WHAT I SI T? Exact l y150year sago,ont he7t hofJune1859,t hePl anf or Ref or m andDevel opmentofBar cel onawasappr oved.Thi s wast hewor kofoneofBar cel ona’ smostmagni f i centmi nds: I l def onsCer dà. Ther ear emanyr easonswhyBar cel onacoul dnotl ett hi s anni ver sar ypassbyunnot i ced.TheCer dàPl anr epr esent eda def i ni t i vepoi nti nourci t y’ shi st or y .TheCer dàPl anwasa hi st or i cl eapwi t houtwhi cht heBar cel onaoft odayand t omor r ow woul dbeuni magi nabl e.I ti st heDNAofmoder n Bar cel ona. Fort heser easons ,weatCi t yHal ldeci dedt odecl ar e2009as t heCer dàYear .Thr oughoutonewhol eyear ,unt i lJune2010, wewi l lbef i l l i ngBar cel onawi t hact i vi t i est ocommemor at e t hi skeymomenti nt heci t y’ shi st or y ,i t sur bant r ansf or mat i on andi t spr esencei nt hewor l d. Ther esul toft hewor kandef f or t sputf or t hbyCi t yHal land ot heradmi ni st r at i veof f i cesandor gani sat i ons ,suchast he FUTI C,i sabr oad,at t r act i ve,l i vel yandopenpr ogr amme whi chwewi l lbef i l l i ngwi t hact i vi t i est hr oughoutt heyear .The Cer dàYearhopest ocombi ner ef l ect i on,di scover yand cr eat i onwi t hf est i vi t y ,cohabi t at i onandpar t i ci pat i on;i . e.t he wayBar cel onai st ur nedi nt oat r ueci t y . Fort ocont empl at eCer dài st ocont empl at eBar cel ona.Al ot ofwat erhasf l owedundert hebr i dgesi ncet hePl anwas appr oved,butt hechal l engesi nt het i mesofCer dàcont i nuet o bechal l engest oday .Justl i ke150year sago,i nt hewor dsof anot heroneoft hegr eatmi ndofourt i mes ,“ Bar cel onai si na t i meofbust l i ng,al loutt r ansf or mat i on” .Thepeopl ewer eat t hehear toft heact i onbehi ndt heCer dàPl an,andwe cont i nuet obui l dBar cel onast ar t i ngwi t ht hepeopl et oday . TheBar cel onat hatcr i ed“ Downwi t ht hewal l s! ”keepst hi s ambi t i onal i veandi sl ooki ngt ol aunchanew phasei ni t s met r opol i t anr eal i t y . Cer dàwant edt omakeBar cel onagr eat ,t ot r ansf or mt heci t y i nor dert ot r ansf or m soci et y .Today ,wear et hehei r st ohi s spi r i tandst andupf ort hei deat hatBar cel onai sgr eatwhen i t speopl eenj oybet t erl i vi ng. TheCer dàYearpr ovi dest heper f ectoppor t uni t yt ohi ghl i ght t heci t yasasol ut i ont ot hechal l engesi noursoci et y .We woul dal sol i ket ouset heCer dàYeart oexpr essourpr i dei n bei ngapar tofBar cel ona.Fort heBar cel onaoft odayi sa col l ect i vepr oj ectwhi chal lofusbui l dt oget her :ar chi t ect s , t ownpl anner s ,cr eat or sandci t i z ens . Wear eal lcal l edupont opar t i ci pat ei nt hi scel ebr at i on.We haveayearaheadofust hatwehopet oendt hebestway possi bl e:conquer i ngt henew Di agonal ,whi chal lofus consi dert obet hebesthomaget oI l def onsCer dàandhi s Pl an. J or di He r e u
Ma y orof Ba r c e l ona