Democracy demands discussion and debate, interchange of opinions and points of view among the citizens. This is the only way for them to be able to exert their rights and perform their duties in a conscious and informed way. In order to achieve this condition, there are many and several instruments to be brought into play; among them, we can emphasize the mass media of masses, and, particularly, the written press, as long as they operate in an independent way and respecting veracity.

The “main square”, the place where the citizens from the old Greece used to gather assiduously, played an essential role in the democracy consolidation as the best system to govern society. The physical presence, in a limited space, of those concerned about the public affairs gave the debate an insurmountable fluidity and allowed those who used to attend the “main square” to form a fast and solid opinion. In spite of the technological advances as regards the scope of communication, nowadays, it is still advisable to have “main squares” for the citizens to satiate their desire of information and knowledge.

Tribuna Barcelona has become an essential “main square” for the Catalonian society, which appears in solid form in the qualitative and quantitative level of attendance and participation in the numerous sessions that have taken place. A review to the names of the personalities that have been invited to its nearly three hundred sessions emphasizes the amplitude of the restlessness and the ample ideological coverage which it operates with. Politicians, scientists and professionals of multiple fields, artists of very diverse tendencies have been invited to lead the traditional lunches where the guests have been able to engage in a dialogue with them. All the opinions are respectable; in fact, an indication of the community spirit that reigns in our society can prove it, which Tribuna Barcelona is proud to defend.

It is my turn to preside over the second phase of this exceptional organization. It is a challenge, worthy of consideration, for me, if we take into account how brilliant Mr. Lopez Burniol has been for the last ten years. My commitment is to remain loyal to his principles, which have turned Tribuna Barcelona into an essential piece of the Catalonian institutional network, since it has demonstrated its tolerance, its independence and its greatest respect for plurality.

A. Serra Ramoneda