The Blog contains articles and personal notes, but it will also be a tool to know the City Council's day-to-day activities. By the use of entries on social networks and the development of options provided by entorn 2.0, users will be able to get a closer insight into the day-to-day activities of our town. The first blog entry is the speech I delivered yesterday, during the institutional event to commemorate September 11 in Sitges.
SPEECH OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2011
Councilors of the City of Sitges
Former mayor Jordi Serra, former mayor Pere Junyent
Representatives of organizations,
Colla Jove de Castellers de Sitges
Escola de Grallers de Sitges
Dear Sitgetans and Sitgetanes, Fellow citizens,
It is an honor for me to pronounce my first speech acting as Mayor of Sitges, in a day as important as today, the eve of National Day of Catalonia.
Tomorrow marks another anniversary of that date that has probably becomethe most important and tragic date in the history of Catalonia: that fateful September 11, 1714 when, during the War of Succession to the throne of Spain, the Bourbon armies invaded Catalonia, at that time Catalonia supported the Habsburg dynasty.
The defeat suffered that September 11 did not help to eliminate the desire for freedom of thousands of Catalans, such longing for freedom is still alive today. On 12 September 1714 began a long journey to recover our institutions and our national rights.
But today Sitges does not only wants to pay homage to the martyrs of 1714 who died defending the rights of our people, Sitges also wants to pay a tribute to all those patriots that during our history suffered persecution, repression and death for their ideas, just for defending what they loved, in this case, Catalonia.
Fortunately for Catalonia, the situation today is different from that of previous centuries. We have recovered part of what we lost nearly 300 years ago, but our long journey does not stop here.
Today our country is going through difficult times, many people from Sitges and elsewhere are worried for their present and future, they are suffering from the effects of the global economic crisis that has seriously affected our country. But we shall overcome. As President Mas stated once: "In our country we have enough talent, the required drive and the combined force of many people."
As Catalans, we must keep working and building our country using our identity as a platform, but at the same time projecting our country all around the world. We must paddle hard because we are facing a strong wind. The lights are still far from the port, but our crew is full of sailors with a firm and clear direction. Despite the impediments of the sea, one day we will see the port, and that day all the mist will vanish. But until that day arrives, we must remember and interiorize the words of the poet: "Now say, we will be forever faithful at the service of this town.
" Sitgetans and Sitgetanes, tomorrow, the Moixiganga dancers will attend the institutional event arranged by the Government of Catalonia and the Parliament of Catalonia at the Ciutadella Park in Barcelona. The presence of Sitges will materialize with the opening speech extracted from the Third Modernist Festivity that Santiago Rusiñol organized in our town, and the solemn representation of the Moixiganga dance. Facts such as these rarely occur in life, and that's why I invite you to go there and enjoy the performance of our Moixiganga. I also invite you to participate in the Sardana Dance tomorrow night, our national dance. The dance will take place at Cap de la Vila.
Compatriots, the national holiday is a day to remember the noble history of our country, but also a day to continue claiming our will to belong to our town. I invite all to be so! As President Barrera, passed away recently, said once: "We are in a real hurry." Thank you very much!
Visca Catalunya!
Miquel Forn i Fusté
Mayor of Sitges
