The Correllengua Hermanado will arrive in Felanitx and experience the return of La Gossa Sorda

PalmThe 2026 Sister Catalan Language Run now has a date, route, and ambition. The project, presented this Thursday in Mallorca, aims to unite all Catalan-speaking territories under a single flame for the first time. The initiative seeks to strengthen the defense of Catalan and promote its social use through a non-competitive run that will combine sport, culture, and celebration, with the language as its central theme. The Flame for the Language will travel more than 1,500 kilometers between April 19 and May 5 in 17 stages, crossing over 1,500 municipalities in Northern Catalonia, the Principality of Asturias, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, and Alghero, on a route that aims to highlight and promote the unity of the Catalan language.

The twinned route will begin in Prada (Northern Catalonia), pass through Girona, Barcelona, ​​Tarragona, Castellón, Valencia, Alicante, Ibiza, Palma, Mahón, and end in Alghero. In the Balearic Islands, the flame will arrive in Formentera on April 29, Ibiza on April 30, Menorca on May 1, and Mallorca on Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3. From there, it will continue to Alghero, where the Correllengua (Language Run) will conclude on May 5 with a closing ceremony. Along the route, there will be cultural events, concerts, workshops, and community activities in approximately 1,500 municipalities, and the flame will stop and hold welcoming ceremonies in about 100.

Regarding the initial plan for November, in Mallorca the route will include a new section from Capdepera to Felanitx. In Felanitx, the arrival of the flame will coincide with one of the most anticipated moments of the program: the concert marking the return of La Gossa Sorda. The Valencian band was originally scheduled to play in Palma's bullring, but the concert was moved due to circumstances beyond the group's control. On Sunday, May 3rd, the flame will resume its journey from Alcúdia to Palma, where the main events of the Correllengua in the Balearic Islands will culminate with a public gathering. This will be the tenth Correllengua to pass through Mallorca, but the first to encompass all of the Catalan Countries.

Ambitious project

The official presentation of the Correllengua Hermanado (Twin Language) project in Mallorca took place at the Teatre del Mar, which was packed to capacity. During the event, a presentation was shown... teaser from the official Correllengua song, produced by Juanjo Monserrat and Jaume Gelabert, with the participation of artists from across the Catalan-speaking world, such as Els Catarres, Xanguito, Fades, and Auxili. The piece aims to become an anthem of celebration and commitment to the Catalan language. The evening, hosted by content creators Neus Gil (Let's get started) and Toni Guiscafrè, also included the performance of the Glosadores de Mallorca, who defended the language, unity, and its survival. "The language of the godmother is defended by the youth," was heard in one of the most applauded glosses.

The organization has emphasized the historic nature of this first twinned edition. Pau Emili Muñoz, coordinator of the twinned Correllengua, stressed that it is the "most ambitious project undertaken in the last fifteen years in defense of Catalan." After the 2024 Correllengua Interilles, which for the first time extended beyond Mallorca, this year's edition takes the definitive leap to the entire Catalan-speaking world. Muñoz also highlighted the open nature of the initiative: "It's not necessary for the Correllengua to come to your town to participate," he said, amid laughter from himself and the audience. "Anyone who loves the language can take part, whoever they are." For the coordinator, Correllengua "is about networking, organization, and collective commitment, with language as the central axis and a tool for social inclusion."

Representatives from Arran, the Sa Negreta de sa Pobla collective (dedicated to promoting the participation of local residents in popular festivals and in social, cultural, and political life), and the Balearic Cultural Association (OCB) also participated. The president of the OCB, Antoni Llabrés, described Correllengua as "a statement by thousands of people who are aware of and committed to the language" who, in a difficult time, "do not succumb to fatalism nor accept that defending the language means imposing it, or that loving it means excluding it."

Sea and Land: Mediterranean

One of the most symbolic moments of the presentation was the explanation of this year's flame design by its creator, Jaume Falconer. The design revolves around two Mediterranean elements: the sea and roots. "If we hold it horizontally, the flame is the sea, born from everything that unites us. We needed to start with an element that embraces and enriches us," he explained. Vertically, the flame transforms into a tree rising from the sea: "We have the mother, which is the sea, but we needed a father: the tree of Ramon Llull, with roots that take hold in the earth and grow upwards." The piece incorporates four holes on each side, symbolizing the past and the future: "When you grasp it, you embrace it."

The event concluded with a call to action from the spokespeople of Young People of Mallorca for Language, Maria Maians and Josep Buades. "Now more than ever," they argued, "it is necessary to redouble our efforts for the Catalan language until we achieve full linguistic normalization."

The story of a struggle for language

The Correllengua (Catalan Language Run) began in Mallorca in 1995, spearheaded by Jóvenes de Mallorca por la Lengua (Youth of Mallorca for the Language), with the aim of taking the defense of Catalan to the streets and transforming it into a collective celebration, open to everyone. Over the years, the initiative has grown to become a fully integrated part of the island's social life, with ever-increasing participation and a broader territorial presence. In 2024, a turning point was reached with the celebration of the first Correllengua Interilles (Inter-Islands Run), when three flames simultaneously traveled through different parts of the Balearic Islands, demonstrating the project's organizational capacity and community spirit. In this new phase, Jóvenes de Mallorca por la Lengua will continue its involvement from the Balearic Islands, supporting the coordination and monitoring of the flame, thus maintaining its historical connection to the event. The Correllengua Agermanat, however, is structured as a collective initiative driven by young people from across the Catalan-speaking territory, on a voluntary basis and without dependence on any specific entity. The aim is for associations, groups, and individuals to join with equal weight and prominence.