was present during his lectures. However, we have not located any pictures of the two together. Moreover, references to Terradas in newspapers are scarce. Was there a reason for this? The most likely one is that Terradas had lost a teenage daughter a few days before and, his wife was pregnant. February 17th 1923 was likely the day the death occurred. Jose Castillejo, Secretary of the Board, expressed his regret. On the 23th, the day Einstein arrived Terradas wrote to Castillejo Terradas explaining that he renounced the course that was to be given in Buenos Aires next summer: "The pain has left us crushed so I cannot allow my wife to face giving birth alone. The smallest little sign of pain from our other children is an alarm for us�. The grief and suffering Terradas went through had him in a discreet place. However, his personality did not go unnoticed by Einstein.
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Einstein's diary contains a very generic description of their passage through Barcelona. In fact, it brought together all his days in the city in a single heading, as if he had forgotten to do so for the duration of the stay. Thomas F. Glick offers us it in an appendix: 22-28 February. Stay in Barcelona. Extreme fatigue, but friendly people (Terradas, Campalans, Lana, Tirpitz’s daughter), folk songs, dances, Refectorium. It was nice! March 2nd. Arrival in Madrid. Barcelona, warm farewell. Terradas, German consul and Tirpitz’s daughter, etc. Let’s emphasize the adjective “kind” repeated twice by Einstein, that has served as the title of this article. Everything indicates that Einstein spent a few quiet and relaxed days in Barcelona. The audience received him with respect, and he had the opportunity to live with people with high scientific competence, like Terradas. On the other hand, Einstein's visit to Barcelona concluded Mancomunitat’s effort for becoming more current. Albert Einstein made this effort visible and opened hopes for the creation of a modern scientific community in Catalonia. In fact, J. Burgada, director of the Diario de Barcelona weighed the entire visit to Spain. He considered the visit to Madrid was too formal compared with the approach of work that had been done in Barcelona. Probably Burgada’s opinion is because of the traditional rivalry between the two capitals of Spain, but it was still reflecting a reality.
Bibliography GLICK T.F.: Einstein y los espanoles, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 1986. Englsih edicion Princeton University Press 1988
ROCA ROSELL A., SANCHEZ RON J.M.: Esteban Terradas. Ciencia y sociedad en la Espana contemporanea, INTA/EI Serbal, Barcelona, 1990
ROCA ROSELL A.: La recepcio del pensament d’ Einstein a Catalunya, Revista de Fisica 1998;2 (5): 12-17
ROCA ROSELL A.,:La Amable Visita de Einstein A Barcelona en 1923 Quark 2004
Translated by Smith Languages
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Josep Tero |By Mayte Duarte| |Photography by Juan Miguel Morales| Fans, music critics and renowned songwriters recognize that Josep Tero’s music constitutes a major contribution and has a profound influence in the body of Catalan contemporary music that followed the works of Raimon, Lluis Llach and Maria del Mar Bonet. Born in l’Escala (Alt Emporda, in northern Catalonia), Josep Tero has his first public performance in 1982. His first songs introduce and highlight Catalan poetry and the traditional Catalan folksong. Other principal themes, presented with great musicality, include the environment, individual rights and collective social causes. What does the Music of Josep Tero reflect? JT. My univer se, which in some ways is ver y small and in other s quite lar ge, and the uneasiness to create something better than what already exists.
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Throughout the last 30 years, Josep Tero has become a poet, a jester, a songwriter.... is there a new Master of identity and tradition?
