St George's day in Catalonia: books, roses and language

Catalan national movement faces a weekend of fierce resistance and mobilizations in front of the forced Spanishisation. The first date is April 23, St. George or Sant Jordi. This festivity is held in Catalonia, both under the Spanish government as to who is in France as a holiday special. St. George is the patron shared between England and Catalonia. The two nations that allied faced, France and Spain in the early eighteenth century. By that war, thanks to the British withdrawal, it was the occupation of Catalonia.

The same day is the lovers's Day in Catalonia (instead of Valentine's Day). To celebrate it the guys give roses to girls and these give books to their partners. The issue of books is important because it is also a day dedicated to promoting great literature books. It is sold almost as many in this day than throughout the year!. The third thing celebrated is the day in defense of the Catalan language. Traditionally this day has served to vindicate the rights of this language harassed by the Spanish and French. On this occasion, for instance it has provided a demonstration in Barcelona called by various separatist movements gathered in the Independence of Barcelonès Left (Esquerra Independentista del Barcelonès) or different events at universities in defense of the language called the Student Union of the Catalan Countries (Sindicat d’Estudiants dels Països Catalans).

The testimony in defense of the Catalan nation happen the next day in Valencia and Vila-real.