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A number of different associations met this Wednesday with current Catalan President, Artur Mas, and current Catalan Minister for Social Affairs, Neus Munté, to coordinate on the hosting of refugees. "Catalonia is ready" stated Munté, although she admitted that the Spanish Government haven't told them yet "the number of refugees nor the approximate date of their arrival". In any case, the Catalan institutions and collaborative organisations will be able to host initially between 2,000 and 5,000 people. "These people are living a daily 'Paris'" stated Munté, referring to the refugees escaping military conflicts. She also emphasised that the terrorist attacks in Paris "haven't changed" the government plans in terms of hosting refugees "on the contrary, they have made us more aware of how important it is to work together". 

On Thursday, the families of the Germanwings crash victims arrived at the crash site to bid farewell to their relatives. They did so on the day it became known that the aircraft was deliberately crashed by the co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, killing all 150 people on board. A private ceremony took place in a field in Le Vernet that hosts a small chapel and faces the mountain on which the plane crashed. The relatives of the victims, most of them Germans and Catalans, arrived by bus from Marseille, escorted by the French Gendarmerie and psychological support teams. A tribute plaque was unveiled and they were told that the crash happened just on the other side of the mountain in front of them. After the ceremony, they were transferred to a pavilion in Seyne-les-Alpes, where they were offered religious services of various faiths for those who needed them. In the evening, most of the Catalan families decided to return home, as initially planned.

Like many major European cities, Barcelona is ageing fast. In the years ahead the city must grapple with many of the problems associated with an increasingly top heavy demographic: as the over-65 population burgeons, health and social services are stretched, the financing of pensions is challenged, and a growing number of frail and vulnerable people face competing over declining resources. Today’s elderly cohort constitutes a greater proportion of Barcelona’s population than ever before, and, perhaps most worryingly, face an increased likelihood of living alone.  But all is not doom and gloom, as the city enjoys an active, dynamic and engaged elderly population, the health and social sector rises to meet the challenges, and the labour market benefits from what are known as the ‘super-grandmothers.’

The Catalan Parliament held on Wednesday a monographic session on poverty, which has increased over the past few years, spurred by the financial crisis. According to a report published by the Red Cross this week, there are 200,000 families in Catalonia which live below the poverty line and since the crisis started, 88 Catalans a day have crossed such a line. With a population of some 7.5 million and a GDP per capita of around €28,000 (similar to the UK's) Catalonia posts a 22.3% unemployment rate and a 26.4% child poverty rate. Opposition parties asked for greater efforts and further measures to fight the poverty increase. The Catalan Government emphasised budget figures and detailed several actions in different areas to show they are tackling the issue. In this vein, the Executive criticised that child poverty stood at 22% in 2006, in prosperity years. Furthermore, they complained about the limited fiscal powers on taxation and public deficit, which seriously reduce spending possibilities.

Over 140,000 people in Catalonia depend on the distribution of food by the Red Cross. The number of beneficiaries who have been strongly hit by the economic crisis increased by more than 2,000 people compared to the last trimester of 2011.

NGOs in Catalonia meet to prepare an aid strategy for the victims of the recent heavy flooding in Pakistan. They are ready to act as soon as international organisations decide exactly what is needed in the field