Josep Carreras: Avui a Catalunya festejem Sant Jordi

Josep Carreras, in his own words

There is something in life, in my life, that was able to overcome this extraordinary passion I have for singing, and especially lyrical singing. Whenever the Foundation succeed in finding a compatible donor for patients awaiting a transplant, or every time we make progress in scientific research thanks to one of our scholarships, or when leukaemia patients are treated in transplant units or clinics that we have helped to finance, I feel enormously happy. Thanks to my profession, I am privileged to help or, at least, try to help people in need. In 1987, I became ill with leukaemia. During my illness I was lucky enough to have a family who supported me throughout, to have an extraordinary medical team, in addition to the spontaneous support and sympathy of the general public. This allowed me to maintain my morale and it gave me the necessary energy and determination to fight leukaemia. On July 14th 1988, with the support of my family, eminent scientists and business people, I had the opportunity to create the International Foundation for the Fight Against Leukaemia. Our Foundation focuses on four main areas: supporting scientific research, providing infrastructures for healthcare centres and hospitals, and searching for bone marrow and stem cell donors. All this in addition to offering social services for leukaemia patients and their families. The main mission of the Foundation is to support scientific research. The Josep Carreras Foundation for the Fight Against Leukaemia was born to help make Leukaemia a completely curable disease for everyone and in all cases. Our work will not stop until our goal becomes a reality.

Thank you Maria and Pippa for the English translation.

sabato 23 aprile 2011

Avui a Catalunya festejem Sant Jordi

Prima di dedicarmi al post per Punta del Este è d'obbligo un lieto intermezzo dedicato alla Diada di Sant Jordi, una delle feste catalane più caratteristiche in assoluto. Va ben oltre a una festa degli innamorati : le strade sono intasate di bancarelle dove vendono rose e libri. Mi sento sempre molto catalana, ma oggi in particolare non resisto alla tentazione di scrivervi in catalano, errori annessi.

Estimats amics, avui festejem Sant Jordi, i evidentment no només a Catalunya: hi ha moltes persones que com jo no vam néixer-hi, però des de llunyà festejem igualment, encara que amb imatges de roses, o sigui d'una manera molt virtual.

Encara no he tingut la possibilitat de viure la diada de Sant Jordi en el lloc ideal... quin lloc més perfecte dels carrers de Barcelona? Però ja sé que un dia hi seré, i els meus ulls, orgullosos, veuran les senyeres, roses i llibres, i una vegada més em deixaré seduir per un sentiment molt fort, el catalanisme més autèntics.

Us deixo una imatge que pot representar mol bé l'ànima d'aquesta festa catalana. Una festa de tots, perque com diu l'himne del Barça "tant se val d'on venim..." ja que "una bandera ens agermana". I encara que no vaig descubrir l'importancia d'aquesta festa per en Josep mateix, al menys no de manera directa, si no més bé pels meus amics de Catalunya... no conec una manera millor de desitjar-vos una fantàstica diada de Sant Jordi que amb la veu d'en Josep.

Avui es celebren els sentiments i l'amor, i una peça que canta l'amor que m'encanta, que em fa vibrar, encara que no sigui catalana, és la següent. Fins i tot sembla que en Josep la va cantar als seus darrers concerts a Mèxic i Uruguay.