A Potonejada pel català (Kiss-in for Catalan) was held on Saturday 13 April 2013 in Perpinyà (Perpignan), the capital of Northern Catalonia - the Catalan region which became part of the French State in the 17th century. This event, which combined both celebration and protest, aimed at promoting the Catalan language, as did the lip dub organized last year by the Col·lectiu 2 d’abril. All the squares in the centre of Perpinyà—Place de la Victoire, Pl. de la République and Pl. Arago—were full of associations', organizations' and handicraft stands.
In the streets of Perpinyà, potògrafs (kissographers) took pictures of people kissing, and then certificates of participation in the Potonejada were given out. Three North Catalan colles castelleres (human castles [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castell]) and music bands also took part in the day, and there was also a round-table debate with politicians and associations.
At 4 pm, a crowd gathered in the Place de la Répúblique to dance the Sardana -a traditional Catalan dance-"Rosselló Alegre: un clam d'amor per la llengua catalana" ("Joyful Rosselló: a cry of love for the Catalan language") by Olivier Marquès, who composed it for the occasion. At 5 pm, there was a concert by the Bressola -the Catalan school in Perpinyà—at the Municipal Theatre, and at 8 pm a concert by El Pets, a Southern Catalan band.
The event, organized by Col·lectiu 2 d’abril, aimed at commemorating the anniversary of the French Royal Edict of 1700 which banned the official use of the Catalan language in Northern Catalonia.
During this historic "commemoration", a stand promoted the adoption of a law by which French would no longer be the sole official language of the French State in order to comply with the European Charter of the so-called "regional" or "minority" languages.
Pictures: Fanny Bonafos - Aidez La Catalogne
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