Freedom and repression

The cycle of conferences “Liberties and Repression” wanted to be a response and also a denunciation to the repressive drift we are living in Spain and Catalonia, with a crudeness unheard of since 1-O. It seems to us fundamental that the university and the civil society do not settle down. In all the days of the cycle we follow the same format: in the morning, a talk or debate in one of the faculties of the UdG and, in the afternoon, a round table in a cultural center in the city of Girona.

First Session

On the first day, two round tables were held:

  • Round table “The king is naked, who can tell him?”, with Valtònyc (musician), Oriol Ponsatí-Murlà (philosopher) and Benet Salellas (lawyer). Tuesday, 20th of March 2018, at 19.00h, at La Mercè Cultural Center
  • Round table “The artist, who can make him shut up?”, with Valtònyc, the philosopher Xavier Antich and the journalist Jordi Galves. Wednesday, March 21st, at 12.00h, in the Sala de Graus of the Faculty of Letters of the UdG

Here you can find an interview made to Valtònyc by the magazine Mirall during his stay in Girona, an article by Agus Izquierdo published in Núvol, listen to the song for which she has been condemned (and the later song, as an answer). You can also read the article that led Jordi Galves to appear before the judge.

Second Session

On this second day, and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King, we discussed non-violence and the evils of racism in our country. Two activities were organized:

  • Conference by Arcadi Oliveres (UAB) “The pacifist struggle is that: a struggle”. Wednesday, April 4, at 12.00h, in the Grade Room of the Faculty of Letters of the UdG
  • Round table “Our daily racism, spare us God today”, with Mostafà Shaimi (Gironès Anti-Racist Space), Monica Caldes (Head of the Legal Support Programme of Càritas), Diana Al-Rahmoun (researcher and activist) and Amin Tar (Popular Union of Street Vendors). Wednesday, 4th of April, at 18.30h. in the Viader Auditorium of the Casa de Cultura in Girona

 

 

Third Session

On this third day, the need for an independent media in a democracy was discussed, with two round tables:

  • Round table “The media inform or manipulate?”, with Bea Talegón (journalist), Albano Dante Fachín (journalist) and Salvador Martí (Prof. Political Science UdG). Friday, April 6, at 12.00h, in Classroom 5C of the UdG Law School
  • Round table “Hate, censorship and freedom of expression in the press”, with Bea Talegón (journalist), Toni Puigverd (journalist), Gerard Bagué (moderator) and Francesc Serés (journalist). Friday, 6th of April, at 19.00h. in the Aula Magna of the Casa de Cultura of Girona

 

Fourth Session

In this fourth daywe focus on the school environment and the educational function in a context of political crisis, with two round tables:

  • Round table “Children, are they taught or indoctrinated?”, with Irene Rigau (former Minister of Education), Xavier Díez (USTEC), Xavier Besalú (pedagogue, UdG), and Mariona Masgrau (education teacher, UdG). Tuesday, April 24th, at 11.30h, Auditorium of the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the UdG
  • Round table “In 2050, how will 1-O be explained in class?”, with Jordi Canal (historian, EHSS), Jordi Casassas (historian, UB) and Jordi Amat (writer). Tuesday, April 24th, at 6.30pm, Sala Polivalent of the Cultural Center La Mercè in Girona.

Fifth Session

In this fifth day we focus on the action of the Spanish justice, with two round tables:

  • Round table “What is happening to the Spanish justice system?”, with the participation of Carles Monguilod (lawyer), Magda Oranich (lawyer) and Ponç Feliu Llansa (former judge of the TSJC). Tuesday, 8th of May, at 18:30 h, in the Casa de Cultura de Girona (Aula A)
  • Round table “The Llarena case”, with the participation of José Luis Martí (philosopher of law, UPF), Carmen Herranz (lawyer, Ronda collective), Agustín Carles (lawyer, Drets collective) and Albert Ruda (dean of the Faculty of Law, UdG). Thursday, 10th of May, 12.00h, in the Sala de Graus of the Faculty of Law, UdG

Sixth Session

 In this sixth daywe discussed how the Spanish left approaches the Catalan political situation and the impact of the Catalan case in the world, with two round tables.

  • Roundtable “What happens to the Spanish left with Catalonia?”, with the participation of Ignacio Sánchez-Cuenca (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, author of the book La Confusión Nacional. La democracia española ante la crisis catalana), Suso de Toro (writer) and Gemma Ubasart (professor of the Area of Political Science and Administration and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UdG). Thursday, 17th of May, 12.00h, Aula C2 of the Faculty of Letters of the UdG.
  • Roundtable “What is happening to the world with Catalonia?”, with the participation of Alfred de Zayas (Independent Expert, UN), Neus Torbisco (The Graduate Institute, Geneva and member of the team of international lawyers who have filed a complaint against Spain before the United Nations Human Rights Committee) and Macià Serra (Professor of the Department of Political Science and Administration of the UdG). Friday 18 May, 18: 30h, Aula Magna of the Casa de Cultura in Girona.

Alfred de Zayas, Independent Expert of the United Nations on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, has publicly defended before the UN the right to the peaceful and democratic exercise of the right to self-determination of the Catalan people. Here you can read the report he has written on Catalonia, which he provided us with on the occasion of his visit to Girona. You can also read his documents “Self-determination as a key principle of international order” and “Four questions on Catalonia

Seventh Session

In this seventh and last day of the cycle we talk about how the struggle for freedom should be approached, whether from prison, from exile or from civil society.

To this end, the round table “The fight for freedom” took place with the participation of Núria Cadenas (journalist and writer, a political figure in the late 80s), Marcel Mauri (vice-president of Òmnium Cultural), Lluís Puig (former Minister of Culture, in exile) and Josep Maria Fonalleras (writer). The event took place on Thursday, May 31st, at 12.00h, in the Sala de Graus of the Faculty of Letters of the UdG.

Afterwards, at 2 pm, a yellow lunch was held in the Cloister of the Faculty of Letters for the benefit of the Catalan Association for Civil Rights, which groups together families of political prisoners and exiles. The meal was a success in terms of the participation of the university community and Girona society in general. See here the photo album of the event.