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Vicent Partal

11.09.2014

Let the struggle continue!

Let our struggle be for our own sake. We are not fighting against anyone, we are striving for the betterment of our own selves, our loved ones, our people. For those who, over the last two and half years, have helped to break down barriers and in so doing have changed the political arena and our society, dedicating countless hours of their time to laying the foundation of our free republic. And let it be clear that our struggle is for each and every one of us, for those who will vote ‘yes’, and also for those who will vote ‘no’—because our future state will belong to all of us, even to those who would rather not see its creation.


Let our struggle be for the sake of the world. To send the message that democracy has no limits and must allow for the creation of new borders. To demonstrate, together with our Scottish friends, that in the twenty-first century there need not be any war, invasion, or human drama, in order to enable the collective aspirations of a people. Only democracy is needed.


Let us strive to make a better country. Because we do not want simply to change our flag, our anthem, our passport. Above all, we want real change in how we relate to power and how power relates to us. We are seeking to change the structures of power, in fact, and we know that this will only be possible by making our own crucial decisions. This democratic revolution will not, therefore, end with independence: Let each of us strive to live better, individually and collectively, and let us not allow anything or anyone to hijack the work, hope and courage that have fuelled our struggle.


Let our struggle, therefore, be for the future. Proclaiming that in this little corner of Europe we have faith in tomorrow and face with enthusiasm the challenge of building it. We know this challenge is an immense one, but also that nothing is impossible. We have witnessed the impossible become a reality in many countries. Now is our turn to attempt the same, to the best of our ability, with the goal of giving our children a country we can finally be proud of.


And let our struggle be for those who are no longer with us and who did so much in order that, today, the avenues of Barcelona may be flooded by a sea of people who are ready for victory. We cannot bring them back to life, but we can help give meaning to their sacrifice and lend it dignity by how we will live our future.


Let us fight for our nation, the Catalan nation—which is no better, but neither worse nor inferior to any other nation. And through our struggle, we bring it into existence, we make it real, visible worldwide—an international subject.



Let our struggle, finally, be for the sake of joy. For that explosive joy that today sweeps across streets and squares, from north to south. For those who today stand as a testament to the country we hope to be, who believe in its possibility, strive to make it a reality and will do anything to ensure that it becomes one. Let our struggle be for the joy that compels us to embrace one another and join in a shared moment of excitement. Let us continue in our struggle because the struggle dignifies us in a way that is palpable, because today we are and we recognize ourselves as a people.


Let us struggle, therefore, for independence. Today. The Eleventh of September of 2014. Exactly three hundred years after the worthiest among us—not only from the Principality but from across the nation—resisted from the last trenches the murderous charges of the Bourbon troops. In their honour and for the future of our land: Let the struggle continue.

Mail Obert