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Areas Social action Culture and Historical Heritage Something for everyone as Formentera’s Sant Jordi Day celebrations go virtual

Something for everyone as Formentera’s Sant Jordi Day celebrations go virtual

cartell 2020 st jordiThe island’s Department of Culture, libraries and Language Advisory Service have come up with a virtual activities programme to celebrate Sant Jordi Day (St George’s Day) on Thursday 23 April. The programme can be seen on the Sant Francesc library’s new Facebook page, “Biblioteca Marià Villangómez”, which launches today, Monday 20 April, marking the holiday when people offer books and roses as gifts. Details about the programme will be posted on 23 April to the “Formentera es queda a casa” page on Facebook, which will also contain content shared as the week progresses on the library’s new social media page.

As education and culture consellera Susana Labrador put it, “for a special day like this one, we knew it was worth doing a confinement-friendly version”, directing islanders to social media to find “loads of all-ages activities about reading, books and fantasy”. Labrador said the idea behind this year’s catchphrase, “Llegeix i viatjaràs” (Read and you’ll travel), was to remind people that “when we read we can travel without leaving the house—a proposition that’s likely to appeal to an increasingly wide audience these days”.

Monday
The programme kicks off at 12 noon, when organisers are planning to take to Facebook to launch a daily game of literature-themed questions called “Superlectors” (Superreaders). Each day that follows will come with the answer to the previous day’s query as well as a new question. At 3pm from Monday to Friday, a reading recommendation will be posted as well.

At 5.00pm Xènia Fuertes will serve up her own thoughts and recommendations for Sant Jordi, while two hours later, writer Josep Rubio, who is best known to formenterencs as the presenter of the island’s daily radio broadcast, Ràdio Illa’s De Far a Far, will dish on his book “Formentera: Una mirada enrere”.

Tuesday
At 5.00pm artist Maristela Campana will guide children through a creative workshop to make Sant Jordi roses. Two hours later, writer and Eivissa native Nora Albert will browse through the newest edition of her book “Mots i brases” as well as other publications as she curates a Sant Jordi Day recommendation of her own.

Wednesday
At 5.00pm artist Célia Ruiz will share with Formentera youngsters a clip of a made-for-kids clown show, and at 7.00pm, Lluís Ferrer will discuss the comics he created with illustrator Jaume Escandell.

Thursday, Sant Jordi Day
Formentera’s Language Advisory Service has signed on to “Per Sant Jordi, una paraula” (For Sant Jordi, a word)—the regional government’s initiative to encourage youth in the island’s to think about their favourite word in Catalan and share it. Like the sound of tomata? How about atzavara? Fonoll is a good one. Or maybe you’d pick robapàgines. Decide which Catalan word makes your ears tingle and on 23 April, post it on social media under the hashtag #parauladesantjordi. You can share thoughts on the word, a text containing it, an explanation of why you chose it... You be the judge of how to customise your contribution: write it, record a video, take a picture... Mull it over, pin down a word and share it. And remember to include “#parauladesantjordi”!

At 12 noon, a group from the local chapter of Obra Cultural formed by poets Maria Teresa Ferrer, Esteve Portas, Mireia Bernabeu and Neus Costa will offer up their own tailor-made and filmed-at-home poetry recital.

At 5.00pm, specialist Maira Vila will lead participants through a Sant Jordi-themed online mini clinic on lettering.

And what would the day be without the Sant Jordi dragon? At 6.00pm, artist and storyteller Xènia Fuertes will perform “El Drac refredat”, sharing with youngsters one of the most important parts of Sant Jordi: the magic of storytelling.

At 7.00pm, Eivissa author-turned-Formentera resident Carles Torres will close out the programme with a presentation of his novel “Els Cossos elèctics”.

Friday
Last up, Friday will see a 5.00pm post with snapshots of the Sant Jordi roses made at Tuesday’s workshop, followed by a literary recommendation from Ramon Mayol at 7.00pm.

The wide-ranging Sant Jordi Day programme marks the launch of the library’s Facebook page, which, for the duration of confinement, will serve as a showcase for weekly reading recommendations and questions put to readers. At the end of confinement, the page will promote and disseminate details about local libraries’ monthly lineups of activities.


20 April 2020
Department of Communications
Consell de Formentera

Xarxa de Biblioteques

Institut d'Estudis Baleàrics

Enciclopèdia d'Eivissa i Formentera