News

Formentera convenes neighbourhood meeting to talk sustainable mobility strategy

Saturday, 07 April 2018 09:06

Carretera-redux The Formentera Council's Office of Mobility invites islanders in the neighbourhood, land and environment sections of the Consell d'Entitats to attend the first participatory meeting ahead of the drafting of Formentera's sustainable mobility strategy, an initiative known as the Pla de Mobilitat Sostenible. The gathering will also be open to the public at large.

Secretary of Mobility Rafael González said the strategy was about “defining measures and actions that will reshape mobility on the island, making us more sustainable and more eco-friendly”.

Background
Mobility reports commissioned by the Council in 2017 served as the basis for an analytical study into mobility on Formentera. Research for the reports, the fruit of interviews with islanders, tourists and excursionists, also included tallies of pedestrians, bicycles, cars (even rented vehicles) and public transport.

This Wednesday at 8.00pm in the conference hall of Formentera's dependent care centre, a group including Councillor González, CiF citizen participation secretary Sònia Cardona, spokespeople from the firm charged with preparing the mobility plan, IDOM, will meet to share results of the analysis in hopes of setting strategic lines for sustainable mobility.

Moving ahead, a concrete action plan will be drafted and a budget proposal prepared. The plan is set to last eight years.

Neus Mateu, Madrid's representative in Balearics, visits Formentera

Friday, 06 April 2018 18:42

Foto Neus Mateu 1 Jaume Ferrer and Susana Labrador, chairman and deputy chairwoman of the Formentera Council, sat down today with the newly appointed representative to the Balearic Islands of the Spanish central government, Neus Mateu, to welcome her on her first visit to the island. A subsequent working meeting found the officials discussing crucial matters of safety on the island in summertime.

President Ferrer seized the opportunity to speak to Mateu about the importance of summertime reinforcements for the traffic and sea divisions of Guardia Civil law enforcement. Ferrer noted that last year such operations, based in La Savina, played a crucial role in tracking ever greater numbers of visiting watercraft on Formentera's coasts. The Council chair described the need for summer reinforcements thus: “As many Guardia Civil officers as possible for as long as possible”. He held up collaboration between the Guardia Civil and local police, “particularly when our agencies are short-staffed”, as vital to offering islanders and tourists a quality service.

For her part, Mateu highlighted the success of investigations following multiple robberies last summer, noting that “several arrests were made and very few cases reoccurred”. “We hope to see the return of reinforcements and continued improvements”, she continued. She was optimistic that a resolution would come after confiscations following fires in Cala Saona. She also confirmed plans to reestablish a base on the island for the marine Guardia Civil, urged a continuation of summertime reinforcements and called for an extension of coordination between the Guardia Civil and local police.

The subjects will be discussed more thoroughly at next month's meeting of the Formentera safety junta.

Officials drop in at sa Senieta, future home of Formentera museum

Wednesday, 04 April 2018 16:16

Foto sa senieta 2 Formentera Council president Jaume Ferrer, joined by regional tourism secretary and vice-president of the Govern balear, Bel Busquets; regional culture secretary Fanny Tur; local culture and patrimony secretary Susana Labrador and the island's secretary of tourism and land, Alejandra Ferrer, took a visit this morning to the “casa de sa Senieta”, the future seat of the Formentera museum.

Sa Senieta
The Council bought the property on December 19, 2017 for €2.5 million, of which one million came from the so-called “Sustainable Tourism Tax”and another million and a half from the Balearic ministry of culture. The remaining one million was put up by the Formentera Council.

Vice-President Busquets highlighted the significance of the sustainable tourism levy in the purchase. Sa Senieta —which Busquets calls“part of Formentera's cultural heritage”— will house the island's museum, giving, in Busquet's prediction, visibility to the benefits of the tax, “not just for the Balearics, but for Formentera in particular”.

President Ferrer held up cooperation between administrations as crucial to the sa Senieta purchase going through. According to Ferrer, the acquisition —a long-standing request of locals, he said— was“fruit of the partnership between the Council and the Balearic government's ministries of tourism and culture”.

