Catalonia in the World
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Catalonia is a country with a clear international vocation. On the one hand, its foreign performance has a fundamental espace, Europe, which contributes to strengthen the role of local and regional entities by being a member of the Committee of the Regions and other European bodies, at the time it participates actively in the European policies of the Spanish State. Furthermore, Catalonia makes its own voice heard in Europe by actively participating in the European regional movement, which is a group of associations defending the interests of the regions in the present process of European construction.
The Catalan contribution to the construction of Europe starts in the closest areas, geographically speaking, the Pyrenees - Mediterranean Euroregion and the Working Community of the Pyrenees, but Catalonia also works to establish a bridge between the Mediterranean and the Baltic regions, as well as with Central and Eastern Europe.
On the other hand, the Catalan civil society has a strong involvement with the least-favoured countries or those which by any circumstance have to face harsh catastrophes and emergencies. This commitment has left a great imprint on international cooperation, which has taken legal shape in Law 26/2001 (català, español, english and français), on cooperation for development, unanimously adopted on 31th December 2001. This law allows for the optimization of the application of the Catalan policy regarding the international cooperation in favor of its addressees, mainly the people from the Mediterranean, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Catalonia is and has been throughout history a meeting place where different cultures from all over the world have lived together, and in addition, the Catalan people have always been characterized by their international scope. Whether voluntarily or obliged by economical or political necessities, a great number of Catalans have established abroad. It is estimated that around 200.000 Catalans currently live in different countries all over the world. The 100 odd Casals Catalans scattered in the five continents are meeting points for all of them, acting as authentic embassies and centers where Catalan culture is displayed.
As a matter of fact, Catalan culture enjoys broad recognition everywhere, and cultural and industrial production is highly appreciated for its quality. The Catalan enterprise is more and more prepared for the new guidelines of world economy. Catalonia's ever-growing presence abroad is the result of a process of gradual normalization for its international image.
The Catalan contribution to the construction of Europe starts in the closest areas, geographically speaking, the Pyrenees - Mediterranean Euroregion and the Working Community of the Pyrenees, but Catalonia also works to establish a bridge between the Mediterranean and the Baltic regions, as well as with Central and Eastern Europe.
On the other hand, the Catalan civil society has a strong involvement with the least-favoured countries or those which by any circumstance have to face harsh catastrophes and emergencies. This commitment has left a great imprint on international cooperation, which has taken legal shape in Law 26/2001 (català, español, english and français), on cooperation for development, unanimously adopted on 31th December 2001. This law allows for the optimization of the application of the Catalan policy regarding the international cooperation in favor of its addressees, mainly the people from the Mediterranean, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Catalonia is and has been throughout history a meeting place where different cultures from all over the world have lived together, and in addition, the Catalan people have always been characterized by their international scope. Whether voluntarily or obliged by economical or political necessities, a great number of Catalans have established abroad. It is estimated that around 200.000 Catalans currently live in different countries all over the world. The 100 odd Casals Catalans scattered in the five continents are meeting points for all of them, acting as authentic embassies and centers where Catalan culture is displayed.
As a matter of fact, Catalan culture enjoys broad recognition everywhere, and cultural and industrial production is highly appreciated for its quality. The Catalan enterprise is more and more prepared for the new guidelines of world economy. Catalonia's ever-growing presence abroad is the result of a process of gradual normalization for its international image.