ICIP expresses concern about the presence of the Army at the Education Fair

ICIP president Xavier Masllorens has sent a letter to Fira de Barcelona to express his concern and disagreement with the decision taken by the Executive Council of the trade fair organization to maintain and expand the exhibition space for the Army at the Education Fair, which will take place from 22-26 March in Barcelona.
The letter highlights that the decision contradicts the criteria regarding demilitarization of the Barcelona City Council and the Parliament of Catalonia, which are also members of the highest governing body of Fira de Barcelona. Xavier Masllorens regretted that the offer of dialogue by the platform Demilitaritzem l’Educació (Let’s Demilitarize Education) wasn’t taken into account either. This platform consists of roughly seventy different organizations, such as the UNESCO Center of Catalonia, the Barcelona Youth Council and student unions.
The ICIP president invited Fira de Barcelona “to reflect on the meaning and principles that should govern the Education Fair,” one of the most important events in the field of education in Catalonia, and “to reconsider the decision” to allow a military presence at the fair.