Palma book week opens with Sant Jordi winner

Palma book week opens on Thursday, 24 September, with Sant Jordi prize winner Carles Rebassa delivering the opening address. The 37th Setmana del Llibre en Català, Palma’s Catalan Book Week, begins at 18.30 and runs until 27 September.

Journalist Marta Bergas will host the launch, which also includes a concert by Nita and a storytelling session from Conte Contat.

Rebassa, who was born in Palma in 1977, won the Sant Jordi prize for his novel Prometeu de mil maneres. His earlier novel Eren Vells received the Prim i Soler and Ciutat de Barcelona prizes, while his poetry has won the Ausiàs March, Carles Riba and Gabriel Ferrater awards.

Organisers Pimeco and the Gremi de Llibreters de Mallorca have highlighted Rebassa’s defence of Catalan. On receiving the Sant Jordi prize, he called for laws that make Catalan “essential for living in the Països Catalans”.

They also pointed to his ties to Palma. Rebassa has said he loves the city because it is his city, while warning that it is being “colonised, destroyed and sunk”. The rest of the programme will be presented next week.

Topics: Culture · Politics · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com