The Balearic Cultural Work (OCB) will put an end to the Sant Jordi Day in Palma with a concert by the group Nou Romancer. The performance will take place on April 23rd at 8 p.m. in L'Olivar square and will serve as the closing of a day marked by books and street culture.

Costitx has lost more than just a neighbor. It has lost one of its most authentic intellectual and spiritual references. Rafel Horrach i Llabrés of Can Mal (Costitx, 1955) has died at the age of 70, leaving a legacy that goes beyond the cassock or history books: the man who knew how to explain who we are so that we know where we should go is gone.

The Balearic Cultural Work (OCB) has called for a massive singing of La Balanguera, the anthem of Mallorca, on May 29th, at 8:00 PM, in all towns and cities on the island. The initiative aims to commemorate the centenary of the musical premiere of Joan Alcover's poem, which composer Amadeu Vives first presented on May 29, 1926, at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona.

The Balearic Islands Bar Association will host a conference on the protection of linguistic rights on February 19th and 20th, with over one hundred legal and public administration professionals registered to attend. The conference is organized by the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), the Balearic Cultural Association (OCB), and the Institute of Balearic Studies (IEB). The President of the High Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands (TSJIB), Carlos Gómez, and the Rector of the UIB, Jaume Carot, will close the event. The Balearic Cultural Association emphasized in a press release that the perspective of legal protection is currently highly relevant given the regressive measures that, in their opinion, are gaining ground in several territories. In the case of the Balearic Islands, they warned that cultural and linguistic sustainability "is seriously at risk." Therefore, they stressed the urgent need to reverse this situation for the survival of Catalan. They also highlighted the positive collaboration between the organizing entities and noted that the conference will bring together top-level legal experts from universities across various regions. The conference will address how to legally protect freedom of language in diverse areas, including justice, healthcare, education, and digital administration. It will also analyze which regulations should be modified to guarantee the right to linguistic choice before state institutions. Finally, the last presentation of the conference will explore the feasibility of a new universal declaration of linguistic rights.

Mallorca commemorated this Sunday the 123rd anniversary of the first public reading of The BalangueraThe poem by Joan Alcover, which would eventually become the official anthem of the island, was commemorated. The event took place at CaixaForum Palma, the former Gran Hotel, the same venue where Alcover first recited the poem on February 15, 1902. The commemoration, promoted by the Obra Cultural Balear and the Consell de Mallorca, aimed to recall that first public gesture, which would eventually fade away. On that day, the poet read The Balanguera before an audience gathered to celebrate Costa i Llobera's proclamation as Master of Gay Saber at the Floral Games of 1902.

The public estate of La Trapa was the setting today for a tribute to Francesc Moll i Marquès, known as Xesc Moll, one of the most important figures in Mallorcan culture and environmentalism. The event, organized by GOB Mallorca, the Obra Cultural Balear (OCB), and Nova Editorial Moll, aimed to recognize the crucial role Moll played in the consolidation and direction of both organizations. Far from a mere formality, the tribute had a strong symbolic and activist component. The choice of La Trapa was not accidental: Moll was one of the key figures in the public reclamation of the estate when he presided over GOB between 1978 and 1981, a pivotal moment for Mallorcan environmentalism. The event included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, speeches by representatives from the cultural and environmental sectors, as well as from the honoree's personal circle. A musical performance by the duo Atrapados, formed by members of the estate's volunteer group, further emphasized the event's commitment. During the speeches, emphasis was placed on the contrasting models that Moll successfully navigated throughout his career: unfettered development versus the defense of the land and culture as a tool for social transformation. Both the GOB and the OCB agreed in describing him as a figure of consensus, capable of combining technical rigor with a long-term strategic vision. The son of philologist Francesc de Borja Moll, Xesc Moll directed Editorial Moll for decades and was a founding member of the GOB. He actively participated in some of the island's main environmental battles, such as the defense of the Albufera and Dragonera lagoons, and briefly held institutional positions, always with a critical and independent perspective. The organizing entities also wanted to highlight the figure of Matilde Echeto, his wife, whom the GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) considers essential to understanding Moll's civic and personal commitment. Today's tribute served to solidify Xesc Moll's legacy in the very landscape he helped to preserve and to demonstrate the widespread recognition of a figure who marked an era in the struggle for language, culture, and territory in Mallorca.

