I am Catalan and have lived half my life in England. For me, the 11th of September means us Catalans claiming back the fundamental right of being recognised for who we really are –not being cloaked with someone else’s identity. Quite rightly, the English, for example, don’t need to justify their culture, their language and their ways and neither should the Catalan. Catalonia is a dynamic and open nation. We are Catalan, not Spanish. Spain has never truly embraced cultural diversity and has never respectfully encompassed our nation within. We don’t want to be diluted or patronised. When we say we’re Catalan we’re not being overly and obsessively nationalistic, we’re simply stating a fact. We’re not anti-Spanish; we just want our own identity properly recognised and respected. We are just another nation in the world. On the 11th of September, we Catalans celebrate our culture and strive towards freedom and international recognition –and when Catalonia has its own state we will finally achieve this.
Francesc Xavier Canals
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