The Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya, through the General Directorate of Popular Culture and Cultural Associations, is a partner in the PROMETHEUS project and leads the action to promote the holding of an international symposium that highlights the research, dissemination and transmission of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Fallas, Haros and Brandons beyond territorial borders.

Specifically, the Department of Culture is promoting the International Symposium on Solstice Fire Festivals of the Pyrenees, which will be held on 27, 28 and 29 October in Bagà, and with the collaboration of Cerdanyola, both towns which celebrate the Fallas.

The Symposium aims to bring local and international knowledge to the fore through research and studies on the solstice fire festivals of the Pyrenees. Cross-border research and dissemination to join forces, arguments and make the submission to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity all the stronger.

The main task since the beginning of the project has been the coordination between partners and with the different actors of the territory of the 3 member states of the PROMETHEUS project, in order to create a territorially representative Scientific Committee which is equal and reflects the cultural and social diversity that encompasses the world of the Fallas.

This Committee is made up of institutional representatives and experts from France, Andorra, Aragon and Catalonia. They have been responsible for developing the orientation and content of the Symposium.

There will be a first inaugural conference that will take stock of the 5 years of the candidacy by the UNESCO declaration. As can be seen in detail in the corresponding section of the website and in the programme, there will be 4 areas that address the organisation and territorial management of the Falles, Haros and Brandons, their transmission and safeguarding strategies, the challenges of management cultural in the Pyrenean territory and/or the transfer and dissemination of this heritage with the presentation of entities, museums, books and related publications. Through presentations, communications and round tables, various topics will be covered, such as the new actors, protocols, models and organisational resources, as well as new tools to deal with COVID-related issues, the impact on the media, the sustainability and future of the festivities, etc. It will be structured with cross-sectional perspectives, with experiences from other sectors and cultural fields and territories around the world.

In parallel, an organisational committee was created between 2019-2020, consisting of representatives of the territory, the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya and Bagà City Council, with the collaboration of Cerdanyola and the rest of project partners.

Due to the pandemic, all the instructions by the health authorities have been adopted and all the necessary preventive measures will be taken. Accordingly, the format of the Symposium will be dual, both in-person and online. The structure, organisation and logistics of the Symposium have been coordinated so that it can be developed in a completely normal way in the territory of Berguedà.

Attendance at the Symposium is free, but prior registration is required for the conference, meaning that you can also obtain a certificate of participation.