The board of directors of the Balearic Cultural Association has appointed Maria Antònia Perelló Femenia, PhD in Catalan Language and Literature and a specialist in the work of Joan Alcover, as coordinator of the events that the organization will organize to commemorate the centenary of Joan Alcover's death.

The glosadas and the picado battles remain a living testament to the oral and festive traditions of the Balearic Islands. The glosadas, poetic improvisations often sung in a duel format, keep alive the critical and satirical spirit of the people, while the picado battles—a kind of verbal and musical game between glosadores—allow participants to test their skill and wit against their rivals.

The Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) has filed objections against the Regulations on Linguistic Uses of the Menorca Island Council and is demanding the revocation of its initial approval or, alternatively, the immediate suspension of its processing. According to the organization, the text violates the legal framework in force in the Balearic Islands and presents "numerous procedural deficiencies." Among the main shortcomings, the OCB denounces the absence of mandatory reports from the Balearic Islands Legal Advisory Council and the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), as well as the need to obtain the opinion of the Social Council for the Catalan Language. The organization maintains that, in accordance with the Law of Island Councils, the Regulations should necessarily be submitted to the Legal Advisory Council for a report.

The Balearic Cultural Association has experienced a year marked by achievements and progress made thanks to hundreds of people who, in a selfless and voluntary manner, work at the head of the 41 delegations that the entity currently has and which they have managed to consolidate, in a context in which the challenges to preserve our language and defend culture are increasingly complicated.

More than 300 people attended the meeting on Wednesday organized by the Balearic Cultural Association and the Youth of Mallorca for Language to demand that the official celebration of Mallorca Day return to December 31st, as it has historically been.

The Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) has paid tribute to the writer Mariano Aguiló with a floral offering at his birthplace in Palma, on the bicentenary of his birth. As part of this tribute, literary historian Margalida Tomàs presented her publications at Ca n'Alcover. Mariano Aguiló and the Catalan language (1840-1897) and Chueta writers of the 19th century, experiences and attitudes, which examine the "transcendental role" of the Catalan language and literature of the 19th century.

The Teatro Principal in Palma hosted another edition of the Night of Culture this past weekend, the most emblematic annual event of the Balearic Cultural Association (OCB), culminating in the presentation of the December 31, 2025 Awards. The gala filled the main auditorium and brought together representatives from the cultural world and social organizations. The event combined the awards ceremony with various live musical performances, which set the rhythm for an evening conceived as a collective celebration of Catalan culture and language. The staging alternated festive moments with institutional and reflective speeches, in a gala that has already established itself as a fixture on the Balearic Islands' cultural calendar. During his speech, the president of the Catalan Cultural Organization (OCB), Antoni Llabrés, emphasized the role of civil society and cultural entities as the backbone of the country, and stressed the need to continue working to guarantee the social presence of Catalan and support for cultural creation. His speech emphasized the idea of culture as a space for cohesion and collective construction.

The Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) presented the details of the 2025 Night of Culture this Thursday, during which the organization will award the December 31st Prizes. "They must be both recognition and encouragement," asserted Lluís Segura, a member of the organization's board of directors and also of the jury for this 39th edition. Hence the selection of award winners with extensive careers, such as the writer Gabriel Janer Manila, but also new and impactful projects, such as the campaign 'Don't exclude me' from IES Josep Sureda i Blanes"Given the current situation, the fact that students from very diverse backgrounds are speaking out in defense of culture is invaluable," notes Neus Picó, who was also part of the jury and highlights the "strength" of all the award winners: "It's a source of pride."

The Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) has submitted a proposal of amendments to the proposed law creating the University of Mallorca, with the aim of aligning it with the Statute of Autonomy of the Balearic Islands and the islands' own linguistic legal framework. The organization demands that the text fully guarantee the linguistic rights of professors and students and that the new university promote and normalize the use of Catalan in all areas of higher education. Furthermore, the OCB considers the name 'University of Mallorca' inappropriate and legally problematic, as it could lead to the misconception that it is a public institution and may generate confusion with historical precedents such as the Lullian University. Therefore, it proposes replacing the name with an alternative such as 'Private University of Mallorca'.

During the processing of the 2025 budget for the island council, Vox had already stated its objective was to eliminate all funding for organizations that fight for the protection and promotion of the Catalan language. And it has succeeded. The Consell de Mallorca has eliminated the earmarked (direct) funding for the Obra Cultural Balear (OCB) and Jóvenes por la Llengua (Youth for the Language) for the first time in its history. This was a demand that Vox had repeatedly made to its governing partners since the beginning of the legislative term. In the first budget, the far-right party managed to get the People's Party to reduce... 25% of these grants benefit both entitiesIt's worth remembering that, after agreeing to this reduction, Vox voted against these subsidies, and the left, despite disagreeing with the cuts, saved the funding for both organizations that defend the Catalan language on two occasions. Thus, Jóvenes por la Llengua (Youth for the Language) went from receiving €60,000 and the OCB (Catalan Cultural Organization) €50,000 in 2023, to receiving €45,000 and €35,000, respectively, in 2024. The far-right spokesperson criticized the Council of Mallorca for both organizations and also for this type of subsidy. In fact, he accused his government partners of allowing...a linguistic apartheid"Seeing that the Popular Party was supporting these entities, I said, 'It's just as immoral for the PSOE to spend money on prostitutes and cocaine as it is for you to vote in favor of these subsidies,'" he said in a plenary session of the island institution that took place in July of this year.

The Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) has announced the winners of the 39th edition of the December 31st Awards, which recognize the work, merits, or commitment to the Catalan language and the Balearic Islands by individuals, companies, groups, organizations, and projects. The awards will be presented at the Night of Culture. The jury, chaired by Lluís Segura Ginard and composed of Rosa Planas Ferrer, writer; Ruth Mateu Vinent, member of the OCB; and the organization's representatives, Neus Picó Veny and Maties Garcies Salvà, has decided to award the 2025 December 31st Awards, in the different categories, to the following individuals, projects, or organizations:

Should Vox be debated? Despite the call from the Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) to abstain from participating in the debate on the far-right party's proposal to favor Spanish in schools, the parties with parliamentary representation believe they should. Both the People's Party (PP), the Socialist Party of the Balearic Islands (PSIB), and Más per Mallorca distanced themselves from the proposal on Monday. "In Parliament, we must debate laws," argued the Socialist leader, Iago Negueruela. "We ask all democratic political forces to avoid debating the far-right's proposal to dismantle the educational language model in tomorrow's plenary session of Parliament and simply vote against it," the OCB publicly demanded. "We ask them not to play into their hands, out of a sense of responsibility," the statement continued: "The only victims of this new attempt to create conflict are the language and the schools."

The Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) on Wednesday called on several airlines to correct the toponymic errors they use on their digital platforms and to incorporate Catalan as a standard language in their operations. The organization considers it "unacceptable" that incorrect or archaic forms of the names of municipalities in the Balearic Islands continue to be used and reminds them that regional regulations establish the official toponymy. Errors have also been detected in the drop-down menus for origin and destination points, as well as in the drop-down menus for resident discounts, where incorrect forms such as [examples of Catalan and Catalan] appear. Deya by Deià, Mahón via Mahón, Estellenchs by Estellencs, Santa Eulalia del Río by Santa Eulalia del Río, and Palma de Mallorca by Palma, among others. The OCB considers that these forms "not only violate current regulations, but also convey a distorted image of the linguistic reality of the territory."