A total of 200 banners displaying the photographs and professions of 24 women have been installed on major avenues in Lleida, including Alcalde Rovira Roure, Ricard Vinyes, Rambla d’Aragó, Blondel, Francesc Macià, Avinguda del Segre, and Avinguda Tortosa. This initiative is part of the first 'Women Moving Cities' Congress, aiming to highlight female genealogies and preserve their legacy.
The initiative recovers the names and careers of women linked to Lleida from various professional fields and historical periods, who contributed to building the city, defending democratic values, and advancing women's rights. During the Congress, taking place on October 23rd and 24th at La Llotja, other influential women from Catalonia, Spain, and the world will also be recognized.
On Sunday, relatives and associates of the featured women gathered for a shared memory event. The mayor of Lleida, Fèlix Larrosa Piqué, emphasized the city's commitment to becoming more just and egalitarian, stating that "Lleida is a feminist city." The 4th deputy mayor, Carme Valls Llaràs, described the genealogies as a "symbol of the women who have moved the world forward."
The Commissioner for Feminist Policies, Verònica Martínez París, made special mention of Chus Borrell Feliu, a transformational coach who passed away last year and was involved in the Congress's creation. In addition to the 24 identified women, recognition is given to anonymous women who have also contributed to the social, cultural, and community building of Lleida.
The 24 protagonists, ordered chronologically by birth year, include figures such as Pepita Úriz Pi (1883-1958), Victorina Vila Badia (1883-1962), Teresa Pàmies i Bertran (1919-2012), and Maria Mercè Marçal (1952-1998), among others. The use of both surnames aims to acknowledge maternal lineage.
Starting Monday, 10,000 copies of a numbered collection of 24 bookmarks, each dedicated to a protagonist, will be distributed in libraries, bookstores, high schools, and the University of Lleida. This material is intended to become an educational resource for classrooms. The design was created by Iris Sarrat Mòdol and Mar Bourque Martínez.
The 'Women Moving Cities' Congress will bring together over thirty experts to discuss urban challenges from a feminist perspective, addressing topics such as economic justice, gender-sensitive urban planning, and the prevention of gender-based violence.
