The town councils of Capdepera and Bagà (Barcelona) have this morning initiated the procedures to twin the municipalities, uniting the winter festivals of Alei-Alei and Fia-Faia, the latter declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Capdepera Town Council welcomed a delegation from the Barcelona municipality of Bagà this morning, led by its mayor, Lluís Casas, to start the twinning process between the two towns. The event, held in Capdepera, lays the foundations for a collaboration that will revolve around winter traditions: the Alei-Alei, typical of Capdepera, and the Fia-Faia, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The mayor of Capdepera, Núria Garcia, explained that the twinning arises from the desire to preserve and disseminate a shared cultural legacy. “Today a bond begins between us that stems from tradition and shared identity,” she stated. Garcia emphasised that the agreement will allow for “continuing to work together in the protection of intangible heritage and in the dissemination of our traditions.”
The mayor of Bagà, Lluís Casas, expressed his satisfaction with the start of the process. “For Bagà, it will be an honour to twin with Capdepera, a municipality that shares with us the essence of a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation,” he declared. Casas highlighted that both the Fia-Faia and the Alei-Alei “are festivals that connect us with the territory, with the people, and with our history.”
The councillor for Culture and Heritage of Capdepera, Yannick Wilken, explained that the twinning opens the door to “new collaborations, knowledge exchange, and projects that reinforce the value of our heritage.” Wilken emphasised that both celebrations share “tradition, identity, and memory” and that the collaboration will place Capdepera “on the map of winter festivals with heritage recognition.”
The Alei-Alei is a winter festival celebrated in Capdepera, while the Fia-Faia, from Bagà, is a winter solstice tradition that takes place every 24th of December and has UNESCO recognition as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Both festivities share the essence of winter celebrations, with bonfires and rituals that mark the cycle of the year.
The twinning process, initiated this morning, will be formalised in the coming months with the signing of an agreement that will establish the terms of the collaboration. Although the joint activities have not yet been specified, the Capdepera Town Council anticipates that the cultural exchange will include the participation of representatives from both municipalities in their respective festivals, as well as projects for the dissemination and preservation of intangible heritage.
For the residents of Capdepera, this twinning represents an opportunity to showcase the Alei-Alei beyond the island and to learn from Bagà's experience in managing internationally recognised heritage. Furthermore, the agreement strengthens the cultural identity of the municipality and its commitment to tradition as a driver of local development.
The Capdepera Town Council has announced that, once the agreement is signed, joint events and educational activities will be organised so that citizens can participate in the twinning. Mayor Garcia has encouraged the residents of Capdepera to feel part of this bond that “will allow us to continue preserving and projecting our winter festivals.”
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