In 1992, the Col·lectiu 1714, a cultural collective from the Catalan region El Pla de Santa Maria, decided to propel a political campaign designed to protect the most significant symbols of the Països Catalans (The Catalan Countries), in the face of the gradual depersonalisation of this territory in South-east Europe, which is currently under Spanish administration.

Year after year, the campaign has consisted of convincing the mayors of the town councils in Catalonia, to hang only the Catalan flag, not the spanish one (which is obligatory for all public buildings). In the year 2000, it was expected that only the country's own flag was going to fly from the balconies of about 90% of Catalan town hall buildings.

This percentage illustrates the thousand of town councils that may in a peaceful way confront the uniformity spirit of the Spanish constitution. It reflects, in a way, the desire of the representatives of the people, to recognise the important symbols, to a willingness to play an active part in the cultural community and a future political nation. This act of rebellion demonstrates an interest, on the part of the political class, to take notice of the socio-cultural claims of all social levels of Catalan society.

In 2000, the Second Congress of the mayors promoting the campaign took place. It is an important appointment, since it was at this meeting that a strategy was decided whereup on we can gradually increase the political claims of Catalan town councils. The congress also illustrated the massive support which local institutions have given to the campaign in the last 2 issues.