The institutional representatives highlight the role played by Pasqual Maragall, the most praised in the act along with Juan Antonio Samaranch, for the most important event in the city.
30 years have passed and the feeling is that the people of Barcelona have never stopped talking about the 1992 Olympics. They have always been, almost daily, the symbol of unity, which is why they have sometimes served as a form of reproach when disunity has prevailed. The memory is positive and positive has been the atmosphere of the events organized by the Barcelona City Council to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, one of the most historic moments, if not the main one in the history of the city. In fact, the anniversary of the inauguration of the event will be celebrated on Monday, July 25.
The “best” Olympic Games
Faced with familiar faces from that Barcelona, including among many others those of the designer of the Olympic mascot, Cobi, and the Paralympic mascot, Petra, Javier Marshaland that of the mayor who started the Olympic race, Narcis Serra, Ada Colau has described the Games as “event that marked the city and the country & rdquor ;. He stressed that they were “the best in history & rdquor; and he thanked those who worked to make it happen in Barcelona and to make it a success.
Colau has highlighted that the celebration allowed “resewing the city & rdquor ;, reforming it. He has shown his gratitude to Serra and especially to Pasqual Maragall, “the mayor to whom we must thank for success, a visionary surrounded by a team & rdquor ;. The councilor has sent a token of affection to what is considered the best mayor in the history of Barcelona, affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Look To The Future
Colau has called to avoid nostalgia: “This is not how Barcelona faced the Olympic Games & rdquor ;. It is not like that, he has added, how the future will be earned. Of the present he has highlighted the appointments that the Catalan capital now hosts, from the Mobile World Congress to the Copa América.
“The 1992 Games were the necessary lever for transformation & rdquor ;, he has proclaimed. And he added that this step has made it possible for subsequent successes to come: “This is a magnificent opportunity to recover the commitment to collaboration and project it into the future, to look at it without nostalgia and with enthusiasm & rdquor ;.
Collboni, in the square
the journalist Olga Viza presented the rest of the institutional parliaments. The first deputy mayor, James Collboni, recalled how the young man he was ran to Plaza de Catalunya to celebrate the nomination in 1986. The socialist praised the role of Maragall, Serra, Mariscal and many others, and recalled that Spain won 22 Olympic medals: “ We showed that we could also be a sports power.” Collboni has quoted the former president of the International Olympic Committee, a person who was decisive for Barcelona to host the Games: Juan Antonio Samaranch.
He has also spoken Michael Segarrapresident of the Spanish Paralympic Committee, like his counterpart from the Olympic Committee, Alexander White. Segarra has underlined that for the Paralympic Games Barcelona was a positive turning point and has also lamented that the possibility of organizing the 2030 Winter Games has been diluted.
The career of Fermin Cacho
Blanco has shown his appreciation to those who 40 years ago promoted Barcelona’s candidacy, and has quoted Carlos Ferrer Salat, president of the Olympic Committee during the 1992 Games. “I have seen your career 200 times & rdquor ;, he told the athlete Fermin Cacho, gold medal in the 1500 meter event three decades ago. One of many memories she has cited. Blanco has stated that the Olympic Games were held in Barcelona thanks to one person: Samaranch.
the sports minister, miquel iceta, has also cited Serra and Samaranch, but has focused on Maragall: “We have always been lucky enough to see the play before the others & rdquor ;, he has pointed out in allusion to the former mayor. He has also highlighted something striking: there were no known cases of corruption, not even “a shadow of a doubt”, related to the 1992 Games. Regarding unity, he specified: “There was collaboration because there was leadership, that of Pasqual & rdquor ;.
The last to intervene was the president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragones, who recalled that he was 9 years old in 1992, “and without knowing very well what was happening, I felt that Barcelona was a leading player in the world”. Like his predecessors in the use of the word, Aragonès has showered Maragall with praise.
Generational relief
Two medalists from ’92, Cacho and Natalie Via Dufresnesilver in Europa class sailing, have maintained a dialogue with two generational successors, the water polo player Helena Lloret and Paralympic medalist swimmer Tony Ponce.
The event ended with Mariscal handing over to Barcelona a lithograph of Cobi and Petra celebrating the 30th Olympic anniversary and with the performance of the song ‘Amics per semper’ by the singer Beth, Jofre Bardagí and the Quartet Brossa.
‘Mapping’ in Sant Jaume
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After the institutional act, the Saló de Cent has given prominence as a stage to the Plaça de Sant Jaume, where they have been able to attend musical performances, among others by Los Manolos, as guests who could not miss the appointment.
A ‘mapping’ with images of the city has been seen in the square since it was chosen as the venue, in 1986, until the opening of the Olympic Games.