The Balearic minister of culture, Fanny Tur, pointed to additional funding to the tune of €0.5 million to adapt the building for use as a museum.

Proof of sa Senieta's importance locally, the home is the only site on the island which is catalogued and designated pursuant to a piece of legislation known as “Llei 12/1998” concerning historical heritage sites in the islands.

In addition to sa Senieta, which will house a permanent collection and general services for the public, Formentera's future museum network will consist of two other spaces: la casa de Can Ramon will host exhibitions culled from the Formentera museum's ethnographic collection and the lot adjacent to another local landmark, el Fossar Vell, will feature archives, a specialist library, a conference hall and exhibition gallery, a drop-off and reservation spot and a research area.

The local circuit, a quality service for residents and tourists alike, will meet all the requirements of the museum legislation of the Balearic Islands.

Formentera unlocks quarter million to refurbish and restore cultural heritage sites

Thursday, 05 April 2018 17:00

Mur pedra seca The Formentera Council's Offices of Patrimony and Rural Affairs report that applications will now be accepted for assistance to rehabilitate dry-stone walls, bury overhead utility cables and execute work on Formentera's cultural heritage sites.

In all, €250,000 will be opened up between 2018 and 2019—seventy-five thousand in 2018 and another €175,000 in 2019.

Targeted assistance
The money is intended to drive maintenance, consolidation and betterment of those sites treasured either for their significance to local heritage or from an aesthetic point of view.

For culture and heritage secretary Susana Labrador, the aid is about “showcasing our heritage and drawing on traditional strategies to care for valuable assets like dry-stone walls”.

Officials hope the money will help promote a broader awareness about the value of reclaiming original features of heritage sites that give Formentera its unique character.

Applications
Interested islanders will have until Tuesday, May 15 to submit applications to the Citizen Information Office (OAC) or the Virtual Citizen Information Office (OVAC) at www.consellinsulardeformentera.cat.

For complete details, click here.

Upgrades across heritage sites
In a bid to preserve and beautify an asset to Formentera's local landscape, the Formentera Council will oversee reforms of dry-stone walls at the entrance of el Pilar de la Mola church plaza.

Diada de Sant Jordi activities hit Formentera as spring gets rolling

Tuesday, 03 April 2018 14:52

Jeroni obrador The island's Office of Culture presents the month-long calendar of activities marking this year's Sant Jordi holiday. CiF culture secretary Susana Labrador said the 2018 programme is about “making sure islanders of all stripes —adults, teens and young children— can enjoy a tradition- and culture-packed event”.

First on the bill, on Tuesday, April 3, is a chat led by Isidor Marí about the newest generation of Formentera residents (formenterers, in Catalan). Organised by the local chapter of Obra Cultural Balear (OCB), the event kicks off at 8.00pm in Biblioteca Marià Villangómez.

Activities for kids and teens
Sunday, April 15, the youth-friendly portion of the programme gets under way with El viatge d'en Filo Cordafil, a production by Minorcan theatre troupe s'Espai de Circ. Recommended for children six and up, the 5.30pm show takes place in the cinema (Sala de Cultura).

Friday, April 20, local youngsters get an updated take on an old tradition when the Casal de Joves hosts a henna workshop on crafting Sant Jordi roses in henna.

Thursday, April 24, the Marià Villangómez library welcomes Àngels Martínez Corderas for a storytelling session and post-op workshop entitled Contes i Llegendes de Formentera.

Book talks
Monday, April 16, is islanders' chance to learn about “feminism for beginners”. That is the title of a discussion led by gender-violence expert, journalist and professor of law and social sciences Núria Varela. The work represents Varela's effort to take feminism to mainstream audiences by articulating the story and spirit the movement offers society. The event, including a presentation from 8.00pm and discussion to follow, takes place in the Marià Villangómez library with support from IBDona and Espai Dones.

Tuesday, April 17, organisers are teeing up an event to mark the re-edition of a collection of Formentera's most traditional recipes. Artur Portes and Vicent Ferrer are not only La cuina de Formentera's authors; they are also the hosts of the evening. The event takes place in the Marià Villangómez library at 8.00pm.

