CATALAN LANGUAGE AT ZADAR'S STREETS

Four years ago, the first class of Catalan language was taught at the Department of French and Iberoromanic Studies of the University of Zadar. Thanks to the enthusiasm of young professors in addition to language classes of Catalan, students nowadays have the opportunity to attend classes in Catalan Culture and Literature, even graduate with a master`s degree with a major in Catalan language.

“Working with Croatian students I put two different cultures in direct contact, not just on the linguistic, but also on the musical, theatrical, gastronomic and artistic levels. At the beginning of their studies, students usually don't know much about Catalonia, they don't have an idea of where Catalan language is spoken etc., but after few semesters they are able to speak and explain things using the language. Furthermore, every summer several students get the scholarships from Institute for Catalan Language and Culture Ramon Llull which provide them with a period of time spent in Catalonia, learning more about its culture. After four years of working at this Department I think we have succeeded to introduce Catalan culture in students' everyday life. For example, when they organize parties they listen Catalan music, prepare Catalan specialities like “Truita” or “Pa amb tomàquet” and that says a lot.” - Roser Soler Piera, Catalan language lector

Each year, the Department organizes translation workshops and literary evenings where young translators read out their works and, quite often, have opportunity to meet Catalan writers and poets. A great number of Catalan artists have already visited Zadar. Josep Piera, Maria Josep Escrivà, Josep Lluís Aguiló and Jaume C. Pons Alorda are just some of them. As the result of all those efforts, Catalan language and culture have become much closer, not just to the students, but to the citizens of Zadar as well.

“The important thing is that the places where Catalan culture and art appear are not connected exclusively to the University; they have become part of the cultural life of the entire town. We have already read Catalan short stories in Arsenal (Zadar's cultural spot); Catalan writer Josep Piera, who participated in the manifestation "La cultura catalana fa escala a la Universitat de Zadar" at the University last year, also took part in the city manifestation dedicated to the sea “Zadar more”; from time to time we organize poetry evenings in the café-galleria Đina. It seems that Catalan culture has been well integrated within Zadar and the citizens already have a clear concept of Catalonia and its culture.” - Pau Sanchis i Ferrer, professor of Catalan literature

Since Catalonia was the partner country of the ninth edition of Croatian Festival of European Short Story, four Catalan short story writers: Lolita Bosch, Jordi Puntí, Llucia Ramis and Màrius Serra were welcomed to Croatia. Their stories were translated to Croatian by the students of Catalan language of the University of Zadar. The Catalan literature belongs to the group of so-called small literatures and it does not have such a successful reception outside the country, as oppose to the immense popularity the literatures written in world languages have. As a result, few years ago, just two Catalan literary works were translated in Croatian (anthology of contemporary Catalan poetry collected and translated by Tonko Marojević and classic of Catalan medieval theologian and philosopher Ramon Llull). Thanks to the activities of the Department of Iberoromanic studies the reception of Catalan literature in Croatia is making progress and Catalan writers are ever more present in Croatian bookshops.

Next December, Week of Catalan Poetry will take place on the Island of Pašman. Two poets from Catalonia, Francesc Parcerisas and Laia Martinez Lopez, and several Croatian translators and poets will participate in the seminar of translation of Catalan poetry to Croatian language. The goal of the seminar is not just the reception of Catalan literature in Croatia but primarily the collaboration between Catalan and Croatian poets. Last May, two Croatian poets were welcomed in Catalonia and a great number of Croatian poems have already been translated to Catalan. It can be assumed that the further cultural exchange between Zadar and Catalonia can expect an even brighter future.