A Catalan's View of Catalonia

PASMC's first meeting of 2018 will focus on the relationship between Spain and its northeastern autonomous region of Catalonia, whose main city and regional capital is Barcelona. This is one of a number of areas in Spain with a people, culture and language all its own. Catalonia has a distinct history of struggle for independence, informed by its conquering by the Spanish military in 1714, its regard as a significant driver of Spain's economy, and its role in the resistance last century against the fascist regime of Generalissimo Francisco Franco.

The drive for Catalan independence came to a head with an October 1 referendum calling for secession from Spain. When the vote yielded an overwhelming majority in favor of independence - in part because of a boycott by anti-secession factions - the result was a heavy police action by the Spanish government, leading to the jailing of some Catalan cabinet members and the flight from the region by others, including Catalonia's leader, Carles Puigdemont.

With Catalan separatists again winning a short-notice December 21 election for a new regional government - this one called by Spain presumably in hopes of bringing people to power who are more amenable to its central government - the situation remains unpredictable and volatile.

On Sunday, January 7, to help us make sense of it all, PASMC will present Joan Morales, who is originally from the city center of Barcelona but has lived in the Bay Area since 2010. Now an American citizen, husband and father, Joan works at a San Jose software startup. While his home is here, Joan has watched the developments in his country and region of origin, and will share the history, the politics and his thoughts on Catalonia and Spain.

The evening begins at 7 PM at the Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo, 300 E. Santa Inez Avenue in San Mateo. Admission is free, contributions are welcome. The UUSM is wheelchair accessible.

Free, contributions welcome.