Competing to improve schools or the 15th anniversary of FLIC: what caught our attention this week

BarcelonaThe FLIC children's and youth literature festival or a show to discover the world of music bands are some of the proposals of the Creatures for this week.

We also offer a review of the week's news through Andrea Zayas' comic strip, the section To think about it and the data and statements that caught our attention the most.

Cultural and leisure activities

The children's and young adult literature festival FLIC is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and to commemorate the event, it is proposing a creative tour built around fifteen objects that we would never associate with reading. One of the highlights will be the book stall run by the publishing house MTM Editores and the Art i Palabra Foundation, which works with families in vulnerable situations and will open the door to accessibility at FLIC. This thread is also intended to be a nod to the Disseny Hub itself, the festival's main venue. As usual, the program will be divided into three age groups: 0 to 5 years, 6 to 11 years, and 12+ years. FLIC will be held on March 22 and 23.

Bandastic is the new show by the Barcelona Municipal Band (BMB) for children ages 5 and up, which can be seen this Saturday at the Auditori. It's an educational and fun way to discover the world of marching bands and circus artists, with humor and a great selection of festive circus-related musical pieces. The repertoire includes zarzuela, film music, street marches, concert pieces, and dances. There will also be four clowns on stage. Bandastic proposes a participatory activity during and outside the concert.

There are many events planned for International Women's Day, but we want to highlight the activity Small stories, great women, organized by seven Catalan museums to coincide with March 8th. The goal is to raise awareness and recognize the work of women linked to the themes of each of the organizing museums through a theatrical storytelling show. It runs until March 23rd and requires advance reservation. For example, tomorrow at 12 noon at the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia, we will learn about The Lady of the Mountains, the first Catalan with power in her community, who lived more than 3,500 years ago. And on Saturday, March 15, at the Museum of History of Catalonia, we will be able to learn more about Antonia La Singla, a flamenco dancer deaf from birth who revolutionized the world of flamenco at just 17 years old.

March 14th, which in many parts of the world is written as 3/14, is Pi Day, or International Mathematics Day. The Museum of Mathematics commemorates it with an exhibition in Tarragona on the same Friday, and with outdoor activities in Can Mercader Park in Cornellà, which will take place on March 16th. CosmoCaixa will celebrate on Friday the 14th with a free screening of the documentary "Pi Day" at 6 p.m. Counted out, which investigates current crises, such as climate change and political polarization, through mathematics, followed by a discussion with Professor David Virgili.

If you're a cycling enthusiast, we recommend a family visit to the new exhibition at the Toy Museum of Catalonia in Figueres. The exhibition features more than thirty board games depicting cycling races created between 1880 and 1920, during what is considered the golden age of board games. Half of these games date back to the 19th century. To put this into context, the Tour de France was created in 1903, but cycling competitions and board games depicting them had already existed before then. This exhibition was made possible thanks to the perseverance of Anki Toner, musician, collector, game inventor, and occasional historian. It can be seen until April 26.

When we talk about childbirth, we often think of a moment of fulfillment, but what happens when it is marked by obstetric violence? The play "Malparida," by the company La Maièutica, denounces this often invisible form of violence but also opens a much-needed space for reflection and dialogue. Whether you have suffered obstetric violence—it will serve as a catharsis—or whether you have not—it will help you understand other women—we recommend this play, premiered in 2022, which you can now see at Espacio Texas until April 27.

Literary recommendations from Marta Gil, bookseller at El Gat Pelut

A classic poem is reinterpreted in this illustrated album, where the eight verses ofThe wall, by Kavafis, are brought to life by Mar Borrajo's powerful images. Through a black line and a red stain, the author creates scenes that challenge the contemporary reader, exploring themes such as isolation and cell phone dependence. This combination of the power of the verses and the provocative visual proposal invites us to reflect on how a classic text can remain relevant and uncomfortable. A work that unites poetry, art, and social criticism, perfect for generating debate and awakening critical thinking in any generation.

Recommended for ages 10 and up.

This comic addresses a current and complex topic: fake news and misinformation. Aimed at young people new to social media, the book explains with characteristic humor the dangers of believing and sharing misleading information. The author addresses key ideas, such as the effects of misinformation on topics like climate change and unscientific medical theories, helping to distinguish between facts and opinions. Although it is not always easy to verify information, the book emphasizes the importance of seeking reliable sources and consulting experts, such as librarians. A useful proposal for joint reflection with adults and encouraging critical thinking.

Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Things That Happen (To Me), by Andrea Zayas

To think about it

Renovating a school kitchen, improving the conditions of another's playground, or adding a pedestrian crossing in front of a school. These are just three examples of the proposals that can be found in Barcelona's participatory budgets. A tool for democratic improvement, what is actually achieving these days is that the AFAs of the city's schools are competing with each other to obtain the most votes to make improvements that should be a right a reality. In the end, those schools with the most mobilized families and the greatest digital skills will win.

Feminism and motherhood have had a "complex" relationship, as Esther Vivas, author of Disobedient mother, since for years a woman's only mandate had been to be a mother. But she can be a mother and a feminist. Between the unrealistic ideal of the self-sacrificing mother and the Superwoman There's a whole range of shades of gray among which most of us balance. We have professional aspirations, and we also want time to be with our children. We want respected parts, longer leaves of absence, real possibilities for work-life balance, and for being a mother not to be a burden on work. And for caregiving to be put at the center but not solely on women—the motto, precisely, of this March 8th.

She said

The data

More proposals for plans and activities

• What can you do this weekend?
• Cultural and leisure plans for the entire week
• Series premiering this month
• Video games being released this month
• What you can do in the Girona regions
• New restaurants to discover
• The human tower agenda