There has been a 400% increase in attendance of official Barça summer schools (FCB Camp) with respect to last year. More than 18,000 children are enjoying the summer camps organised by FC Barcelona.
50 international experts are working in Lleida on the Base Plan, which aims to be a reference tool for the United Nations. The project makes “radiographies” of cities to point out the physical and strategic aspects of the urban areas over the next ten years.
American multinational Dow Chemical has chosen La Canonja (a town just 10 kilometers away from Tarragona) to locate a new pioneer water technology centre. The Global Water Technology Development Center has cost more than 10 million euros.
FC Barcelona will face Girona FC in Tarragona’s Nou Estadi, in the semi finals of the Copa Catalunya on Monday, August 8. The other semi final is between RCD Espanyol and Nàstic de Tarragona.
This year’s festival is dedicated to the Catalan rumba with the legend Peret and the band Sabor de Gràcia. Other artists, coming from 10 different countries, are: Irish accordionist Sharon Shannon, Algerian singer Neila Benbey, Blue, Nácara or 17 Hippies. The festival hopes to congregate 35,000 visitors between July 15th and 17th.
László T?kés, from the Hungarian minority in Romania and member of the European People’s Party, supports the “linguistic rights” of minorities in front of a European Union “sometimes too ignorant”. “I don’t like integration being replaced by assimilation”, he stated.
The President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, supports the Union for the Mediterranean initiative. The UfM decided to build its first project in Gaza: a desalinisation water plant and distribution system. Abbas will meet with the new Secretary General of the UfM, Youssef Amrani, who took office last week.
On Monday FC Barcelona’s pre-season begins with five friendly matches, or to be more accurate, in the words of Barça’s coach Gaurdiola, with five non-official matches. Pep Guardiola has shown that he wants to win every match.
According to the consultancy firm Jones Lang Lasalle, the office rental rate for second quarter of 2011 in Barcelona has increased 42% compared to the same period in 2010. 74,500 square metres of new office space have been rented out between April and June 2011, 14% more than those registered during the first quarter. The “prime” zone has reached 2005 activity levels.
The 5th edition of the urban and contemporary fashion exhibition The Brandery takes place in Barcelona from the July 13th to the 15th in the Monjtuïc venue. The fashion fair has created a new space called ‘Brandtown a FashionXperience’ that will host concerts, fashion shows and exhibitions.
Barça have a year ahead of them full of challenges - to become the first team to retain the Champions League trophy, match the 4 successive Spanish League titles of the Dream Team and try and equal the historic six trophies of two years ago.
The Museu Blau (Blue Museum) is part of Barcelona’s Natural History Museum, divided into four different locations. It is housed in a futurist blue triangular building by Herzog & De Meuron, at the Forum Park. Blue Space will have a permanent zoology exhibition called “Planet Life”, focusing on the Gaia theory and the link between the Earth and natural life. The 19th century buildings at the Ciutadella Park will be renovated and will host other parts of the Natural History Museum.
Famous poems and quotes from the Catalan painter will be coupled with songs in two exceptional concerts in Dalí’s hometown Figueres. Twelve groups will perform in the celebration of the artist, including Manel, Love of Lesbian, Antònia Font or Lax’n’Busto. The show will commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Acústiva Festival
The deal introduces new restrictions on public spending while protecting health, education and social services. The conservatives have asked the Government to change its foreign policy strategy and make it more commercially oriented.
The Catalan Minister for Agriculture believes that the EU offer of compensation to farmers does not include enough products to meet the general losses in the sector provoked by the cucumber crisis.