JT. Yes, these thr ee components compose the char acter of the songwr iter . Ther e ar e many Master Songwriters and in Catalonia there is constant renovation in the sense that we live in a country with an open door policy, where we always look outward and take in people and influences from different cultures. This character predisposes us to design an ample world where everyone has a place, and ideas which are beyond our immediate interest, find an environment to exist and thrive. You speak of a welcoming land and a melting pot of cultures. JT. Catalonia is indeed an impor tant melting pot and has been so fr om its ear ly beginnings. I come from a privileged location, Empuries, a magnificent place where there was a strong Iberian culture in 650 AC and where the Greeks and afterwards the Roman in 250AM, settled forming a conglomerate of cultures that explain our predisposition to accept cultural diversity. Since 1986 you have been a privileged observer of the Sense and Boldness which characterize Catalonia. How would you describe the evolution of this character? JT. In the wor ld of cultur e, Boldness is fundamental and thr ough the cour se of time, Sense has shown us that if we cannot stay on course, we could lose many opportunities, and this provides Catalans with a singular cultural identity in Europe. Within the framework of European Cultures, Catalan people always navigate between Sense and Boldness. And from outside of Catalonia, which character trait is most prominent? JT. Per sonally, I believe that Catalonia has been most successful with its Boldness, and this is evident when we walk through the urban center of Barcelona that is the principal reflection of the Catalan Rauxa (Boldness). It is ther e that we r ecognize that Modernism is a tr ait which distinguishes us and makes us feel proud of the boldness which enabled this movement and unleashed the creativity of our artists to go beyond where they had ever gone before. Antoni Gaudi, principal representative of Modernism, not only crossed cultural frontiers, but also cultural mind barriers and became a major symbol of this movement, characterized by Catalan boldness, thereby making Catalonia universally prominent. Sometimes an act of craziness is actually a symptom of intelligence. Can you tell a Catalan, “it isn’t possible�?
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JT. If it wer e not for this, for their audacity to wor k without boundar ies or limits and especially without fears, Catalan scientists would not have been able to complete great bodies of extraordinary work, working openly, fearlessly, focused on accomplishing their principal objectives. What are the real borders? JT. J osep Mar ia Ter r icabr as explained it well, they have to for m par t of all that we know, they have to be spaces where respect is manifested, respect for differences. These are the borders that are of interest to us, where we have to have limits to be able to respect other points of view.
How is Catalonia perceived on both sides of the Mediterranean? JT. Fr om the standpoint of the countr ies that have been fier cely educated towar ds national unity, such as Italy, France or Greece, they do not comprehend the fractioning of the world, as they know it and are fearful of the process. From the point of view of the other countries who do not harbor complexes, nor prejudices, they comprehend the Will of a people to become independent of a reality which doesn’t allow them to become who they are, without prohibitions imposed against manifestations of their identity. In some ways, they have made us more creative. Perhaps the Catalan standpoint of reclaiming its sovereignty and independence in a singular and peaceful manner is unusual. JT. We have done this peacefully and we can even make mor e impr ovements if we r eflect, reconcile, focus and draw on everything that we, as a people, have inherited from a cultural point of view. If Catalonia is scientifically and culturally a creative nation, as has been demonstrated, it cannot hold on to fear, nor continue if inhibited by lack of conviction, which diminish it, vis-àvis the universe. All of this disappears if we maintain our pride in what we have inherited and the certainty they we will be unstoppable. Catalans are a global people. However, people living in Catalonia are perhaps not sufficiently aware of Catalonia’s strength, focusing more on what we need to be, rather than on what we are.
When was the connection with Houston established? JT. It was a few year s ago, thr ough a fr iend, Dr . J aume Costa who knew Dr . David Car dus, a prominent NASA researcher in Houston, Texas. Dr. Costa introduced Dr. Cardus to a publication of mine regarding Catalan popular music which I had written for the campaign to sensitize public schools in Catalonia. As a result, Dr. Cardus, through AICS, American Institute for Catalan Studies, (founded in Houston to promote Catalan Culture in the USA), invited me to perform several concerts in the Houston area. I have been invited again by AICS to perform in Texas in the Fall of 2016 where I will once again offer a repertoire of Catalan and Mediterranean music. AICSUSA.ORG | CATALONIA | 23
Catalan Organizations throughout the World, as is the case of AICS , American Institute for Catalan Studies in Houston, Texas, work within North American and universally to promote Catalans and Catalonia throughout the world. How could we support their efforts from within Catalonia, not just from the standpoint of governmental and private institutions but also from the standpoint of Catalan people at large? JT. It is impor tant to r ecognize songwr iter s as the voice that tr ansmits cultur e beyond our national territory. Songwriters are narrators of the history that surrounds them. The American Institute for Catalan Studies recognizes the significance of Catalan folkloric song and is organizing a 4th tour, “A Texas Tour” for the Fall of 2016. Through the magazine, CATALONIA, AICS shares and promotes all aspects of Catalan culture. Josep Tero in his last collection, "D'UN MATEIX MAR" (FROM THE SAME SEA) , declares himself to be enthralled by Feminine Wisdom and presents us with a work of 12 mediterranean poetesses from different periods in history. (Ànite de Tegea -Grècia, IV a.C.-/ trobairitz provençal anònima -XII-/Caterina Albert/Clementina Arderiu/Núria Albó/Maria Àngels Anglada/Marta Pessarrodona/Maria-Mercè Marçal/Anna Almazan/Rosa Font/Núria Esponellà/Teresa Pous.) As is true of his previous works, it is not just a declaration of intentions but a promise Josep Tero offers us a new mastery of identity and tradition. With the conviction and thrill of future adventures, with the achievement of all liberties, starting from the pride, which makes us confident that, ours is a historic and wise nation. There is no doubt that anywhere you find a Catalan, he or she carries the Catalan nation in their hearts and song and Josep Tero is one of the universal troubadours, a Catalan Master.
