Relat Encadenat

Interessant initiativa al bloc Relat Encadenat ...

L'Oficina de Cooperació i Solidaritat (OCiS) amb el suport del Centre de Documentació en Cooperació i Solidaritat (CDOCS) convoca la 1a edició del Relat Encadenat que es durà a terme fins el pròxim 14 de maig de 2010.

Aquesta iniciativa té com objectiu impulsar l'escriptura d'un relat encadenat que giri al voltant de conceptes de comerç just i banca ètica, i dels seus principis: salaris dignes, no explotació infantil, respecte al medi ambient, agricultura ecològica, drets laborals dignes, igualtat d'oportunitats entre homes i dones (buscar els principis del CJ i de la Banca Ètica) amb la finalitat de reflexionar sobre les actuals injustícies del comerç internacional i les alternatives que ofereix el comerç just global i local.

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En què consisteix? És molt fàcil, tant sols s'ha d'anar continuant el text que ja està començat i que vagi lligant amb sentit d'acord amb l'objectiu que es pretén.

Qui hi pot participar? És obert a tota la ciutadania

Extensió del text? Els participants poden escriure com a mínim 60 paraules i com a màxim 120 aproximadament.

Termini de participació? Fins el 14 de maig de 2010

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El resultat final del Relat Encadenat es podrà llegir el dia 15 de maig, en el marc de la Festa del Comerç Just i la Banca Ètica que es durà a terme a la plaça de l'Institut d'Estudis Il·lerdencs de Lleida, de 12h a 20:30h, en l'espai de l'Oficina de Cooperació i Solidaritat (OCiS).

Book

Pàgina Ebrenca, nou bloc sobre literatura

Aquests dies ha nascut Pàgina Ebrenca, un nou bloc col·lectiu de literatura i de llibres de les Terres de l'Ebre. Com diuen a la presentació:

De fet, Pàgina Ebrenca és un bloc sobre Literatura amb majúscules, tot i que la nostra vocació és especialitzar-nos en llibres i autors del territori. A més, a més, podreu trobar les principals novetats del sector i altres aspectes interessants de l'actualitat literària, així com referències sobre la presència del món dels llibres als mitjans de comunicació i a internet. Una nova aventura blocaire que emprenem al costat de l'amic i editor Jaume Llambrich, però també comptant amb la col·laboració d'escriptors del territori com Jesús M. Tibau o Emigdi Subirats, que ens han animat a tirar endavant aquesta iniciativa. Ens llegim!

The Day After

Early estimates predict that close to a million books were bought yesterday in Catalonia to celebrate Saint Jordi’s Day, which at around 20 million euros represents almost 8% of the annual turnover in the book sector.

The best sellers were Se sabrà tot (Everything will be known) by Xavier Bosch and El viatge al poder de la ment (Journey to the power of the mind) by Eduard Punset, in fiction and non-fiction respectively.

Six million roses were bought too following the tradition.

The Catalan government promoted this idea of a book and a rose in London and received encouraging feedback from MPs and cultural figures who think it would be an interesting celebration to copy in the UK.

Al diari Avui: El llibre i la rosa provoquen interès a Londres com a celebració cívica.

Saint Jordi's Day

Today is the 23rd of April - a very special day in Catalonia. The Catalans’ Patron Saint happens to be Saint Jordi (or George in English). Yes, the guy who killed the dragon. Jordi was a Roman soldier born in Palestine in the 3rd century AD who later converted to Christianity. Although the first documented writings of the dragon incident state that it happened in Libya, the Catalans believe it actually happened in the town of Montblanc in Catalonia. They may have a point as I can vouch that there are definitely no dragons currently living in Montblanc.

Jordi finished the dragon off with his lance, and from the wound the dragon’s blood spilled out and amazingly turned into a beautiful red rose.

Nowadays in dragon-free Catalonia, it is customary to walk the streets on this day with your family looking at the many open-air book stalls set out, as the Catalans celebrate this day by giving books and roses to their lovers/partners. Tradition dictates books for men and roses for women, though many men give both a book and a rose to their “better half”. It is an extremely beautiful, cultural and peaceful celebration. There are many public poetry recitals and book-readings today too alongside other literary events. Many countries have also tried copying this idea of a “book giving day”, and in 1995 UNESCO declared 23rd April to be World Book Day (even though, for reasons better known to themselves, the UK celebrates its “World” Book Day in March!).

This day has many literary connections. Cervantes was born, and died, on the 23rd April, and Shakespeare also died on this date – but as the English and Spanish used different calendars back then, these “23rd”s were not exactly the same day, if that makes sense!

Click here for more info regarding this celebration.

IV Fira Literària de Jesús

Ja està aquí la Fira Literària de Jesús (Terres de l'Ebre). Aquí tenim més informació al bloc, i aquí es pot mirar el tríptic.

William Wordsworth

One of the most famous English poets, William Wordsworth was born on this date, the 7th April, in 1770.
This is perhaps his most well-known poem, I wandered lonely as a cloud.


I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed---and gazed---but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils

2nd April - International Children's Book Day

From the International Board on Books for Young People website:

Since 1967, on or around Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, 2 April, International Children's Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books.

Each year a different National Section of IBBY has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD. It decides upon a theme and invites a prominent author from the host country to write a message to the children of the world and a well-known illustrator to design a poster. These materials are used in different ways to promote books and reading. Many IBBY Sections promote ICBD through the media and organize activities in schools and public libraries. Often ICBD is linked to celebrations around children's books and other special events that may include encounters with authors and illustrators, writing competitions or announcements of book awards.

En castellano, desde la misma pagina web:

Dia Internacional del Libro Infantil

Desde 1967, alrededor del 2 de abril, día del natalicio de Hans Christian Andersen, se celebra el Día Internacional del Libro Infantil con el ánimo de inspirar el amor por los libros y para llamar la atención de la comunidad sobre los libros para niños.

Cada año una Sección Nacional tiene la oportunidad de ser el patrocinador internacional del día del libro infantil. Esa Sección elige un tema e invita a un autor importante del país a escribir un mensaje para los niños del mundo y a un reconocido ilustrador para el diseño de un póster. Estos se usan de diferentes maneras para la promoción de los libros y la lectura. Muchas Secciones de IBBY promueven el día del libro infantil a través de los medios y organizan actividades en colegios y bibliotecas públicas.
Con frecuencia esta celebración se une a eventos especiales como encuentros con autores e ilustradores, concursos de cuento o premios para libros publicados.

April Fools' Day

April Fools’ Day is celebrated on the first of April in many countries around the world, such as the UK, the USA, France, Italy, Japan, Russia and so on. On this day we play practical jokes on each other, with even major newspapers and TV channels joining in with hoax news stories. Two of the best hoaxes the BBC has shown can be seen here and here.

No one knows the precise origins of this celebration – a few ideas are offered here at Wikipedia.