Josep Lluís Alay facts for kids

Josep Lluís Alay i Rodríguez (born in 1966) is a professor of Asian history at the University of Barcelona. He also works as an advisor for Carles Puigdemont, who was a former president of Catalonia.

Alay is an expert on Tibet and Central Asia. He directs the Tibet and Central Asia Observatory. He also teaches about the modern history of Tibet and Mongolia.

Early Life and Education

Josep Lluís Alay was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1966. He grew up with a strong interest in history and different cultures. This led him to study Asian history.

Academic Achievements

In 2010, Alay earned his Ph.D. in Contemporary History from the University of Barcelona. His research focused on a Tibetan spiritual leader named Khyung Sprul Rhine Po Che. His thesis explored the life and travels of this important figure.

Research on Tibet

Alay was the first Catalan writer to translate a text from the ancient Tibetan language. He helped publish The Love Poems of the Sixth Dalai Lama of Tibet. He translated the poems and wrote the introduction and notes for the book.

He also brought back the writings of a Jesuit missionary named Antoni de Montserrat. This missionary traveled through parts of what are now India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan many years ago. Alay put together the story of his three-year journey.

Alay has written several books about Tibet. These include Arrels del Tibet (2009) and Tibet, el país de la neu en flames (2010). His latest research looks at old travel routes between Tibet and Western India in the early 1900s.

Work in Public Service

From 2011 to 2015, Josep Lluís Alay was the Director of Heritage, Museums and Archives for the Barcelona City Council. This role involved taking care of Barcelona's historical treasures and cultural sites.

Since 2015, he has been the Commissioner for International Relations for the Diputació de Barcelona. In this job, he helps manage relationships with other countries and regions. He also writes for the Ara newspaper.

Helping Communities in Tibet

Since 2004, Alay has led many projects to help people in Tibet. These projects focus on improving education and health services in the region. He works to make a positive difference in the lives of Tibetan communities.

Involvement in Politics

Josep Lluís Alay is known for supporting Catalan independence. This means he believes Catalonia should be a separate country from Spain.

Role with Carles Puigdemont

In 2018, Alay was traveling with Carles Puigdemont, who was the former president of Catalonia. Puigdemont was arrested in Germany. A few days later, Alay was also briefly held by Spanish police.

Later in 2018, Alay became a coordinator for international policies in the government led by Quim Torra. A judge closed the case against him in October 2018. However, another judge asked to look at the case again in January 2019.

Recent Developments

In 2021, Alay faced accusations related to a trip he took in 2018. He had attended a vote in New Caledonia about its independence from France. Prosecutors claimed the trip was personal and the Catalan government should not have paid for it. In July 2022, a judge decided to close the investigation into this matter.

See also

In Spanish: Josep Lluís Alay para niños