Territori 17: Does Black Friday make any sense?

Is society’s growing awareness of the need for sustainable consumption compatible with sales that promote compulsive shopping? Or is any price cut welcome in the current economic context? How is the textile industry resolving the dilemma of sustainability vs. competitiveness? In this episode of La Plaça, we talk about this and much more with Marco Palmero, CEO of Basi Group, and Gemma Vallet, Director of 11Onze District.

Everything has a cost. The consumption of organic or local food is more sustainable and possibly healthier, but it is also true that it is often more expensive to produce. We could say the same for almost any other consumer product, including those in the fashion industry.

On the one hand, we want quality clothes, locally made, that, with environmental conservation in mind, allow us to leave fast fashion behind and reduce our carbon footprint. On the other hand, we are looking for low prices in accordance with the loss of purchasing power caused by the economic crisis we are suffering.

Sales in the context of a circular economy

Sustainable brands avoid sales on the premise that they prioritise sustainability and durability over indiscriminate mass consumption. What does the rest of the textile industry do? As Palmero explains, if it were up to him, “he would eliminate all sales” but he recognises that “in situations like the current one, where people are struggling” he has to offer the possibility, albeit temporarily, “to give access to products at a better price”.

Sustainability does not have to be at odds with occasional discounts, it is only necessary for companies to act responsibly within their means. As the CEO of Basi Group points out, “we have worked on circularity with our latest collections, ‘upcycling’, using existing fabrics to create new collections”, without forgetting local production, “cutting fabrics in Igualada and sewing in Lleida”. This means smaller productions, but of higher quality and with more added value, which must be reflected in a fair price.

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Credit cards were created in the 1950s, and with the arrival of smartphones, virtual cards became popular. Let’s review the history of cards and their possibilities.

Sixty years ago the first payment card was introduced and, since that day, the way we shop has changed to adapt to the era of e-commerce, bringing about a radical change in the way we pay. The way we consume is constantly changing, specially with the increase in e-commerce, following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, as can be seen in the study carried out by Kantar, which states that 3 out of every 4 Spanish households have made purchases online in 2020, and that these households will continue to shop online in 2021. Households that now shop online account for 74.4%, which has increased e-commerce consumers by 8.4% since 2017. As detailed by Kantar in its study, the remaining 26.6% of consumers are older people who commute to buy products themselves, as they prefer a personalised service. And just as the consumption model has changed, so has the payment model. Welcome to the era of virtual cards.

What are virtual cards? 

Virtual cards are more secure cards, and unlike conventional payment cards, they are completely virtual. They are exclusively used for virtual purchases, but with the possibility to be used in physical establishments if you have the card linked to a wallet on your smartphone. The virtual card has a number, an expiry date, and a control number, as Rankia details. The financial website also states that the security controls of virtual cards are very varied. Some banks have a dynamic code that changes with each purchase, while others allow very few purchases to be made, and if there is money left on the card, this money is automatically returned to the account from which the card was recharged. Each customer is free to make a new virtual card whenever they need it, it’s as simple as that.

How was the virtual card born?

Since the world’s first payment card from Diners Club in 1950, the world of payment cards has come a long way, from the arrival of credit cards in Spain in the 1960s to virtual cards, according to Finanzas. A website specialising in finance reminds us that virtual cards were born with the arrival of mobile telephony, with the payment systems known as “wallets”.

How are they regulated?

The European regulation PSD2, the new European regulation on electronic payment services, came into force in September 2018, with the aim of reinforcing security for consumers with e-commerce payment systems. With this regulation, which has been in force for three years now, it can be said that something is changing in the way we make payments. In short, we can say that virtual cards are here to stay as another means of payment.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

En aquest nou episodi de la Plaça del magazín radiofònic Territori 17 fusionem la cultura catalana amb la japonesa, conversant amb Tessin Sano, empresari japonès que fa 30 anys que viu a Catalunya, i cofundador de l’Hotel japonès Puigpinós.

Tessin Sano és un empresari català i japonès arrelat a Catalunya i al seu país d’origen, que al llarg de la seva carrera sempre ha intentat fusionar aquestes dues cultures en els seus projectes empresarials. Nascut al Japó, però resident a Catalunya des dels anys 90, Sano va crear Japo.cat, una empresa dedicada a l’intercanvi cultural entre Catalunya i el Japó, que organitza viatges al país nipó a la mida de cada client. 

