Xavier Tudela: "We try to make Catalonia abroad more well-known and valued"

It is the acronym for the International Federation of Catalan Entities, created in 1996 and which brings together most of catalan entities abroad. We are about seventy. We want to advance the knowledge and satisfy the needs of the outer Catalonia. Let us make a critical conscience about the demands that every community abroad can have before the administrations and before the inner Catalonia.

The world is very diverse by catalan entities abroad, but at the same time it is true that there are common issues and problems. FIEC essentially works on issues that are common and transversal in the catalan communities that exist in the world, without forgetting, however, sectoral issues, whether they are areas or specific geographical locations.

Our partners essentially work in two areas that are complementary. On the one hand we group the catalan collectivity of the area of ​​influence of the entity. And, on the other hand, we project our country, language and culture within the territorial area where the entity is located.

Yes, no doubt. Catalan foreign entities associated with the FIEC work intensely on the dissemination of language, culture, the catalan national fact ... in their area of ​​influence. This includes explaining the contributions Catalonia has made to the world, in all areas.

With 23 years of existence we have developed many actions. From appearances in the Catalan and Spanish Parliament to speak of outer Catalonia to multiple contacts with the different Catalan governments and other entities. We have tried to make the outer Catalonia more and more known and valued. The FIEC also established the International Day of External Catalonia, which, since 1998, has been celebrated every year and that the Government of Catalonia declared itself official.

We created the 'FIEC Awards' in 2002 with the aim of distinguishing the work of the outer Catalonia of people or groups resident within the Catalan linguistic area. These awards complement the 'Josep Maria Batista i Roca' Awards awarded, for the last twenty years, by the Institute for the External Projection of Catalan Culture (IPECC), which are awarded to Catalan residents abroad.

As a Federation, we fully believe in the need to be able to go with our own voice wherever there are things that need to be explained. We want to carry out our work with full autonomy of action, but we also want to do so with the collaboration of the Council of the Catalan Communities Abroad and with the federations and advice of other communities in the Catalan linguistic area . All this in a climate of cordial dialogue and understanding with the Catalan and Spanish administrations in the field of their respective competencies.