Eleven names of a country that does not stop

BarcelonaThe Diada arrives at a time dominated by international uncertainty and a layer of pessimism that permeates everything and gives wings to populism. In the case of Catalonia, a discourse about a supposed decline has long been installed, to the point that it has ended up affecting the country's self-esteem. Obviously, there are reasons for concern, as has been seen recently with the results of the PISA tests, but we also cannot ignore that these catastrophic discourses are not harmless and intend to impose a frame specific: that there is a glorious past to return to. And if there is one thing that has not yet been invented, it is a time machine.

What history does demonstrate is that Catalonia is a country that in the most adverse situations – such as after the defeats of 1714 and 1939 – has been able to rise up. In fact, even in these years of licking its wounds, the country has not stopped, and has continued to generate brilliant young people who represent hope for the future and are at the same time a source of collective pride. Beyond the names that we all have in mind, such as Lamine Yamal and Rosalía, who are surely the young Catalan stars with the most global impact right now, there is plenty of talent in many fields: from architecture to medicine, through literature and cinema. The list of names that we present does not intend to be exhaustive or establish any canon, but it does want to demonstrate the power of a country that, when it believes in itself and goes all out, is unstoppable.

Some of the names are well-known, such as Úrsula Corberó and Àlex Palou, but most are not. They all share a story of sacrifice, they are examples of willpower and persistence, of a self-confidence that has made them succeed in their respective fields. They are people who have not set limits for themselves, for example Irene Solà, with a literary work in Catalan that has been translated into dozens of languages, because art has no borders. Or many others who left their homes to live abroad to learn from the best and today are leading scientists. In short, eleven names to combat the prevailing pessimism and the lack of confidence in the country's future.