September 11th: Catalonia Says YES to Independence

The damage inflicted by a debilitating fiscal imbalance, combined with the lack of real political power  to counter the current economic crisis have set the perfect backdrop for Catalans to decisively demonstrate on Catalonia's National Day in favor of attaining independence. The social base necessary for the creation of an independent Catalan state keeps growing exponentially, to the point that nowadays a majority of Catalans would vote in favor of independence, if a referendum were to take place.

Independence is necessary, fair, realistic, and the only feasible political project for our country. Because of this, twenty-two grassroots organizations have gotten together to call in all Catalans to the demonstration organized by ANC (Catalan National Assembly) under the slogan Catalonia, a new independent state in Europe. The organizations are Amics dels Mossos d'Esquadra i Policia Local Catalana, Ara o Mai, CADCI, Catalunya Diu Prou, Catalunya SÍ, Cercle Català de Negocis, Club FNEC, Deumil.Cat, DNI.Cat, Els Irreductibles, European Partnership for Independence, FNEC, Fundació Catalunya Estat, Fundació Randa-Lluís M. Xirinacs, Fundació SOM, Gent de la Terra, Help Catalonia, Institut Nova Història, Intersindical-CSC, Sobirania i Justícia, Sobirania i Progrés, and Welcome Mr. President.

We are carrying a sign at the head of the march written in English, because we think the time has come to coordinate all efforts to let the world know about Catalonia's determined aspiration for freedom. We have printed 500 blue balloons with the words Catalonia says YES to independence. We will distribute them among the participants from the different organizations, as a sign of our deep commitment to Europe. Catalonia is Europe, and we are convinced that we need to make this clear.

The date and venue are Tuesday 11th, 5:00 in the afternoon, at Passeig de Gràcia, between Consell de Cent and Diputació, Barcelona, Catalonia.

See you then!

Elisenda Paluzie and Isabel-Helena Martí