The 48th summer university, organized by Marpoc, will take place in Nîmes from July 5 to 9.
Created in 1972 by Robert Lafont, the father of modern Occitanism, the Occitan summer university has been held in Nîmes since 1983. For this 48th edition, from July 5 to 9, the event has chosen as its cross-cutting theme “loud country”that is, the country. “There are very deep, carnal links between a territory and a language”explains Patric Lapierre, president of Marpoc, which organizes the meetings. It is also from a sentence pronounced last year by Jean-Yves Casanova that the association chose this theme: “There is no country without language, there is no language without country.”
Academics, round tables and concerts
The university first brings together academics, such as the geographer Jean-Jacques Fenié, who questions “In a changing world, what remains of countries?”during the inaugural conference at Carré d’art. On the same day, the linguist also explores the relationship between language and territory. Some conferences are held in French, others in Occitan. They provide an opportunity to take stock of current research, but are also accompanied by a round table with actors from Occitan cultures, for an exchange between theory and practice. After the opening, the meetings will take place at the Maison diocésaine, then end at the departmental archives.
“We note that the Occitan language and culture are not sufficiently visible in the public space, yet they are structuring elements of our territory and our identity”explains Patric Lapierre, citing the names of places or families that have their roots there. “But it is important to make things clear, Occitanism has nothing in common with identity claims, on the contrary.”
And besides, these exchanges are reflected in the programming. This will be the case, for example, during a meeting with the Arab’Òc project, which explores the relationships between the East and Occitania through culinary, clothing and artistic traditions… Coming from Poland or Brazil, some people will talk about their relationship with Occitan. Finally, the university will be an opportunity to dance on Sunday evening at La Placette with Kabyl’Òc, one of the projects of Denis Galvier, from the Coriandre group, which is building a bridge between the two shores of the Mediterranean.
