La Bressola celebrates 50 years of Catalan language education

La Bressola, a cultural association dedicated to promoting Catalan-language education, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Founded in 1976 in Perpignan, the project began with just seven students and one teacher as a response to the decline of Catalan linguistic transmission in North Catalonia due to the uniformizing French public school model.

Over five decades, the association has grown into a network of seven infant and primary schools, as well as two secondary centers, serving more than one thousand students. The organization utilizes a secular, immersion-based pedagogical model that includes innovative methods such as project-based learning and multi-age classrooms.

To mark the milestone, a central celebration is being held at the Palais Royal in Perpignan, featuring representatives from various institutions and community members. The anniversary year includes approximately eighty activities, such as conferences and exhibitions, and will also feature a commemorative concert in Girona on September 25.