November 9 is the tenth anniversary of the 2014 Catalan self-determination vote and to mark the occasion we’ll be looking at the independence push over the last few years.
Catalan News Agency journalist Guifré Jordan gives us an overview of the events leading up to the 2014 self-determination vote, the unofficial referendums between 2009 and 2011 and the protests which took place in Barcelona in 2010 and 2012. We listen to some of the Catalan citizens who went to the polls on November 9, 2014 to find out their reasons for voting and their hopes for a better future. Journalist and head of Catalan News Gerard Escaich Folch introduces some of the key pro-independence leaders, such as Artur Mas and David Fernàndez. We also explore the reactions of the Spanish government to both the 2014 and 2017 voting and discuss the main differences. Host Beth Cohen draws parallels with other national and international situations and reflects on the future of the pro-independence movement in Catalonia.
This week’s Catalan phrase is “Fer mans i mànigues” which means to make that extra effort and do everything possible to achieve your goal. It’s an inspirational phrase to round off this week’s podcast on Catalan independence.