Un projecte que complementa amb el seu restaurant de cuina japonesa, Kinoko, a Solsona, i l’Hotel japonès Puigpinós. Així doncs, Sano és un reconegut emprenedor que en aquesta conversa ens dona la seva visió de com ha evolucionat el turisme que visita el Japó, convertint-lo en un dels països més visitats del món.

Tradició i modernitat en un mateix lloc

El Japó és un dels pocs països que ha sabut combinar perfectament les tradicions d’una cultura mil·lenària amb metròpolis modernes i cosmopolites que destaquen per ser punteres en avanços tecnològics. Com apunta Sano, “un dels motius per als quals el turisme al Japó té tant èxit és pel contrast entre la tradició i la modernitat”.

Sense deixar de ser un país exòtic, el Japó es manté “proper a l’Occident, però conservant les tradicions japoneses”, afirma Sano. Petits matisos culturals que l’emprenedor català-japonès s’ha assegurat que estiguin representats en el seu hotel japonès, per gaudir de la mateixa experiència de la qual gaudiries al Japó.

T’encanta viatjar? Amb 11Onze Viatges pots reservar allotjament al millor preu, sense escanyar a la indústria turística.

Farhaan Mir, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) d’11Onze, està involucrat en projectes educatius enfocats a crear un món més sostenible, just i equitatiu. Un d’aquests projectes és Da Vinci Life-Skills, i en aquest pòdcast ens explica per què ha arribat el moment canviar el sistema educatiu actual.

La Revolució Industrial va canviar la societat, transformant economies fins llavors basades en l’agricultura, en models econòmics basats en la fabricació mecanitzada a gran escala. L’impacte d’aquest canvi de paradigma també va fer evolucionar el model educatiu, proporcionat pels estats, més regimentat i accessible a gran part de la població.

Tot i això, l’enfocament de l’educació estava centrat en servir les necessitats de la indústria, com apunta Mir, “havies d’aprendre a llegir, escriure i bàsicament gestionar”. Es tractava d’un pla d’estudis estandarditzat i eficient, però impersonal.

La importància de la creativitat

L’afany per incrementar l’eficiència en el lloc de treball sovint venia lligada a un detriment de la individualitat i capacitat creativa d’un model educatiu pensat per formar a persones que s’estaven convertint en part de la maquinària de producció industrial. Subjectes com les arts i la creativitat eren vistos com a secundaris.

Des de Da Vinci Life-Skills es vol replantejar els currículums nacionals posant l’accent en una educació multisensorial i multidisciplinària que posi a les persones al centre. Com explica Mir, “ la retenció, el poder de retenir l’atenció dels nens, és molt més gran quan s’ensenya d’una manera en la qual no es parla als nens, sinó que es parla amb els nens.

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Droughts, pests, plundering and inflation threaten the pine nut market in Catalonia. As a result, this Castanyada will be more expensive. Why don’t we make better use of our forests?

The Consorci Forestal de Catalunya estimates that in Catalonia there are some 38,000 hectares of stone pine, with a pine nut production potential of 500 kilos per hectare. “In a regulated sector, this product on the market would represent a turnover of five million euros,” tells the institution. Even so, the reality is that forest owners do not make any profit from their forests. That is why the price of pine nuts has risen steadily over the last decade.

According to the Observatori Forestal Català, in 2021 the price of white pine nuts reached 66.25 euros per kilo in the Barcelona market, 66.71 euros per kilo in the Reus market and 67.49 euros per kilo in the Alentejo market (Portugal), the main competitor on the peninsula. Thus, the price for the end consumer is between 70 and 100 euros per kilo. The increase year after year is evident. And this, obviously, also increases the price of the precious ‘panellets’ that we buy in the country’s bakeries and patisseries, as the Gremi de Pastissers de Catalunya reminds us.

The reasons for this rise, according to the Consorci Forestal de Catalunya, have to be found on the black market, where the looting of pine nuts is widespread and “without any kind of control”. In addition to the pillage, there is also the devastation caused by pests, such as the American pine bug, which attacks the youngest pine cones. And to all this must be added the droughts that have ravaged Mediterranean forests in recent summers and competition from Asian pine nuts, which are of lower quality.

The prized pine nuts, the product of the Mediterranean forest

For all these reasons, experts determine that the production and use of pine nuts is far below its potential. With this in mind, the Consorci Forestal de Catalunya has set up the Quality Pinea project, which aims to help producers to make the most of their stone pine forests, but also to carry out research. With the support of the Cooperativa Serveis Forestals (Cooperative Forestry Services), the institution provides free advice on how to boost pine nut productivity on private farms.

