Josep Piera started writing poetry in Spanish until he discovered that in the language he spoke at home, Catalan, he could also write his verses.
The Valencian poet and storyteller Josep Piera has received the 55th Honorary Prize for Catalan Literature, awarded by Òmnium Cultural for his literary career at an event held at the Palau de la Música. In his improvised speech, Piera spoke of his love for the Drova valley, where he has a house.
The president of Òmnium Cultural, Xavier Antich, also took part in the event, and recognized Piera for his "constant struggle to dignify the language and revitalize the Valencian cultural ecosystem." He also stressed that at a time of "very serious normalization of the extreme right's discourse," Òmnium "would never refrain from its responsibility to defend the language, culture and the country".
