Rebassa denounces a "colonized and destroyed" Palma in his Sant Jordi speech

PalmCarles Rebassa, from Mallorca, used his acceptance speech for the Sant Jordi novel prize to focus on Palma, the city where his novel takes place. Prometheus in a thousand waysThe writer spoke with a tone of affection and concern about a city that, in his opinion, is undergoing a profound transformation. "It's a portrait of a city I love very much because it's my city," he said, but at the same time he sees it as "colonized, destroyed, devastated, and sunk."

This vision is the starting point of the book, which portrays a Palma marked by social tension and inequality. Rebassa explained that the novel addresses "the class struggle, the coexistence of masters and servants," and also how love and desire can transform human relationships. All of this unfolds within a context that, according to its author, reflects the effects of economic and tourist speculation on the city.

After this look at Palma, the discourse shifted to a forceful defense of Catalan. Rebassa reminded the audience that language is the foundation of the cultural community: "We are here because we have this language. If we had another, we would be something else, but we are neither here nor there." In this sense, he emphasized that "without language there is no country, no books, no projects, no stories, no strategies, nothing," and added that "without Catalan, we are not here; the rest is lies."

The writer also warned that the language is under "continuous attack" from many sectors of society, "from the courts to the Senate, Parliament, schools, doctors, and cafes." Faced with this situation, he demanded stronger measures and argued that "legislation is needed to make Catalan essential for living in the Catalan Countries."

In one of the most forceful moments of his speech, Rebassa asserted that this change will not come from the institutions. "Neither the viceroys nor the puppets who govern us will ever make it possible," he said. According to the author, it will only be viable if society "redefines itself as it did nine years ago," before, in his words, "fear, cowardice, and traitors left us high and dry." The speech ended with a reference to the singer and writer Guillermo de Efak, from whom he quoted a phrase: that there should be no wars between brothers and that, "if war returns, let the Catalans win." Rebassa's words provoked several rounds of applause and became one of the most talked-about moments of the literary evening organized by Òmnium Cultural and the Institut d'Estudis Catalans.