Thus, the Consorci Forestal de Catalunya accompanies producers to grow new plantations of stone pine with grafts and helps to start up the production of a forest mass. It also advises on how to develop the most suitable pine cone harvesting systems according to the type of farm and, finally, it helps with the marketing of both pine cones and pine nuts. 

In fact, stone pine plantations are an alternative to agricultural crops and, therefore, a viable option for agroforestry owners. In addition, the institution draws up inventories of forest stands and other stands of stone pine for treatments and works in collaboration with the Centre Régional de la Propriété Forestière Occitanienne (CRPF Occitanie), which is active in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of France. The producers now hope that the growing interest in pine nut production will encourage Catalonia to regulate the market and take advantage of this small treasure that the region has to offer.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

Throughout the history of mankind, empires have collapsed, many economic systems have failed and dozens of currencies have collapsed. However, gold has always been a safe haven to protect assets and wealth. At 11Onze we have a look at the history of the value of gold.

This history of wealth and gold begins around 3000 BC. The ancient Egyptians were the first to create jewellery from this precious metal. However, it was not until the 6th century BC that gold began to be used as a currency. This was the work of merchants, who were looking for a model that would allow them to standardise their transactions.

This model using gold became hegemonic in the known world, whether in Europe, Africa, Asia, or America. Gold became a true symbol of wealth and heritage. And, little by little, ways of refining this system were sought. The first time the value of a coin that is still in circulation was standardised to represent the government of a country was in Great Britain around 1066. Thus, the pound sterling was given its name.

And it was precisely on the pound sterling that the gold standard was first established. But it was not until many centuries later, according to historians. In 1717, the first gold standard was established by none other than Isaac Newton. It is the scientist who, in an essay on the monetary system, establishes a ratio of gold to silver that defines a relationship between gold coins and the silver penny that should be the standard unit of account in the Law of Queen Anne of Great Britain.

However, a true gold standard requires that there be a source of legal tender notes and coins, and that this source be supported by convertibility into gold. And this did not happen in England until David Hume developed the gold standard system in 1752. From then on, this gold standard spread to the rest of the world and became the characteristic monetary system of the 19th century.

Thus, the gold standard established that a country’s currency was fully convertible into grams of gold, i.e. it standardised the proportion of gold in each of the coins in circulation. In fact, central banks were obliged to exchange currency into gold if a citizen asked them to do so. And, in addition, there was free movement of capital, i.e. individuals could export and import capital in gold, often represented in paper money rather than cash.

Although the dollar was already a Spanish currency in circulation in the Americas, it was not until 20 years after its founding in 1792 that the United States also adopted the gold standard to mint the US dollar and, in doing so, gained prominence in the monetary world. However, after World War I and the crash of 1929 and the Great Depression, many countries decided to abandon the gold standard in order to devalue their currencies and recover an economy that was going from bad to worse.

The end of the gold standard

The 1944 Bretton Woods conference led the way: it was agreed that all currencies would be pegged to the dollar, with the condition that the dollar be kept at a fixed exchange rate with the price of gold. However, the model lasted a scant 30 years, until 1971, when President Richard Nixon ended the gold standard in order to reflate the American economy during the Vietnam War, just as other governments had done before him in the wake of the crash of 1929.

From that moment on, the dollar and the rest of the world’s currencies, including cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, are what is known as fiat currencies, i.e. they depend entirely on the trust we place in them, as Jordi Sánchez, product manager at 11Onze, explained in La Plaça. Therefore, they are not backed by precious metals and this makes them more unstable.

In fact, the end of the gold standard is, for many experts, the beginning of the perversion of the entire monetary system, which prints banknotes when it suits it, and which means that, at present, the value of the dollar is oversized and causes turbulence in the economy that could trigger a global debt crisis. This is why gold is once again the safe haven that provides investors with protection.

Protecting yourself and avoiding gold bubbles

Gold has never ceased to be important in the global economy. For example, the balance sheets of European central banks such as the European Central Bank (ECB), the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England, and international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) must hold approximately one fifth of the world’s gold reserves. This prevents gold bubbles and controls the price of gold.

Moreover, in convulsive contexts such as the one we are living in, governments protect their country’s reserves by buying gold, as China and India are currently doing, as the former secretary general of Cecot, David Garrofé, explained in one of the latest episodes of the podcast ‘Ens Interessa’. Precisely so that ordinary citizens also have the opportunity to protect their assets from the rampant inflation, 11Onze has launched Preciosos 11Onze.

