CATALONIA -- Catalan News Agency - Catalan institutions launch a website to explain the self-determination process abroad

Catalan News Agency - Catalan institutions launch a website to explain the self-determination process abroad

Catalan institutions launch a website to explain the self-determination process abroad

CNA

Barcelona (ACN).- CataloniaVotes.eu is a new website set
up to present the independence referendum, related news, a chronology of
the last few years and facts about Catalan society, culture and economy
to a foreign audience. The new webpage is in English, French and German
and will also follow the day-to-day evolution of the referendum
process, a consultation vote scheduled for the 9^th November.
It was launched on Monday by the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia
(Diplocat), an organisation backed by the Catalan Government, the four
Provincial Councils, universities, chambers of commerce, the main
business-owner associations, trade unions, FC Barcelona and other public
and private institutions.          

Two hundred days to go before the date set for the Catalan
referendum, on Monday the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia launched
a new web page specifically aimed at providing information regarding
the 9 November vote, an issue that generates increasing interest at
international level.

CataloniaVotes.eu
offers basic information about Catalonia - statistics and figures as
well as information on its history, economy, sport, language and
culture. The distinguishing feature of this page, though, is the
information regarding the referendum: its process so far, the motives
behind it, the stances taken by different actors involved, legal
arguments, and so on. All the basic information is available in English,
French and German, though some daily updates will only be available in
English. Contents of the web page will be renewed daily and subscribers
to the page will receive a regular email with updates and news.

The information on the referendum includes a section explaining how Catalan society has arrived at the present situation
with, for example, information on the non-binding independence ballots
held in Catalonia following the example of the town of Arenys de Munt
(Greater Barcelona); the huge demonstrations held in Barcelona; and The
Catalan Way towards Independence, the “human chain” organized in
September 2013. Another section includes opinions regarding the right to self-determination or the specific case of Catalonia made by international figures
such as Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, or the
film-maker Ken Loach. Academic studies into the legalities and other
issues of the Catalans’ right to self-determination are also available.

The section dealing with the referendum
focuses on the question itself, the date set, its legal basis, and the
consequences of the three possible answers: no, yes/no, or yes/yes. The press section
has a wide-reaching selection of institutional news and information,
press releases by the Catalan Government and the Public Diplomacy
Council, news articles from the international press, and
English-language news published in Catalan media as well as opinion
articles aimed at international readers.

Finally, the web page also offers a selection of short videos
designed to make it easier to understand the current Catalan political
process. This selection includes a video on recent political events (A
nation on the move), another on the right to self-determination (The
right to vote) and one explaining the history of Catalonia. There are
also videos with messages from Catalan President Artur Mas; the Catalan
Finance Minister Andreu Mas-Colell; leaders of trade unions in favour of
the referendum; and, representatives from civil society organisations
such as Carme Forcadell (from the grassroots pro-independence
organisation Catalonia's National Assembly, ANC), Muriel Casals (from
the association promoting Catalan language and culture Òmnium Cultural),
Eduardo Reyes (from the association of Spanish speakers supporting
independence Súmate) and Jordi Armadans (from the organisation promoting
a world in peace Fundació per la Pau), among others.

More on

ANC, Barcelona Province Council, Catalan Economy, Catalan Elections, Catalan Government, Catalan Independence, Catalan Language, Catalan Universities, Democracy, Diplocat, Diplomacy, Elections, European Union, FC Barcelona, Girona Province Council, History, Independence, International Relations, Internet, Lleida Province Council, Minority Rights, Òmnium Cultural, Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia, Referendum, Self-Determination, Spanish Nationalism, Sumate, Tarragona Province Council, Vote, Web Site

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A caption from the CataloniaVotes.eu web site (by Diplocat)

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Related links

http://www.cataloniavotes.eu/inici/