On Wednesday, April 18, locals have another launch to look forward to. Días Oscuros, a comic book based on an eponymous novel by Ibizan author Lluís Ferrer, tells of true events on Eivissa during World War II.

On Wednesday, April 25, OCB is staging yet another book presentation. Terra endins, mar enllà was written by Marià Torres. The evening, hosted by Maria Teresa Ferrer and Ramon Mayol, takes place at Biblioteca Marià Villangómez at 8.00pm.

Thursday, April 26, Formentera's youngest get the skinny on a compilation of hometown nursery rhymes. Pere Morell's Rondalles de Formentera will be presented by Maria Teresa Ferrer at 8.00pm in Biblioteca Marià Villangómez.

The last of the book talks comes Monday, April 30, as the library presents Randa magazine's 79th issue, dedicated to Formentera. Among the event's presenters are Esperança Marí and Isidor Torres.

Some of the featured publications receive support from the Formentera Council, part of the administration's commitment to local history and culture.

Concerts
At 8.00pm on Saturday, April 7 in Centre Gabrielet, the OCB underwrites a concert by singer-composer Cecilia Giménez. The artists presents her latest effort, Romeo, a varied collection that spans generations and traditions, buttressed by an assortment of language and style, and the profoundness of the feeling it embodies.

The centrepiece Sant Jordi concert kicks off at 5.30pm on Saturday, April 21, when onlookers at Sant Francesc's plaça de la Constitució are treated to a performance by the youth bands of Eivissa, Sant Marcel·lí de València and Formentera parishes.

Then, at 8.00pm, the crowd at jardí de ses Eres will see Majorcan singer-songwriter and former Antònia Font composer Joan Miquel Oliver present Atlantis, a continuation of the exploratory jaunt through estètica electrònica the artist began on his last effort, Pegasus.

Then on Friday, April 27, Espai Frumentària presents Voiciello. Singer Carme Garí and cellist/composer Gabriel Fiol's joint production of Una veu, un violoncel, un món de sensacions, is part show part journey across a musical universe dominated by classical melodies. The 8.30pm performance happens in la Mola's Casa del Poble.

Sant Jordi day
The morning of the big day, Monday, April 23, book lovers in Sant Francesc's plaça de la Constitució will get the chance to browse books either retired from the shelves of the island's libraries or donated by other cultural groups on Formentera. Trades of second-hand books will also be accepted.

At 5.30pm in the cinema (Sala de Cultura), winners will be announced in two contests that turn 19 this year: the Antoni Tur “Gabrielet” bookmark contest and the young writers' competition in honour of Robert Lewis Baldon. The contests, said Secretary Labrador, aim to encourage Formentera's young people to read and write. In view of the designation of 2018 as European Year of Cultural Heritage, this year's participants were asked to write about “Formentera and its cultural heritage”. Entertainment at the awards show will be handled by Impro Ibiza.

Blai Bonet
On Friday, April 13, at 8.00pm, the Council's cultural arm presents “El teatre de Blai Bonet”, an evening devoted to the writer/poet/playwright from Mallorca. The conference will be moderated by Joan Tomàs Martínez, a professor at ESADIB and Doctor of Performing Arts at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Saturday the 14th is a day for the all-ages theatre of Oficis al carrer. In this exploration of the dramaturgical, artistic side of Blai Bonet, troupe Tshock Cultural Emocional reassemble the original cast of actors for whom the playwright penned the work forty years ago. Immediately after, attendees see a screening of the documentary biopic El teatre de Blai Bonet. At the end of the evening, spectators will receive a DVD, compliments of the Govern balear.

'Caminada popular'
On Saturday, April 28, Sant Jordi celebrations come to a close, with an OCB-run community walk with Andreu Ferrer and Santi Colomar. The start is at 10.00am in Sant Francesc's plaça de la Constitució.

The preceding activities are organised by the CiF culture department and local libraries, the school of music and dance and the island's youth centre, el Casal de Joves. Formentera's early-learning and primary schools are also closely involved, as well as other groups like the OCB's Formentera branch, Espai F_, Ràdio Illa and the Institut d'Estudis Baleàrics. Their support is greatly appreciated.