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60% growth in the number of students studying Catalan in CCAs around the world.
Interest in learning Catalan is growing worldwide. So much so that Catalan communities, which have been gradually taking shape over the years to spread Catalan culture abroad, are increasingly opting to organise official courses. Courses are being offered this year by 39 Catalan Communities Abroad (CCAs), 12 more than in 2005. The number of students has jumped to 1,726, nearly 60% more than the 1,039 students who signed up last year.
These courses are backed by the Generalitat of Catalonia. The Ramon Llull Institute looks after providing educational support and organising approved official examinations. And the Support Programme for Catalan Communities Abroad finances the costs involved; Àlex Masllorens, who is in charge of this, as well as being the Director of the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation, tells us that 200,000 euros will be allocated this year. "The work put in by these civil society organisations to spread the Catalan language all over the world is very important, and we believe they should enjoy the enthusiastic backing of the government of Catalonia", he states.
The Head of the Language Area at the Ramon Llull Institute, M. Àngels Prats, considers that one of the reasons behind this success is "the fact that Barcelona has become fashionable". Up to a few years ago, those wishing to study Catalan with the Catalan Communities Abroad were the children and grandchildren of Catalan exiles. Now, however, there are also foreigners wishing to learn the language because they have taken an interest in Catalonia as a result of their architectural, business or tourism-related interests".
Those Catalan Communities offering Catalan courses for the first time this year are based in Argentina (2), Colombia, Cuba, France, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Switzerland (2) and Chile. In Spain, beyond the Catalan-speaking area, courses are under way in San Sebastian, and Madrid is joining the Llull educational circuit for the first time.
Catalan Community
|
Country
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CENTRE CULTURAL CATALÀ DE COLÒNIA (COLOGNE) |
GERMANY |
CENTRE CATALÀ DE VENADO TUERTO |
ARGENTINA |
CASAL DE CATALUNYA DE SANTA FE |
ARGENTINA |
LES QUATRE BARRES (CASTELAR) |
ARGENTINA |
CENTRE CATALÀ DE ROSARIO |
ARGENTINA |
AGRUPACIÓ CATALANA PERGAMINO |
ARGENTINA |
CASAL DE CATALUNYA DE PARANÀ |
ARGENTINA |
ASSOCIACIÓ CATALANA DE SOCORS MUTUS MONTEPIO DE MONTSERRAT (BUENOS AIRES) |
ARGENTINA |
CASAL DELS PAÏSOS CATALANS
(LA PLATA ) |
ARGENTINA |
CENTRE CATALÀ DE MENDOZA |
ARGENTINA |
AGRUPACION CULTURAL CATALANA (MENDOZA) |
ARGENTINA |
CASAL DE CATALUNYA - BUENOS AIRES |
ARGENTINA |
CASAL CATALÀ DE BRUSSEL·LES (BRUSSELS) |
BELGIUM |
CATALONIA. GRUPO DE CATALANES
DE SAO PAULO |
BRAZIL |
COMUNITAT CATALANA DE COLOMBIA |
COLOMBIA |
CASAL CATALÀ DE COSTA RICA |
COSTA RICA |
CASAL CATALÀ DE QUITO |
ECUADOR |
CASAL CATALÀ DE GUAYAQUIL |
ECUADOR |
ASSOCIACIÓ CULTURAL DEL MATARRANYA |
SPAIN |
CERCLE CATALÀ DE MADRID |
SPAIN |
ESPAI CATALUNYA TOPALEKUA
(SAN SEBASTIAN) |
SPAIN |
CASA CATALANA DE ZARAGOZA |
SPAIN |
SOCIETAT DE BENEFICIÈNCIA DE NATURALS DE CATALUNYA |
CUBA |
CERCLE CATALÀ D'ÀLABA |
SPAIN |
CASAL CATALÀ DE NAVARRA |
SPAIN |
CASAL DE CATALUNYA DE SEVILLA (SEVILLE) |
SPAIN |
FUNDACIÓ PAULÍ BELLET (WASHINGTON) |
UNITED STATES |
CASAL DELS CATALANS DE CALIFÒRNIA |
UNITED STATES |
CASAL CATALÀ DE TOLOSA (TOULOUSE)
DE LLENGUADOC (LANGUEDOC) |
FRANCE |
CASAL CATALÀ DE GRENOBLE |
FRANCE |
CENTRE CATALÀ DE LUXEMBURG (LUXEMBOURG) |
LUXEMBOURG |
CASAL DE CULTURA CATALANA AL NORD DEL MARROC (TANGIERS) (MOROCCO) |
MOROCCO |
ORFEÓ CATALÀ DE MÈXIC (MEXICO) |
MEXICO |
CENTRE CATALÀ (ASUNCIÓN) |
PARAGUAI (PARAGUAY) |
CENTRE CATALÀ D'ESCÒCIA (SCOTLAND) |
UNITED KINGDOM |
CENTRE CATALÀ DE LAUSANA (LAUSANNE) |
SWITZERLAND |
CASA NOSTRA DE BASILEA (BASLE) |
SWITZERLAND |
CASAL CATALÀ DE MONTEVIDEO |
URUGUAI (URUGUAY) |
CENTRE CATALÀ DE SANTIAGO DE XILE (CHILE) |
CHILE |
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