A new festival dedicated to contemporary thought, named TRAMA, is set to launch in Girona this year. The inaugural session will occur on 3 December, bringing together prominent figures such as philosopher Marina Garcés and journalist Pol Estrada.
Under the direction of Josep Maria Fonalleras and coordination by Abel Capdevila, TRAMA aims to deeply explore pressing societal issues that shape the future. The festival seeks to equip participants with the tools to critically address the challenges ahead.
Supported by local cultural agents, including Arcàdia, Llibreria 22, and the Centre Cultural La Mercè, the festival also receives backing from the Girona City Council and the Diputació de Girona. It will be held annually, with each edition focusing on a specific theme examined from various cultural perspectives.
During a presentation of the festival, Quim Ayats Bartrina, Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Culture, and Gemma Geis, Second Vice President of the Diputació de Girona, highlighted the festival's commitment to engaging the public and educational institutions. Geis noted, “This festival combines open participation for all citizens with specific programming aimed at educational centres.” A planned activity for fourth-year secondary school and first-year baccalaureate students will encourage young people to engage in discussions about issues that directly affect their lives.
The opening session on 3 December, titled “What does it mean to think critically?”, aims to foster debate on the conditions necessary for developing independent thought. The event will commence at 11:00 AM in the Auditorio de La Mercè, featuring a conversation between Pol Estrada and Marina Garcés, moderated by Abel Capdevila, based on the short story “The mechanics of blindness” from the collection Los árboles no se lo merecen (Edicions de la Ela Geminada, 2025). This educational activity has already confirmed participation from 162 students from Instituto Ermessenda and Instituto Santiago Sobrequés.
Later that day, at 7:00 PM, an open debate will take place, featuring Garcés, Prado-Fabregat, Roca, and Tomàs, moderated by Fonalleras. Attendance is free but requires prior registration due to limited capacity.
The first full edition of the festival, scheduled for autumn 2027, will focus on the theme “The age of anxiety.” The programme aims to address the transformations that have led society to a cultural climate characterised by uncertainty and the need for guidance, where anxiety has become a collective way of living rather than merely an individual experience.
TRAMA is designed to appeal to a broad, intergenerational audience, combining accessibility with intellectual rigor. It aims to engage young people, university students, and those who do not typically participate in Girona's cultural life. The debates will feature conversations among guests from diverse disciplines and viewpoints, while the secondary school programme will be developed in direct collaboration with educational institutions. Each edition will include sessions for students, complete with educational materials for classroom use and a programme to support research projects. Recordings of the events will be available on the festival's website, which will maintain an archive of each edition's content and recommended bibliography.
