FC Barcelona and Òmnium Cultural have reaffirmed their commitment to the Catalan language and Catalan identity with the launch of a jersey promoted by both organisations that will be unveiled this coming Thursday, 23 April 23, coinciding with Sant Jordi (Saint George's Day), an important date in the Catalan calendar. Under the slogan "One language unites us", FC Barcelona and Òmnium Cultural are promoting a new joint initiative within the partnership that the two organisations have maintained for several year, such as the Club’s formal adhesion just one year ago to the movement 'Catalan for Everyone: in every neighbourhood, in every school, in every workplace'. This movement promotes the defence of universal access to learning and using the Catalan language at a time when its social use is in decline. The proceeds from the sale of the jersey will go toward projects aimed at increasing the use of Catalan.

According to the president of FC Barcelona and the Barça Foundation, Rafael Yuste, "this collaboration with Òmnium Cultural is part of our desire to continue promoting and normalizing the use of Catalan in all areas of activity of the Club and the Barça Foundation, positioning the language as a tool for cohesion, identity, and global transformation, and projecting it worldwide through sport." The Barça president also highlighted the involvement of both male and female players from the various professional teams who have participated in the campaign: Pau Cubarsí, Juan García, Fermín López, Gerardo Martín, Kika Nazareth, Clara Serrajordi, and Marta Torrejón.

The president of Òmnium Cultural, Xavier Antich, stressed that "the alliance with Barça is strategic for making Catalan for widespread, and for spreading and promoting the values of inclusive Catalan identity." As such, Antich emphasised the jersey’s slogan "One language unites us" as a "positive, inclusive, and courageous message that fosters pride in the country and highlights the unifying role of the Catalan language at a time when Catalan is facing a difficult times in public use, confronting continual attacks by the judiciary on the Catalan school model." The president of Òmnium thus calls for reaffirming "Catalan as the backbone of the country and as the main tool for social cohesion, integration, and fostering a sense of belonging."

The jersey will be available in different sizes starting on Sant Jordi at the stalls and shops of both organisations, as well as online, through the Barça Store and Òmnium Cultural’s website. This product is part of the alliance between FC Barcelona and Òmnium Cultural to promote and defend Catalan, complementing other initiatives carried out within the Club, such as encouraging new signings and players joining La Masia to learn Catalan through courses, providing mentors to help them embrace the language and culture of the institution, and ensuring that the Club is a space where Catalan is accessible and used naturally.

 

 

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