Minister Meritxell Serret i Aleu, accompanied by the Government of Catalonia’s delegate to Japan, Mònica Castellà i Pujadó, visited the exhibition “Gaudí and the Sagrada Família” at the Sagawa Art Museum in Moriyama on the second day of her institutional visit to Japan. 

The exhibition, organised by the Basílica of the Sagrada Família and the Japanese public broadcaster NHK, opened at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT), where it was a big hit with the public and has become the sixth most visited exhibition in the history of the prestigious museum, with almost 300,000 visitors. 

“It is a great example of Catalonia’s capacity for international recognition, of the cultural diplomacy that the whole of Catalan society is engaged in,” said the Minister, who also said that “Catalan foreign action is led by the Catalan Government, but everyone is involved”. 

Serret also assured that “the Government of Catalonia will continue to promote and support cultural diplomacy initiatives,” and gave as an example the exhibition on Gaudí, which can be seen in Japan until March 2024, as well as events to promote Catalan cuisine. In fact, Prodeca is organising one this coming week in Japan, which the Minister will open on Monday in Tokyo. 

The Government Delegation to Japan will promote relations between Catalonia and Japan

Serret highlighted the work being done by the new Catalan Government delegate to Japan, who was appointed in January. She noted that her work had already borne fruit, as evidenced by the announcement of a bilateral agreement that the Catalan Government will sign with the local government in Kyoto, adding: “With a stable physical presence, we will be able to give more confidence and generate more complicity, not only in the institutional sphere, but also with all economic, research and cultural stakeholders”. She also pointed out: “Backed by this delegation, we will further strengthen relations with Japan”, relations that are, in fact, historical, and which have been further solidified in the Japan Action Plan.