Mayte Duarte ©2015 per CATALONIA de l’AICS– American Institute for Catalan Studies. Translated by Hellena Cardus for CATALONIA, AICS USA
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CATALONIA
TERRITORY Catalonia is a Mediterranean country. Most of the population live along or near the coast – including the city of Barcelona. The coastline is rocky with cliffs in the north and becomes much flatter in the south. Catalan landscape is diverse: there are large inland valleys and plains, and high mountain peaks in the Pyrenees that reach 3,000 meters. There are 18 Natural Parks and specially protected areas such as the Delta de l’Ebro (the Ebro river delta). Because of this diversity, temperatures vary considerably from place to place, especially during the wintertime. Summers are generally hot and dry.
Area
12396.58 sq.miles
Climate
Mediterranean
Sunny days per year
300
Coast line
360 miles
Highest Mountain
Pica d’Estats, in the Pyrenees mountain range (1.95 mi.)
Main Rivers
Ter, Liobregat and Ebro, all of which run into the Mediterranean Sea. Garona originates in Val d’Aran and runs into the Atlantic
Important landforms
Cap de Creus headland and the Golf of Roses to the north, and the Ebro Delta in the south
Natural Parks
18
Natural protected areas
30.44% of the land area (960,102 land acres and 77,818 marine acres)
Biosphere reserves {recognized as part of UNESCO’S World Network)
Terres de l’Ebre and Montseny
Wildlife reserves
96 fauna refuges (12,679 hectares)
Percentage of land usage
61.6% forests, Scrubland, field and grass; 29.1% cultivated land; 6.2% urbanized; 0.6% inland waters; and 2.5% unproductive land (2009, Conselleria de Territori I Sostenibilitat) AICSUSA.ORG | CATALONIA | 25
Photo by Pixel
CAP DE CREUS Cap de Creus is a peninsula and a headland located along the coast in the far northeast part of Catalonia. The peninsula has an area of 73 square miles of very unusual, wind beaten, very rocky, dry land with almost no trees. Between land and sea, Cap de Creus is a place of great beauty, endowed with a unique geological configuration and structures very unique to the world. The effect of north wind "tramontana� has made amazing forms of erosion that has transformed the landscape in a very special way .
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EN CATALÀ
RES NO ÉS MESQUÍ Josep Obiols
Res no és mesquí ni cap hora és isarda, ni és fosca la ventura de la nit. I la rosada és clara
que el sol surt i s'ullprèn i té delit del bany: que s'emmiralla el llit de tota cosa feta. Res no és mesquí, i tot ric com el vi i la galta colrada. I l'onada del mar sempre riu, Primavera d'hivern — Primavera d'istiu. I tot és Primavera:
i tota fulla verda eternament. Res no és mesquí, perquè els dies no passen; i no arriba la mort ni si l'heu demanada. I si l'heu demanada us dissimula un clot perquè per tornar a néixer necessiteu morir. I no som mai un plor sinó un somriure fi que es dispersa com grills de taronja. Res no és mesquí, perquè la cançó canta en cada bri de cosa. —Avui, demà i ahir s'esfullarà una rosa: i a la verge més jove li vindrà llet al pit
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CATALONIA
EN CATALÀ
JOSEP TERO | By Mayte Duarte| | Fotografia de Juan Miguel Morales|
El públic, la crítica i reconeguts cantautors i cantants han coincidit a destacar Josep Tero com a un dels principals exponents de les generacions de cantautors en llengua catalana sorgides després de la de Raimon, Lluís Llach i Maria del Mar Bonet. Nascut a l’Escala (Alt Empordà), Josep Tero es dóna a conèixer al gran públic el 1982. La seva obra destaca per la tasca de divulgació de la poesia catalana i la cançó tradicional, així com per les cançons compromeses amb la defensa del medi ambient i les llibertats individuals i col·lectives, sempre amb una gran qualitat musical.
