Centre Comarcal Lleidatà

The Centre Comarcal Lleidatà is a recreational and cultural association founded in Barcelona on 4 November 1927 under the name Centre de Lleida i les seves comarques. It adopted its current name in 1933 after absorbing the Casal Lleidatà, which had been founded in 1929. The entity is headquartered in Barcelona and serves as a meeting point and community hub for people from the Lleida lands living in or near the Catalan capital. The association promotes a wide range of cultural initiatives, including Catalan and English language courses, oil painting, pottery, and choral singing. Since 1956 it has exercised considerable cultural influence through the publication of a monthly bulletin and the organisation of literary sessions and exhibitions. During the Franco era it was a staunch defender of the Catalan identity of the Lleida lands against attempts by the authorities to separate the province of Lleida from the rest of Catalonia. Its first president was Enric Beleta i Gasull, who served from 1927 to 1931. In 1933, Francesc Macià visited the entity as President of the Generalitat de Catalunya and was named Honorary President, the first to receive that distinction. One of the periods of greatest social activity was under the presidency of Eusebi Majós i Pont, who succeeded Trino Balaguer and served from 1971 to 1977. During this period the Centre Comarcal Lleidatà provided cover for various youth groups organising cultural activities that were frequently questioned by the civil governor and the Francoist authorities of the time. Majós often had to explain these groups' activities to the civil governor, Rodolfo Martín Villa, and to representatives of other regional houses, such as those of Galicia, Andalusia, and Aragon, who did not look favourably on the active promotion of Catalan culture carried out by the Centre Comarcal Lleidatà. Josep Bellet was president from 2000 to 2008, and from 2009 Miquel Àngel Gento held the position. The entity received the Creu de Sant Jordi in 1993 and in 2002 the Gold Medal of Cultural Merit from the Barcelona City Council. Today it continues to offer a quarterly programme of courses, a university extension classroom (Aula d'Extensió Universitària), a restaurant, and social activities such as the open botifarra card tournament, now in its twenty-third edition. Membership is open to all who wish to contribute to keeping the Centre a lively space for meeting and community, and to support a project committed to promoting the country's culture and preserving the spirit of the Lleida lands.

The Centre Comarcal Lleidatà was founded in Barcelona on 4 November 1927 under the name Centre de Lleida i les seves comarques. Its first president was Enric Beleta i Gasull, who served from 1927 to 1931. In 1929 the Casal Lleidatà was founded, and in 1933 the two entities merged, with the resulting organisation adopting the name Centre Comarcal Lleidatà. That same year, Francesc Macià, then President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, visited the entity and was named Honorary President, the first person to receive that distinction. From 1956, the association exercised considerable cultural influence through the publication of a monthly bulletin and the organisation of literary sessions and exhibitions. During the Franco dictatorship, it was a staunch defender of the Catalan identity of the Lleida lands, opposing attempts by the authorities to separate the province of Lleida from the rest of Catalonia. One of the periods of greatest social activity was under the presidency of Eusebi Majós i Pont, who succeeded Trino Balaguer and served from 1971 to 1977. During this period the Centre Comarcal Lleidatà provided cover for various youth groups organising cultural activities that were frequently questioned by the civil governor and the Francoist authorities. Majós often had to explain these groups' activities to the civil governor, Rodolfo Martín Villa, and to representatives of other regional houses, such as those of Galicia, Andalusia, and Aragon, who did not view favourably the active promotion of Catalan culture carried out by the Centre. In 1993 the entity received the Creu de Sant Jordi, and in 2002 it received the Gold Medal of Cultural Merit from the Barcelona City Council. Josep Bellet was president from 2000 to 2008, and from 2009 Miquel Àngel Gento held the presidency. In the 2020s the Centre continues to offer a quarterly programme of courses, a university extension classroom (Aula d'Extensió Universitària), a restaurant, and social activities such as the open botifarra card tournament, now in its twenty-third edition. Membership remains open to those who wish to support its cultural mission.

• 2009

  Miquel Àngel Gento becomes president.

• 2002

  Awarded the Gold Medal of Cultural Merit by the Barcelona City Council.

• 2000

  Josep Bellet becomes president, serving until 2008.

• 1993

  Awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi.

• 1971

  Eusebi Majós i Pont becomes president, a period of great social activity until 1977.

• 1956

  Begins publishing a monthly bulletin and organising literary sessions and exhibitions, gaining cultural influence.

• 1933

  Absorbs Casal Lleidatà and adopts the name Centre Comarcal Lleidatà; Francesc Macià visits and is named Honorary President.

• 1929

  Casal Lleidatà founded.

• 1927

  Founded in Barcelona on 4 November as Centre de Lleida i les seves comarques.

A community and cultural association preserving and promoting the culture and identity of the Lleida lands from its base in Barcelona.

• Catalan language courses

• English language courses

• Oil painting courses

• Pottery courses

• Choral singing

• Monthly bulletin

• Literary sessions and exhibitions

• Aula d'Extensió Universitària

• Restaurant service

• Open botifarra card tournament

1. 1Centre Comarcal Lleidatà -cclleidata.cat
2. 2Centre Comarcal Lleidatàwikidata.org
3. 3Centre Comarcal Lleidatàca.wikipedia.org