The demonstration of the 2022 Diada in Barcelona, the largest event among all the Catalan activities on the Diada of September 11th, Catalan National Day, is approaching. For the eleventh year in a row, the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) has organised a unitary independence movement march in favour of the independence of Catalonia, whose slogan this year is: "Let's do it again for victory: independence".
When will the demonstration of the 2022 Diada take place? At what time? What is the route and its sections? Are inscriptions needed? Will there be concerts this year? What will the ANC t-shirt look like? You'll find all the information here.
- All our recent news stories on Catalonia's Diada
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- "Let's take a step forward": video for the Catalan independence march on 'Diada' 2022
- INTERVIEW | The ANC's Dolors Feliu talks about this year's Diada march
Demonstration on September 11th in Barcelona: the eternal timing
The key moment for the September 11th demonstration for the 2022 Diada will be the same as in recent years: centred on the exact time of 17:14 hours - that is, 5:14pm. This is a symbolic reference to September 11th, 1714, when the assault on Barcelona by Felipe V's Bourbon troops took place. That was the point when the Spanish monarchist state began to dismantle Catalonia's institutions of government, repress its language and culture, and make the most of its economic dynamism.
Route of the Diada march 2022
The route of the demonstration for this year's Diada of September 11th, has been announced by the ANC as follows. At precisely 17:14 hours, 5:14pm, the mobilization will start from Plaça Espanya, and head towards Colom, at the lower end of the Rambla, and then will continue to Estació de França via the Avinguda Marquès de l'Argentera. There, outside the station, the main political speeches of the mobilization will take place.
Don't forget: bring a bottle of water to hydrate yourself. With the very likely still-intense summer heat, the crowds and the distance you'll be walking, your body will surely need fluids.
How to get there
For those coming from outside Barcelona to celebrate September 11th via Renfe, the nearest train station is Barcelona-Sants. Plaça Espanya is about 900 metres away; you'll arrive in a few minutes by Carrer de Tarragona. If you come by metro, the nearest lines are L3 and L1 (Espanya station), L2 and L3 (Paral·lel station) and L3 (Poble-sec). And if you come by FGC, your stop is Plaça Espanya.
No registration needed, but get into the right section!
The ANC has confirmed that it will not be necessary to register this year to participate in the route of the September 11 demonstration in Barcelona. What is recommended is to go to the section of the march corresponding to your Catalan county, Barcelona neighbourhood, or other place of origin. This will spread the expected large crowd more evenly along the route. Here are the meeting points in Avinguda Paral·lel for the sections (trams) of the march envisaged before it starts at 1714h:
- Section 1: (Seaward end, front of march) Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel between Portal de Santa Madrona and Palaudàries and Carrer de Carrera. Places: Northern Catalonia, other Catalan lands (Balearics, Valencia etc) and other countries; Neighbourhoods: Ciutat Vella and Barceloneta.
- Section 2: Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel between Carrer de Sant Bertran and Passage Canadenca and Carrer Portal de Santa Madrona and Palaudàries. Counties: Alta Ribagorça, Vall d’Aran, Cerdanya, Pallars and Vallès Oriental. Neighbourhoods: Badalona, Sant Adrià and Santa Coloma de Gramenet.
- Section 3: Meeting point is Avinguda del Paral·lel, between Carrer Nou de la Rambla and Passage de la Canadenca and Carrer de Sant Bertran. Counties: Osona, Ripollès, Anoia, Solsonès, Bages, Berguedà and Moianès. Neighbourhoods: Gràcia.
- Section 4: Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel, between Ronda Sant Pau and Carrer de Fontrodona and Carrer Nou de la Rambla. Counties: Baix Llobregat, Segrià, Noguera, Garrigues, Pla d'Urgell, Urgell and Segarra. Neighbourhoods: Sagrada Família and Sant Martí.
- Section 5: Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel, between Carrer Comte Borrell and Ronda de Sant Pau and Carrer de Fontrodona. Counties: Garraf, Penedès, Baix Camp and Priorat. Neighbourhoods: Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and Horta-Guinardó
- Section 6: Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel, between Carrers Viladomat and Blasco Garay and Carrer de Comte Borrell. Counties: Maresme. Neighbourhoods: Sant Andreu and Nou Barris.
- Section 7: Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel, between Carrer de Calabria and Concordia and Carrer de Viladomat and Blasco Garay. Counties: Gironès, Selva, Garrotxa and Pla de l’Estany. Neighbourhoods: Esquerra de l'Eixample and Sant Antoni.
- Section 8: Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel, between Carrer de Teodor Bonaplata and Carrer de Calabria and Concordia. Counties: Empordà. Neighbourhoods: Dreta de l'Eixample and Fort Pienc.
- Section 9: Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel, between Carrer de Vallhonrat and Carrer Teodor Bonaplata. Counties: Alt Camp, Conca de Barberà, Tarragonès, Montsià, Baix Ebre, Terra Alta and Ribera d’Ebre. Neighbourhoods: Poble Sec and Sants-Montjuïc.
- Section 10: (Plaça Espanya end, back of march): Meeting point is Avinguda Paral·lel, between Carrer de Tamarit and Carrer de Viladomat. Counties: Vallès Occidental. Neighbourhoods: Hospitalet de Llobregat and Les Corts.
Pro-independence left mobilizations on Diada 2022
As well as the unitary ANC protest on September 11th, there will be, as in other years, demonstrations and rallies by some specific pro-independence groups. The Pro-independence Left grouping announced at the end of August that it would be organizing several mobilizations and events throughout Catalonia on the Diada 2022. The announcement was made by Marina Gispert, the spokeswoman for the CUP-linked youth group Arran: "We call to organize on all fronts, on September 11tth as well, to reclaim the streets. Let's make the Diada a place of encounter and struggle once again." Also taking part in the presentation of these actions were representatives of the CUP political party, legal aid group Alerta Solidària, the union group Coordinadora Obrera Syndical, the Union of Students of the Catalan Countries (SEPC) and Endavant OSAN.
- Barcelona: the protest in the capital will take place after the main ANC march, at 6:30pm in Plaça Urquinaona, with a subsequent political event in front of the Born Centre Cultural.
- Lleida: the demonstration will take place at 12 noon in Plaça de la Paeria.
- Girona: the mobilization will begin at 5pm on Avinguda Ramon Folch.
- Reus: the protest in Reus will be at 7:30pm in the Central Market.
Institutional event and floral offering for the Diada 2022
The annual institutional event for the Diada 2022 by the Generalitat of Catalonia, the Catalan government, will take place on the night of September 11th, at 10pm, at the Puig and Cadafalch towers - the so-called "Venetian towers" on Montjuïc, right next to Plaça Espanya. It will be broadcast live on TV3. As every year, this event aims to highlight the values, culture and identity of Catalonia.
Specifically, the main thread of the institutional event will describe the key events in the history of Catalonia, starting with the emblematic year 1714, with special emphasis being placed on the tasks carried out by women during all these centuries and which have been historically downplayed or, in some cases, totally omitted.
Another key traditional part of Catalonia's National Day every year are the floral offerings made by all kinds of organizations and individuals in front of the monument to Rafael de Casanova, Barcelona mayor during the siege of 1714, in Barcelona. These generally take place on the morning of September 11th at the monument, located at Ronda de Sant Pere, 41. The president of Catalonia, Pere Aragonès, will present the Generalitat's offering at 9am in Sunday.
ANC's 2022 Diada T-shirt
This year, the Diada de Catalunya 2022 T-shirt prepared by the ANC will be black with white text; these colours symbolize the well-known black Catalan flag. A pro-independence estelada flag diagonally covers the front, where you can read this year's slogan: "Let us go again for victory: independence".
On the left side of the T-shirt are the initials 11-S (i.e. September 11th) and 1-O, in vindication of the referendum of October 1st. After all, the slogan of this year's Diada aims to strengthen independence. "We feel the tingle of a cycle change", assured the ANC's president, Dolors Feliu, at the official presentation of the t-shirt.
About the slogan of the Diada de Catalunya 2022
Has the slogan "Let's do it again for victory: independence" caught your attention? Its objective is very obvious: "We must fulfill the October 1st independence mandate" argued Jordi Pesarrodona, ANC deputy president, during the presentation of the T-shirt. "This Diada must be about going out to the streets again, firmly and without violence. Enough is enough, let's go all out."
"During many years of struggle, the ANC has always been firm, keeping the flame and the fight for independence alive," added Dolors Feliu, ANC president. "There have been many votes, many elections with majorities, the last one with 52% of voters supporting the pro-independence parties, but this do not seem to help to have a clear project for independence or to tackle the issue" she lamented. "We will bring independence back to the centre of the political debate, and if the parties do not do it, we will execute it ourselves."
The Diada concerts
Another of the regular Diada highlights is the Festa per la Libertat, organized every year by Òmnium Cultural in Passeig Lluís Companys. In this case, it will take place throughout the day on Sunday, from 10.30am until nightfall. Thus, musical performances will take place both before and after the ANC demonstration and the stage just inland from the Parc de la Ciutadel·la will be the cultural epicentre of the Diada. There will be three major performances starting 6:30pm: Els Pets, Roba Estesa and Lil Dami.