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Què reflecteix la musica d’en Josep Tero? JT.- El meu univer s, que és molt petit i segons com molt gr an alhor a i sobr etot el neguit per crear quelcom millor del que tenim. En el decurs d’aquests més de trenta anys en Josep Tero ha esdevingut un trobador, joglar, cantautor … hi ha un nou mester d’identitat i tradició ? JT.- És el mateix, són tres components que conformen un tarannà a l’hora d’explicar la música cantada. Hi ha molts mestratges i a Catalunya es renoven constantment en el sentit de que és un país de portes obertes, que sempre ha mirat cap en fora i sempre ha acollit persones de totes les cultures. Això ens predisposa a dissenyar un món molt ampli, a on tots tenim cabuda, les idees i sobre tot aquelles que són més del nostre interès, troben un espai per fer camí. Parleu d’una terra d’acollida i gresol de cultures? JT.- Catalunya és, efectivament, un gr esol ben impor tant e aquest sentit des de l’antiguitat. Pertanyo a un indret privilegiat, Empúries és un paratge magnífic on hi havia una important cultura ibera el 650 aC i on grecs i després romans al 250 aC varen instal·lar-se conformant un conglomerat cultural que explica la nostra manera d’acceptar les diversitats. Des de el 86 heu estat un observador privilegiat del seny i la rauxa identitària d’aquest país, com descriuríeu la seva evolució? JT.- En el món de la cultur a la r auxa és molt necessàr ia i alhor a en el decur s del temps el seny ens ha ensenyat que si no anàvem una mica quadriculats podíem perdre moltes pistonades, i això ens ha aportat un caràcter especial dins d’Europa. Dins del marc de totes les cultures europees els catalans sempre naveguem entre el seny i la rauxa. I des de fora de casa quina perspectiva queda més destacada? JT.- Per sonalment cr ec que Catalunya ha tr iomfat més des de la r auxa, això és evident quan passegem per Barcelona que és el centre urbà on millor es reflecteix més la nostra cultura. Llavors ens adonem que el modernisme és un tret identitàri que ens distingeix. I ens fa sentir orgullosos de la rauxa que el va fer possible desfermar la creativitat dels nostres artistes per anar molt més enllà del que s’havia anat mai. Gaudi, màxim representant del modernisme no va traspassar només les fronteres de la cultura si no que traspassà alhora les fronteres del pensament, de les capacitats i es convertí en el símbol pel qual –gràcies a la rauxa- nosaltres hem esdevingut molt més universals. De vegades una bogeria pot ser un símptoma de seny. A un català se li pot dir “no es pot”? JT.- Si no fos per això, per la seva gosadia de tr eballar sense bar r er es, sense xar xa i sobr etot sense pors haurien científics a Catalunya que no haurien fet la gran tasca que han fet. Treballant obertament, sense por, llançats per aconseguir aquell objectiu que ha de ser primordial, pel que paga la pena fer recerca.
