If you’re reading us from Paris, London, Lisbon, Geneva, Brussels or Berlin, then open your agenda by June 8th (it’s a sunday) and write down at 12pm: “CASTELLS”.

These diadas, called “Human Towers for Democracy” are supported by the Coordinadora de Colles Castelleres de Catalunya and the organisation Òmnium Cultural within the campaign “Catalans Want to Vote”. This campaign wants to call attention around the globe about the situation in Catalonia, where the Spanish state denies the right of self-determination through the polls of the Catalan people.

If you want to know more about the process of independence of Catalonia, you can take a look here. And take a look to the video shown below made my The Catalan Project.

The colles who will perform overseas are:

Xics de Granollers in Berlin

Castellers de Vilafranca in Brussels

Xiquets de Reus in Geneva

Castellers de Sants in Lisbon,

Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls in London

Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls in Paris

On the same June 8th will be another diada castellera in Barcelona, attached to the same event where Castellers de Barcelona, Minyons de Terrassa and Castellers de Sabadell will raise castells in Plaça Sant Jaume. Castellers de la Sagrada Família will raise castells, too, but in Plaça de Gaudí. So if you are in Barcelona by these dates, now you know that you will be able to experience one of the most thrilling shows anyone can actually be in. 

Nevertheless, the fact that six colles perform overseas it means that more than1000 people will have to be mobilised. This means more than 1000 plane tickets and accommodation for more than 1000 people. And this is logistics. And money. We are talking about 120,000€.

Òmnium Cultural and the Coordinadora de Colles Castelleres de Catalunya have engaged a micro-patronage campaign through Verkami to make this project come true and bring castells around Europe. This is, you make a pledge of a certain amount, and the money will only be collected from your account If the project reach that figure in a certain time (at the time this post was published there was 36 days left). Yeah, sounds like Kickstarter, because both platforms are similar.

Anyway, if you want to donate (something I really recommend to do so if you like castells as I do) the link to the website is www.catalanswanttovote.cat, where you’ll find more information about this event and you’ll be able to make your own questions to the organisers.