The Barcelona City Council has launched a participatory process to determine the neighborhood’s official name, currently a choice between “Verdum” and “Verdun.”
The initiative, which will run from May 8 to June 19, aims to address a long-standing neighborhood demand. The process includes an online survey and various historical outreach activities so that residents over the age of 14 registered in the Nou Barris district can express their preference.
An identity conflict: The bird versus the battle
The choice of the final letter is not merely a matter of spelling, but completely alters the meaning of the name. The Verdum option (with an “m”) refers to the common greenfinch (Chloris chloris), a bird that already appeared in land sale advertisements in the 1920s and gave its name to an ornithological association in the following decade.
On the contrary, Verdun (with an “n”) refers to the famous battle of World War I. This was the form the city council officially adopted in the 1950s during the area’s growth, in keeping with the streets in the Guineueta neighborhood named after the war.
Voting locations and educational activities
To facilitate participation, the digital platform Decidim.barcelona will collect votes online. In addition, in-person information points staffed by facilitators have been set up at strategic locations, such as the neighborhood’s Casal Cívic y Comunitari or during the “La Cultura Va de Festa” festival in Parc de la Guineueta.
The process is not limited to the vote, but also includes debates on the neighborhood’s identity and historical outreach sessions to explore the origins of both names.
Next steps following the consultation
Although the survey results will not be binding, they will serve as a basis for public consensus. Xavier Marcé, councilor for Nou Barris, has noted that the magnitude of the change, which affects a very broad group of citizens, made it necessary to conduct a consultation that went beyond simply collecting signatures.
Once the campaign ends on June 19, a detailed report will be prepared with participation figures and the arguments presented by the proponents of each option. Upon submission of this document, the City Council will have 60 days to announce its final decision on the neighborhood’s name.
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