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Què son realment les fronteres? JT.- En J osep Mar ia Ter r icabr as ho explica molt be, han de ser par t de tot el que sabem, han de ser espais on es manifesti el respecte, el respecte per la diferència. Aquestes són les fronteres que ens interessen, on ens hem d’aturar per saber respectar Com és percep Catalunya a banda i banda del Mediterrani? JT.- Des dels països que han estat educats fèrriament per a la unitat com són Itàlia, França o Grècia... no veuen bé que es fraccionés aquesta manera d’entendre la vida i els territoris i ho fan des de la por. Des dels altres, els que no tenen complexos ni prejudicis a l’hora d’entendre que hi ha un poble que es vol alliberar d’un altre poble que en la realitat no li deixa ser el que en veritat és amb prohibicions a les manifestacions d’identitat. Si be és cert, que de vegades, ens han fet més creatius. Potser fins el punt de reclamar la sobirania d’una manera curiosa i poc a l’ús envers a esdevenir independents, donat que es fa pacíficament? JT.- Ho fem pacíficament i encar a ho podem fer molt millor si despr és de r eflexionar ens reconciliem i agafem d’una manera clara tot allò que hem heretat com a poble des de el punt de vista cultural. Si Catalunya científica i culturalment és un poble creatiu, com ja s’ha demostrat, no pot aferrar-se a la por ni avançar cohibits mancats d’energies que ens facin petits davant l’univers. Tot això desapareix si ens mantenim orgullosos de tot allò que hem heretat i la seguretat que assolirem és imparable. Els catalans som un poble molt tel·lúric, des de “casa” potser no som prou conscients de tota aquesta energia i força que portem a dins, del que som, sembla que ens concentrem més en el que hem de ser. La relació amb Houston ve de lluny, com va començar? JT.- Ve de d’anys enrere, a través d’un amic metge en Jaume Costa, que va conèixer al Doctor Cardús en una estada a Houston, i que portava a sobre l’últim material que jo acabava de publicar, sobre uns texts de música popular que tenen a veure amb les campanyes de sensibilització a les escoles públiques de Catalunya i que era un llibre amb unes cintes de cassette. El Dr. Cardús va voler que aquell material també arribés a Houston i em va convidar. Són tres les estades fetes i aviat hi haurà una quarta, en la qual com en les anteriors oferirem amb els músics que m’acompanyen concerts de música popular cantada dins del registre de la cançó d’autor. Les entitats i associacions catalanes d’arreu del món, com l’AICS-American Institute for Catalan Studies, piquen molta pedra i de vegades sembla que sigui de manera silenciosa i esforçada, malgrat que aquests últims anys s’ha pogut fer visible més enllà del seu àmbit geogràfic la gran i feixuga feina que fan, què caldria per positivitzar encara més la seva tasca, no tan sols des de les institucions si no també de la societat civil, a peu de carrer.
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CATALONIA
EN CATALÀ
JT.- Des d’aquí el que cal fer és crear espais de difusió sòlids i ben resolts des de tots els mitjans de comunicació i sobre tot des dels públics per a que la paraula cantada, la dels cantautors no acomplexi a ningú, durant molts anys això ha funcionat malament. Ara ja fa temps que a Catalunya s’adonen de que a totes les cultures occidentals hi ha un apartat o una expressió en la qual una persona que sàpiga acompanyar-se d’una guitarra o qualsevol altre instrument expressa, amb una melodia que ha trobat sobre diferents texts, espais de la nostra història cultural. I així podem transmetre tant la nostre manera de veure el món, d’entendre’l com el Modernisme, el Noucentisme, l’Edat mitjana o el Romanticisme amb melodies molt breus i texts molt clars. I quan això es produeix, la cançó d’autor es dóna en un espai lliure i obert on el país creix, i esdevé un tret de normalitat on els cantautors són transmissors de cultura, donat que aquests mai viuen desarrelats a un territori. Són narradors d’històries del seu entorn. L ’AICS-American Institute for Catalan Studies fundat pel Dr. David Cardús al 1979 i gestionat magníficament per la seva filla na Hellena Cardús projecta des de Houston la identitat i manera de fer dels catalans mitjançant la revista Catalonia, que ens rep i acull fent-ne ressò del patrimoni cultural material i immaterial del Països Catalans i que enguany té previst aquest “Texas Tour” on participarem amb molt de gust. En Josep Tero amb el seu últim treball "D'UN MATEIX MAR" és declara amant de la saviesa femenina i ens presenta 12 poetes mediterrànies de tots els temps (Ànite de Tegea -Grècia, IV a.C./ trobairitz provençal anònima -XII-/Caterina Albert/Clementina Arderiu/Núria Albó/Maria Àngels Anglada/Marta Pessarrodona/Maria-Mercè Marçal/Anna Almazan/Rosa Font/Núria Esponellà/Teresa Pous. I com en com tots els altres, no és tan sols una declaració d’intencions, és una promesa. Josep Tero ens ofereix un nou mestratge d’identitat i tradició. Amb el convenciment i la il·lusió de que ens espera un gran futur, amb l’assoliment de totes les llibertats, partint d’un orgull que és el que ens fa estar segurs de que el nostre és un poble molt antic i ple de coneixement des d’on ens projectem. Del que no hi ha cap dubte és de que allà on hi ha un català porta el seu país al cor i en Josep Tero és un d’aquests catalans universals que repartits per tot el món exerceixen com a tals. Si hi ha títols honorífics com el de Mestre en gai saber, a en Josep Tero jo el proposaria com a Mestre en gai saber ser.