The material that blooms from the earth

It should be borne in mind that gold is a finite precious material, so it is difficult to lose its value, and is found in nature in its pure state, in elongated pieces or in small particles. At the end of 2006, it was estimated that 158,000 tonnes of gold had been mined throughout history, representing only a cube 20 metres on a side.

Gold as an element, apart from its unique metallic yellow colour, stands out from other metals as the most malleable and ductile known. Scientists value its density and high melting point. It also has a high electronic affinity, which makes it a good conductor of heat and electricity. It is also unaffected by air and most chemicals. In economics, gold is also reliable.

If you want to discover the best option to protect your savings, go to Preciosos 11Onze. We will help you to buy at the best price, the refuge value par excellence: physical gold.

They say that you are not so much what you say as what you do, and in this sense the Catalans do many things, and the most important thing is that they do them together. There are 74,438 associations in Catalonia, according to data from the Department of Justice in 2020. A figure that serves to understand the magnitude of this network in the social sphere. Self-organisation marks and defines Catalan society

As a concept, associationism refers to the voluntary organisation of people seeking a common interest, be it cultural, political, sporting, social assistance, leisure or any other field. The essential point is that this activity is done on a non-profit basis and for the benefit of society.

From clandestinity to the creation of a social fabric

Historically, the term associationism was born in the 19th century as a result of the theories of utopian socialism and although guilds and brotherhoods were already created in medieval times with the intention of defending common interests, it was not until the era of the Industrial Revolution that associations as such proliferated. The purpose has always been the same: to look after the needs of society. As the economic and business system moved towards incipient capitalism, the emergence of organised labour became necessary.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Catalan society created associations in different spheres, such as athenaeums, schools, cooperatives and trade unions. The emergence of many of these entities corresponded to the lack of these basic services, such as schooling, health or the defence of workers’ labour interests. In areas where there was no social protection, it was society itself that sought mechanisms to protect itself. It was also in these decades that the movement for the recovery of national consciousness emerged in an attempt to reclaim Catalonia’s own personality and fight for its preservation. A milestone that was blurred in the Franco era, when all Catalan national institutions and the network of associations were persecuted and repressed. In this context, the right of association was practically disqualified, but Catalan associations survived underground.

Associationism as a reflection of the Catalan people

The values of associationism mark the path towards a more committed and less individualistic society. In fact, if we analyse some basic elements of Catalan culture, we can see that this idea is in tune with the cultural reality. Pilgrimages, sardanes, local festivals, Sant Jordi? All involve getting together, organising, living together and sharing. It is no coincidence, therefore, that most Catalans spend part of their free time in associative or social activities with the aim of improving the quality of life of the country as a whole.

Variety is the spice of life, and when it comes to organisations, there is something for everyone. Any Catalan can nowadays find an association that is of interest to him or her, and where he or she can contribute his or her grain of sand. Sporting, historical, food-related, scientific, academic and social welfare concerns? Everything has a place in the Catalan associative fabric because everyone has a place in the associative fabric.

Beyond the reach of public bodies, this network of unstoppable people can actively and significantly contribute to creating opportunities and ensuring the benefit of all groups; no one can be left behind from a social point of view. In particular, associations have done and continue to do essential work focused on excluded groups, social emergencies, people with fewer resources, those affected by banking or systemic abuses, minority illnesses, support groups, and a long etcetera. Entities that have had to organise themselves internally and, in many cases, without public support, to meet the basic needs of citizens, both physical and psychological, in order to improve their quality of life.

A task that has never received the support it deserves and which, in many cases, is financed through donations and aid from citizens. Fortunately, social awareness is becoming more and more important and cooperation goes beyond the association itself to open up to all citizens in a circumstance in which the support of each one of the collaborators is essential. This shows that the associative fabric has a double aspect: active participation from within or collaboration from outside, so that the whole of society becomes part of it.

Culture, a basic pillar of development

In Catalonia, the culture of an entire people has been maintained over the years in the face of all kinds of social and political situations, thanks in large part to the associations and their work to preserve and strengthen the cultural fabric. To give us an idea of the importance of this, of the 74,438 associations mentioned above, 34,261 are of a cultural nature. The result is that Catalan society is committed to culture, and thus to knowledge, freedom of expression and the promotion of critical thinking.

