The items, featuring an exclusive design with a verse by local poet Joan Valls i Jordà, will be distributed on Saturday, October 24th, in the morning, at a stand located at the entrance of La Glorieta. The initiative seeks to combine the promotion of the Valencian language, the recognition of local literature, and the encouragement of sustainable habits during festive events.
The chosen verse, «Fes eterna la festa que esclata en primavera» (Make eternal the festival that bursts in spring), is from Valls' poem Prec a Sant Jordi (Prayer to Saint George) and evokes the continuity of the Moors and Christians festivals and the celebration's capacity to renew itself each spring. The Councilor for Linguistic Normalization, Teresa Sanjuán, highlighted the importance of making the language present in everyday spaces and in celebrations linked to Alcoy's identity.
“"We wanted to take advantage of this commemoration to bring Valencian closer to the festival in a close and participatory way, with a design that recovers very representative verses by Joan Valls and connects language, culture, and our traditions."
For his part, the Councilor for Festivities, Jordi Martínez, emphasized that Valencian is an essential part of Alcoy's festival and its history. He recalled the figure of Joan Valls and other authors like Armando Santacreu, who maintained the literary use of the language during difficult times.
“"Valencian is the language of the Festival. We wanted this commemoration of the 750 years of Saint George's patronage to also be an opportunity to remember people who worked for our language in times when it was not always possible to express oneself publicly in Valencian."
In addition to the cultural and linguistic component, the initiative incorporates an environmental aspect with the distribution of reusable cups, thus contributing to the reduction of single-use waste during celebrations.
