Annual Festa Major to be held on Thursday 8 November, this year dedicated to refugees

Castellers2018 — A la plaça Cívica, al migdia, es va fer la Diada Castellera.

The FM 2018 (Festa Major de la UAB) will take place on Thursday 8 November and is dedicated to refugee people under the motto #UABrefugi: l’Autònoma acull, chosen by the university as this year's motto. The festa major will begin with a speech by two refugee students and various activities have been organised around this topic.

30/10/2018

Next Thursday 8 November the UAB will be celebrating its annual Festa Major. If last year was dedicated to mental health and diseases, this year's festival is organised around the topic of refugees, under the motto of "#UABrefugi: l’Autònoma acull".

The inaugural speech will be pronounced at 1 p.m. at the Plaça Cívica by two refugee students now living at the UAB's Vila Universitària. Following the speech there will be a performance by Bandacetamol, and then zumba and swing classes, as well as a "cover band" performance by the Korean Club students association. At 4:15 p.m. the hereu and pubilla of the festival will be announced, followed by a batucada performance and the freestyle rap competition "Batalla de Galls i Gallines".

During the festa major, the campus will once again fill with stands, musical performances and cultural, supportive and sports activities.

one of the hallmarks of the FMUAB festivity are the student association stands, with a total of 55 stands to be found from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., located at the Plaça del Coneixement.

One of this year's novelties is the Refugee Escape Room, an activity which aims to explore some of the realities experienced by immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees during their migration process. This will take place at the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation at 1:30 p.m. The escape room offers a ficticious scenario in which the Earth has reach the year
2084 and has become inhabitable due to climate change. Several families (organised into groups of 6 participants) will need to apply for asylum on Mars, but places are limited and only half of all people will be able to leave. The game aims to emulate the feelings of stress, confusion and tension experienced daily by those undergoing a migration process.

Another new activity is the "Batalla de Galls i Gallines", which will take place at the Plaça Cívica. Through the use of traditional improvised singing and eliminatory phases, a rap competition will take place among all those signed up to participate.

Once again the Entities and Services Fair will also be held at the Plaça Cívica, where all members of the university community can offer activities and information. At the fair members will be able to visit the stands of the FAS, UAB Mèdia, the Observatory for Equality, Community Involvement, Language Services, the UAB Race, SAF, and many more.

Performances by the human tower builders, els Castellers, will be held at the Eix Central, between the Plaça Cívica and Building B, at 1:30 p.m. and at 5 p.m., while the UAB Choir will perform at the Theatre Hall at 2:45 p.m.

There will also be a variety of performances throughout the day at the different FMUAB stages - in front of the restaurant of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and between the faculties of Education and Translation - by musical groups selected from the programme L'Autònoma Actua: La Gossa d'Era, Cronopios, Reskat, Dj Noid, Andana, Saint Andrew's, Ares, Rootoons, Brush and The Fox 1976.

UABMèdia will be broadcasting a live radio show from the Plaça Cívica.

FESTA MAJOR UAB 2018 PROGRAMME