Culture plays a key role in the development of a territory and becomes an essential part of citizens’ lives. Beyond books, series or museums, culture is also the language, the way we relate to others and to the environment, the customs that make us live in a certain way, celebrating specific dates or giving value to a feeling of belonging to a territory. Social solidarity and cooperation are two values that are also highly influenced by culture and which, in turn, can have a great influence on the social functioning of a people. Culture is practically everything, and associations take on the role of preserving this identity value through organisations and activities that promote its preservation.

Social cooperation, a commitment to value

Associations understand the creation of a community on the basis of inclusion and with the aim of strengthening these links so that working together allows society to advance more and to advance better. In no case, however, should this union of people work on the basis of exclusion towards all those who are not part of it. This could lead to negative feelings on the part of the rest of the citizens and is far removed from the raison d’être of this type of organisation, where respect and teamwork mark its existence. Losing this essence would mean individualising the movement and condemning it to disappear.

The feeling of identity can have a great impact on a society and can be a determining factor in its development. A territory that believes in its people, that wants to defend culture and that promotes all kinds of activities based on self-organisation and voluntary work is, without a doubt, a territory with a desire to constantly evolve. In Catalonia, the associative fabric is witness to this desire and is growing every day with its sights set on the future, but without losing sight of its origins. Working collectively for a future with a fairer and more committed society is a commitment to people and to ensure that, from the associations, their welfare and that of the territory will be looked after.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

Banco Sabadell and CaixaBank were born in Catalonia, but by 2017 they already had more than 70% of their business outside the country that made them prosper. Many people discovered this when in October 2017 the two entities moved their headquarters in response to the independence movement.

In 1844 La Caixa d’Estalvis i Mont de Pietat de Barcelona was born, which would later give rise to La Caixa. In 1881 the industrial bourgeoisie of Sabadell created Banc Sabadell. Both entities were born and grew in Catalonia until they became very important players in the Spanish financial system. In October 2017, the two institutions moved their headquarters out of Catalonia, in reaction to the social movement for independence and the referendum of 1 October. But what was the point of it all?

The reasons for leaving Catalonia

The main reason for abandoning the Catalans was that “people were not sure the bank would continue in the eurozone” if it kept its headquarters in Barcelona, as the then president of CaixaBank, Jordi Gual, explained in February 2020 in the Parliamentary committee on the application of article 155 of the Spanish Constitution. A weak excuse, because the banking licence depends on the Bank of Spain, whether you have your headquarters in Barcelona, Valencia, Paris or anywhere else.

There are many foreign banks operating in Spain, you just have to apply for the licence and get it authorised by the Bank of Spain. Therefore, if Catalonia had become independent, Catalan banks would have continued to operate under the umbrella of the Bank of Spain, unless the Bank of Spain had cancelled the licence. Obviously, this would be very difficult to do because it would create distrust in the Spanish financial system and in the Bank of Spain itself.

One clear reason to understand the relocation of the two banks out of Catalonia and to understand that, in fact, the Bank of Spain would never have withdrawn their licence, is that in 2017 neither of the two banks was Catalan. Banc Sabadell then concentrated only 29% of its business in Catalonia. And CaixaBank even less, 22%. It is clear that the Bank of Spain would not withdraw the licence to operate in Spain from two banks with more than 70% of their assets in Spain (excluding Catalonia).

Entities made by Catalans

The cross-cutting response of Catalan society on 3 October was decisive. On 5 October, Banc Sabadell announced the transfer of its registered office to Alicante, taking advantage of the fact that it already had facilities there. It became the first major Ibex company to leave Catalonia. The following day, CaixaBank approved its move to Valencia, taking advantage of the facilities it had at the Banco de Valencia, and the Fundació La Caixa moved to Palma de Mallorca.

The move was interpreted as undisguised pressure from the two banks on the Catalan citizens who had made them great. But the reality is that the only thing the two institutions did was to relocate following their business model. Catalonia represented less than 30% of the volume of Sabadell and CaixaBank. In October 2017 they were no longer Catalan banks working for the Catalans, it is a false idea that citizens discovered traumatically that October 5 years ago. CaixaBank and Banc Sabadell were already large financial corporations with more business outside Catalonia than inside, so they followed their interests.

At the end of October, CaixaBank’s share price was 192,717 million euros in deposits and Banc Sabadell, 98,654 million euros. As for their stock market value, the recovery took months: it was not until early 2018 that both CaixaBank and Banc Sabadell recovered their pre-independence referendum valuations. In the case of CaixaBank, it was back above 25,000 million euros and Banc Sabadell rose above 10,000 million euros.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

This year, university admission tests that decide the future of thousands of students will be held from 14 to 16 June. We present ‘selectivitat.io’, the definitive tool to prepare for them and give you the best chance at success.

