The Provincial Council of Lleida has unanimously passed a motion calling on the Catalan government to reinstate the ‘semana blanca’, or ‘white week’, a school holiday held in February. The proposal argues that reintroducing the break would provide significant educational, social, and economic benefits, particularly for the region’s mountain and inland areas.
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Unitat d’Aran, the Aranese socialist party, will now formally submit the motion to the Generalitat de Catalunya, Catalonia’s regional government, and to the other provincial councils and all parties in the Catalan Parliament. The move seeks to revive a policy that was short-lived but, according to its advocates, highly beneficial.
A Brief History of the ‘White Week’
The then-Department of Education first introduced the ‘semana blanca’ into the Catalan school calendar in 2009. The aim was to give pupils and their families a mid-term break, creating opportunities for activities related to winter sports, nature, and mountain life. The holiday, however, was eliminated just two years later ahead of the 2011-2012 academic year, a casualty of widespread budgetary cuts during the financial crisis.
While the week-long February holiday is still a fixture in other parts of Spain, such as Andalusia and Madrid, Catalan regions that rely heavily on winter tourism have felt its absence. The new push from the Diputació de Lleida aims to put the issue back on the political agenda.
A Boost for Education and the Economy
Juan Antonio Serrano, a prominent local figure who serves as a provincial deputy, the mayor of Vielha e Mijaran, and the vice-president of the Diputació’s Tourism Board, defended the motion in the council. Serrano framed the proposal as an investment in both children’s development and the regional economy.
He described the white week as “an initiative of great value, both educationally, socially, and culturally,” which “allows students and families to enjoy educational and recreational activities linked to sport, nature, and community life.”
Beyond the classroom, Serrano stressed the economic imperative. He argued that the school holiday has “a positive and direct impact on the local economy and the territory as a whole, especially in the tourism sector in mountain and inland areas.” La Vanguardia reported that he maintained economic activity and job retention would repay any investment in the break.
“It contributes to the deseasonalisation of tourism and to the sustainable economic development of the mountain and inland counties of Catalonia as a whole,” Serrano added.
Unanimous Support and Next Steps
All political groups in the Lleida Provincial Council unanimously approved the motion, sending a strong, unified message to Barcelona. This signals that the desire to reinstate the holiday transcends party lines, at least at the local level, where the economic benefits are most tangible.
The ball is now in the court of the Generalitat. The government will need to weigh the proposal’s merits against the logistical challenges of modifying the school calendar and any associated costs. With education policy often a subject of intense debate, the proposal’s reception in the Catalan Parliament remains to be seen. However, the strong economic case, particularly for boosting tourism outside the peak summer season, may prove persuasive.
Communities in the Pyrenees and other inland areas of Lleida view the return of the ‘semana blanca’ as a vital tool for economic stability and a valuable opportunity for the region’s children.
