The president of the Government of Catalonia, Artur Mas, awarded the Gold Medal of the Government of Catalonia to musician Jordi Savall, thanking him for his “commitment” and for “standing up for the right of any nation, to peacefully decide on their political future”.

In this regard, the Chief Executive made reference to the article published in The Independent by Jordi Savall, Josep Carreras, Pep Guardiola, Joan Massagué, Xavier Sala Martín and Pol Antràs and highlighted the key words in the article: “freedom to vote and opportunity to decide”. Mas asserted that “these are not impositions, but rather an assertion of freedom and, above all, the opportunity to decide on our collective political future”.

 

In his acceptance speech, Jordi Savall made reference to the stage in which Catalonia is undergoing and asked for the people’s involvement in the process: “We are going through a very important moment in our country, and as individuals who share the same culture, it is our duty to defend it and to fight so that the people can decide on what they believe is right for the future” declared the musician. In his closing words, Savall referred to the words by Mahatma Gandhi “when a person decides to disobey unjust laws, there is no tyranny capable of subjecting that person”.

 

During the event, which took place in the Palau of the Generalitat, the President referred to Savall as “a creator of a language, the one of music, a universal language that goes beyond boarders”. In this regard, he thanked Jordi Savall because, through his creations, he has “contributed to Catalonia international projection and its position in the world”.

The Chief Executive highlighted that “we have always had, in greater or smaller ways, this projection. Be it cultural, economic, scientific, academic, gastronomic, athletic, etc”. but added that “Catalonia’s presence in the world as a political subject has never been like it is now”. Mas continued to explain that “at this moment, the Spanish State is not recognizing Catalonia as a political subject, despite the fact that we are being increasingly recognized around the world”, especially in the media, throughout public opinion, and in a wide range of associations and entities.

 

The Gold Medal is the highest award granted by the Government of the Generalitat of Catalonia and its objective is to recognize individuals and collective groups, whom have contributed outstanding, prominent or extraordinary services to Catalonia, whether in the political, social, economic, cultural or scientific field.

 

The Executive Council decided to grant Jordi Savall the Gold Medal on October 7^th, for his “outstanding musical career and his contribution to culture and civility”. With this recognition, the Government of Catalonia honoured “one of the leading figures in Catalan music and someone who has projected our culture to the rest of the world. An artist who has excelled in brining back medieval, renaissance and baroque music and has made them contemporary”.

 

The event was attended by writer Jaume Cabré, the President of the Catalan Parliament, Núria de Gispert, and a wide representation of members of the Catalan Government.