Mayte Duarte ©2015 per a CATALONIA de l' AICS - American Institute for Catalan Studies.
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MAYTE DUARTE, Barcelona 07/05/1962 Llicenciada en Humanitats en l’àmbit dels Estudis Culturals i l’antropologia religiosa amb una tesina sobre la significació simbòlica de l’arquetip del Drac “El Drac a Catalunya: Presència i evolució del Drac en el Bestiari català”. Actualment cursa el Màster de Ciutadania i Drets Humans a la UB amb el seu treball sobre “L’homo tecnològicus: què és lo humà?” Dedicada a la creació, gestió, promoció i difusió de cultura catalana arreu del món vinculada al territori, mitjançant programació i desenvolupament d'activitats destinades al consum cultural. Implicant dites accions culturals amb les xarxes socials mitjançat l'ús de les TIC'S 4.0. Formació de formadors: capacitació digital i creació de materials per a la didàctica presencial i a distància o E-learning. Aprofitant els coneixements acadèmics, administra diversos grups a Facebook aportant-los-hi aplicacions pràctiques socials, polítiques i científiques. La seva experiència inclou treball com a Community Manager, investigació i recerca antropològica de la civilització catalana, documentant i estudiant la imatge del Drac en la cultura catalana com a significatiu tret identitari. Arqueologia experimental, didàctica de la prehistòria y evolució humana. Fundación Atapuerca y Sierractiva. Març 2011 Creadora de diversos blogs (Project Scheherezade, Dracmaycat, Drako Teksilo, Reflexions des de Tràntor, Mayte Duarte o Lo Drac dixit entre d’altres). Articulista i col·laboradora de la revista CATALONIA de l’AICS (American Institut Catalan Studies) de Huston, Texas. www.aicsusa.org Col·laboradora de Llegeix B@rcelona. Editora de la revista digital d’humanitats SÀRASUATI. www.sarasuati.com Membre del Grup Internacional de Recerca Cultura, Història ì Estat (GIRCHE) de la Universitat de Barcelona (UB).
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CATALONIA
EN CATALÀ
Sòcia de l'Ateneu Barcelonès amb seu al carrer de la Canuda 6, 08002 Barcelona. Membre de l'AELC (Associació escriptors en llengua catalana) amb seu a l'Ateneu Barcelonès. Secretaria del Liceu Maragall de Filosofia amb seu a l'Ateneu Barcelonès. http:// liceu-joan-maragall-filosofia.blogspot.com.es/
Membre del Circulo Holmes, Associació espanyola d' Amics de Sherlock Holmes. Fundadora i presidenta de Dracmaycat XXI, SL. www.dracmaycat.com Col•laboradora com experta en els treballs d’Adequació de qualificacions professionals del Catàleg de Qualificacions Professionals de Catalunya de l'Institut de Qualificacions Professionals de la Generalitat de Catalunya. Fundadora i presidenta de l'entitat sense ànim de lucre Project Scheherezade pel rescabalament del coneixement femení que per tradició ha estat de transmissió oral. http://projectscheherezade.blogspot.com.es/
Autora del relat "Boletaire" del Llibre Crims Nostrats d'Edicions Xandri a cura de JR Aramadàs. ISBN XX- 978-84943157-3-2. Barcelona 2015.
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