In 2021, at the age of 22, Jaume Plana created selectivitat.io, a platform that offers all the teaching material to prepare for your GCSE, as well as for university admission tests. The initiative was born from the experience of Jaume and other people around him who had, as he describes, a feeling of abandonment when it came to studying and preparing for these exams.

In just over a year, the platform has collected all the material necessary for the subjects taken in the GCSE: notes sent by the students themselves, notes from academies and professionals, mock exams, grade calculators, courses and podcasts. All with the philosophy of free access, as Plana explains: “It’s free now and forever and ever, we believe that you don’t have to pay for educational material”.

In addition to these basic and free services, there are additional paid services for students who may need the support of a teacher to help them resolve doubts and accompany them in this process.

The grade that decides your future

This is the well-known, and dreaded for some, cut-off mark. The mark that is extracted from the ‘selectivitat’ and which will decide which degree the student can study and at which university, within the range of options that he or she has chosen. A system that Plana himself considers unfair and with a great risk of loss of talent along the way: “There are incredible people who would be perfect in entrance examinations, but they can never get there because the filtering is based on marks” when the employment sector, he remarks, “is not based on marks”.

The current education system focuses on grades from the start. Even in nursery school (from three to five years old) there are schools that initiate students into this selection system that will accompany them for the rest of their academic life. Therefore, they become accustomed to selection by grades. 

However, Plana points out that they are not taught the basis of the learning process and take advantage of it. There are thousands of students who, due to a lack of organisational tools, lack of support or fear of not achieving their objectives, end up failing in this system.

Pressure closes doors

Managing pressure can be very important in terms of the results of the university entrance exams. In this sense, the mental preparation of students is relevant, as Plana explains: “Pupils who get a 14 or very good marks are very good students who know how to handle pressure very well”.

Jaume Plana also points out that we are not prepared for failure, as we are not educated to identify it as something natural and even positive. On the contrary, those who fail are singled out.

The pressure when it comes to tackling studies is subsequently transferred to the way we approach the labour market, which becomes a limiting pillar for many young people. 

Therefore, in addition to academic preparation for the entrance exam, there is also mental preparation, which includes three main aspects: having the support and accompaniment to be able to face these tests; being aware that it is OK if you fail, as there will be new opportunities, and finally, making it clear that your aptitudes will be more important for your future than any grade.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

Have we forgotten to play? No. We have always played and we continue to do so, no matter how old we are. But society has changed, and now we play different things. We talked to Víctor Baroja, president of the Catalan Federation of Traditional Games and Sports, about it.

With the frenetic pace of life, have we forgotten to play? Not at all, according to Víctor Baroja: “I don’t know any child or young person who doesn’t play,” he says. Mankind has always used games as a way of relating to each other. Now we continue to do so, but in different ways. Many of the games we play today are just improved versions of those played by our ancestors.

Of course, we cannot ignore the irruption of technology in our lives. The time we used to spend gathering in squares to play with friends in the open air or enjoy board games has been affected by the simplicity and agility of screens.

Even so, can we say that screens have stolen our play time? The screen is still an instrument that has changed us on a sociological scale,” says the president of the Catalan Federation of Traditional Games and Sports. And he continues: “Our life is compartmentalised into spaces that are like bubbles, and what has happened with screens is that all our bubbles are connected with a simple click, we can go from scheduling a work meeting to playing Paraulògic in a matter of seconds.”

Vestiges of the past

Although screens, used well, are not a bad thing, “what they can never replace is the face to face, going down to a town square, the sense of touch and being surrounded by the typical sounds of community games, such as the sound of a domino hitting the table,” explains Baroja.

Not only the sounds, but also the smell of the game board when we open it to take out the pieces or the traditions surrounding the traditional games… All these are intangibles that are part of our heritage. Victor calls it the “playful memory,” which connects us with the historical past, with the generations that have preceded us, and “is the piece that makes the traditional games unique.”

The soundtrack of our games

“Sonos Ludum” is the name of the project created by the federation in order to treasure the characteristic sounds produced during traditional games: the jumping rope, the dominoes, the impact of bowling, etc.

The project aims to stimulate our sensitivity through the sounds that, despite having changed over time, continue to transport us to a point in space-time, both distant and near, where the game brings us closer together as social beings. Our desire to gather around a table to share this time of leisure and fun is still latent.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!