The villages of Bagà and Sant Julià de Cerdanyola hosted the celebration of the International Symposium on Solstice Fire Festivals of the Pyrenees, one of the actions of the POCTEFA Prometheus project.
On the 27th, 28th and 29th of October, the International Symposium of the Feast of the Solstices was held in the Pyrenees in the villages of Bagà and Sant Julià de Cerdanyola. The Symposium could be successfully carried out, both in the eye and telematically; at all times it could be continued through the YouTube channel of the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia.
During the Symposium, several thematics were placed on the table around the value of research, dissemination and transmission of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Fallas, Haros, Halhes and Brandons beyond territorial boundaries. Within this framework, the days were divided into four areas: The festival’s history, the organization and management of fire parties, education, transmission and dissemination in safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage, as well as the theme of the COVID, the sustainability and future of the party.
During the days several debates were also organized, where experts and experts from all areas, set out their views and discussed the various perspectives around the Solstice Festivals in the Pyrenees. The great linguistic diversity was present during the three days of Symposium; communications and interventions in Aranese, Catalan, Spanish, French and Occitan enabled the experience of speakers and participants to be enhanced, and represented the linguistic culture of all the territories. Also, real-time translations were available through technological devices to facilitate understanding among all the people who were involved.
The Education and Intangible Heritage Chair of the Pyrénées (CEPIP-UdL), as the leader of the Prometheus project, participated actively in the Symposium by collaborating in the organization of the event, which was carried out by one of the project’s partners, the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya. We were also able to collaborate with the interventions of Dr. Sofia Isus, who has a long career as a researcher, fallaire and promoter of the UNESCO candidacy, participating in the Symposium as a communicator and moderator in several tables. Furthermore, Dr Marc Ballesté participated, through a communication concerning the subject of heritage education, as well as actively participating in debates.
The International Symposium on Solstice Fire Festivals of the Pyrenees is the first event to have taken place in the Prometheus project not only held virtually, after long periods of confinement. In addition to the UdL and the Generalitat of Catalonia, the other members of the project have participated in the Symposium: the University of Barcelona, the University of Perpignan, the Occitan Institute of Culture, the Government of Andorra, the Conselh Generau d’Aran and the Diputació de Lleida.
Here you can find some images:
