Ireland, Cymru, Scotland, Canada and USA - Press Release

SINN FÉIN SUPPORTS THE 10MIL INITIATIVE

The Irish republican party has issued a statement of adherence to the Catalan cause which will bring 10.000 Catalans to Brussels on a mass demonstration for self-determination

5th March, 2009. Brussels
“On the occasion of the ‘10,000 Catalans in Brussels’ march, Sinn Féin once more sends its solidarity to the Catalan people.”

Yesterday, members of various political European parties welcomed a delegation of the 10Mil to the European Parliament. Among others, Brian Carty, member of the Sinn Féin’s European Delegation attended the meeting and has confirmed he will join the demonstration on Saturday 7th March.

“The EU must respect the right to self-determination everywhere, especially at home - and this includes the right of the Catalan people to exercise their right to self-determination,” declared a spokesman of Sinn Féin’s European department. He added: “The right of nations to decide their own future is a democratic imperative and this principle should equally apply to the nation of Catalonia.”

10Mil is born out of Catalan civil society. Using Facebook as its platform, the initiative seeks to put the Catalan’s long-standing demand of self-determination on the international agenda. Comments on Professor Enric Canela’s blog, responding to one of his articles, led a social mass to join a group on Facebook.

10Mil is not affiliated to any political party, and is a demonstration of the determination and desire of the Catalan people to pursue their right to have their nation officially recognised as an independent European state. Next Saturday, “10 thousand Catalans” from all walks of life will be marching on Brussels with one united voice and common call: "We want our own State. We want the Independence of Catalonia".

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1. The initiative originated from the citizens' replies that were sent in to an article written in Professor Enric I. Canela’s blog, (Head of Bio-Chemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Barcelona).

2. An English dubbed interview with Enric I. Canela is available at: http://212.241.214.167/preview.php?userid=dX9nagRlYQ%3D%3D&iwid=cH5iYQFlbXU%3D

3. The Official Facebook Group for the 10Mil can be found at: http://facebook.10mil.com

4. Further info can be found at: http://catalanstate.blogspot.com/search/label/PRESS%20DOSSIER

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Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further information or would like to request an interview.


Kind Regards,

Jordi Miquel
Press Relations
Jordi.Miquel@10mil.cat
www.deumil.cat

Press Release Uk

FACEBOOK MOBILISES 10.000 CATALANS TO DEMONSTRATE IN BRUSSELS

Comments on a blog and a later Facebook group propel initiative to march for Catalan self-determination.

5^th March, 2009. London.

10Mil is an initiative created from the very social fabric of Catalonia using Facebook as its platform which seeks to put the Catalan’s long-standing demand for self-determination on the international agenda.

Comments on Professor Enric Canela’s blog, responding to one of his articles, led a social mass to join a group on Facebook. The movement has grown over the past 6 months, culminating in a demonstration which will take place in Brussels on the 7^th of March. Organisers calculate that in excess of 4000 Catalans from all over Europe will join the march in Brussels.

10Mil is not affiliated to any political party, and is a demonstration of the determination and desire of the Catalan people to pursue their right to have their nation officially recognised as an independent European state. Next Saturday “10 thousand Catalans” from all walks of life will be marching on Brussels with one united voice and common call: "We want our own State. We want the Independence of Catalonia".

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Notes to Editors

1. The initiative originated from the citizens' replies that were sent in to an article written in professor Enric I. Canela’s blog, (Head of Bio-Chemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Barcelona).

2. An English dubbed interview with Enric I. Canela is available at: http://212.241.214.167/preview.php?userid=dX9nagRlYQ%3D%3D&iwid=cH5iYQFlbXU%3D

3. The Official Facebook Group for the 10Mil can be found at: http://facebook.10mil.com

4. Further info can be found at: http://catalanstate.blogspot.com/search/label/PRESS%20DOSSIER

***********************************************************************************************************************

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further information or would like to request an interview.

Thank you very much.

Kind Regards

Jordi Miquel

Jordi.Miquel@10mil.cat

www.deumil.cat

Matthew Tree: a Londoner writing in Catalan speak about 10.000 to Brussels and Catalunya

Matthew Tree: a Londoner writing in Catalan speak about 10.000 to Brussels and Catalunya

Today we have invited Matthew Tree, a Londoner and author, to talk with us about Catalunya. Matthew writes in Catalan, and besides being very well known as a writer, he is as well, one of the very few opinionated people who speaks openly about the constant conflict that Catalans endure while under Spanish rule. He is well recognised by Catalan society as an individual who supports all cultural and social activities that aim to defend ,and enrich, the Catalan identity.

Select this link to hear the interview

France Inter Interview: Denis McShane and the self-determination into of the European Union

Denis McShane and the self-determination into of the European Union

The former secretary of European Affairs state of the government of the United Kingdom, the Labor Party member Denis McShane, has appraised the right of self-determination of Catalans and Basques in an interview [video, in French] to the chain France Inter, where this member of the government Blair defends the right to the self-determination into of the European Union.

L'exsecretari d'estat d'Afers Europeus del govern del Regne Unit, el laborista Denis McShane, ha valorat el dret d'autodeterminació de catalans i bascos en una entrevista [vídeo, en francès] a la cadena France Inter, on aquest membre del govern Blair defensa el dret a l'autodeterminació al sí de la Unió Europea.

L'ex-secrétaire d'état d'Affaires Européennes du gouvernement du Royaume-Uni, Denis McShane, a évalué le droit d'autodétermination de Catalans et Basques en un interview [video, en français] à la chaîne France Inter, où ce membre du gouvernement Blair défend le droit à l'autodétermination à celui oui de l'Union européenne.


To see only the part of the video when Denis McShane speak about the self-determination please visit our webcast web site or select this link to see all the video interview.