A conference in Espai Orígens brings the existing material about the bridgehead Balaguer, which has been used by 700 students

(11/22/2013) “There is an interest in talking about a part of history that has been hidden and probably biased”. This argument has been defended by the director of the Learning Camp of La Noguera, Antoni Bardavio. He argues the need to carry out educational projects around historical events such as the bridgehead of Balaguer in 1938. Espai orígens also commemorated the 75th anniversary of this event.

Bardavio has added that the issues of the Spanish Civil War are still mentioned in political debate today, thus said that it is absolutely necessary to “speak normally and get closer the story of these facts calmly”. In this sense, he believes that we must set up “tools for students to learn to interpret data from other elements with which they interact.”

The Director of Learning Camp of La Noguera was one of the promoters of the pedagogical material Corba de Foc, together with Professor Rosa Solsona, who currently works at the Institute of Lleida-Caparrella. The bridgehead of Balaguer, has been visited by 700 students in the last five years. The pedagogical material allows to interrelate facts “not only from a military perspective, but focusing on human and social aspects,” explained Solsona.

The repeal of the Statute
One of the topics discussed in this educational approach is the comparison between the repeal of the Catalan Statute in April 1938, when the city of Lleida fell to Franco’s troops, and the controversy in Spain following the approval of the last Statute of Autonomy in 2006. This is just one example to show that “there were things that did not change anything” said the professor of la Caparrella Institute. In this regard, she cited issues such as the fact that during the Civil War did not stop festivals and citizens continued dancing and going to the movies.

Espai Orígens continues with the conference on Friday, the series of events commemorating 75 years of Balaguer’s bridgehead. So still is installed the exhibition “Living with fear – Conviure amb la por” and has been scheduled for December 5th screening of the documentary Transmissions. Memòries de Lluís Sala.