Llibertat

Llibertat is the Catalan word for freedom or liberty. It is a central concept in Catalan language and culture, used in political discourse, literature, and everyday speech. Etymologically, it comes from Latin libertas through Old Catalan libertat, sharing cognates with Spanish libertad and French liberté. The word is used in both individual and collective senses, as in expressions for civil rights, freedom of expression, or national self-determination.

In political life, Llibertat has figured prominently in campaigns for democracy, linguistic rights, and, in recent decades, debates over autonomy or independence for Catalan-speaking regions. It appears on banners, slogans, and placards, and serves as a shorthand for aspirations toward self-government and human rights. The term also appears in legal and institutional contexts referring to fundamental rights protected by law.

In culture, Llibertat has been a recurrent motif in Catalan poetry, prose, and music, used to symbolize emancipation from oppression and the defense of cultural identity. It can be found in titles of works, in public art, and in grassroots initiatives that promote public freedoms, language protection, and civic participation.

Related terms in Romance languages include libertad in Spanish and liberté in French. Llibertat forms part of broader debates about democracy, human rights, and the role of language in public life in Catalan-speaking regions.