2 weeks Ago By Mireia Esteve
The President of the Generalitat (Catalan government), Salvador Illa, made the traditional institutional statement this morning from the Palau de la Generalitat (the Palace of the Generalitat) on the occasion of Sant Jordi. This year, 2025, is the first day Salvador Illa will celebrate as president. With the uncertainty of whether his speech will make reference to it, the Government has decided to modify part of this year's Diada celebration following the death of Pope Francis, following which it declared three days of official mourning.
In fact, before the speech, there was no longer the traditional meeting with the giants at the Palau, nor will there be a broadcast of the mass in the Sant Jordi chapel at the Palau de la Generalitat. The President will attend the ceremony, as well as the solidarity initiative. , organized by Friends of the Elderly, and in the afternoon will stroll through the book stalls in downtown Barcelona.
The changes to the Diada have been criticized by the opposition. The government only maintained events "with a social and cultural character" and discarded all "recreational" events as a sign of mourning for the death of Pope Francis. One of the events that has been maintained took place this Tuesday, in which, due to the writer's profile, has also raised controversy.
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