University lecturers and other intellectuals have signed the Manifesto for the right to the future of Corsica (Manifeste pour le droit à l'avenir de la Corse), in which they invite the citizenship to commit themselves with Corsica's popular sovereignty and propose to start an open debate on the island, having democracy and national self-assertiveness as main discussion guidelines. Authors aim at "understanding present Corsica to properly plan its future".

The manifesto deals with several issues of concern, such as pressure of real state speculators on the Corsican coastline, the administration of Corsica's national resources with mercantilist purposes, the crisis of values and the politicians' inability to respond to the citizens' demands. To tackle these issues the authors suggest that the Corsican people should assert its identity based on three chief elements: a singular Corsican citizenship, the involvement in public life and the pursuit of a new institutional status for the island.

Signatories of the manifesto propose Corsica should be repositioned within the Euro-Mediterranean framework so that Corsica goes beyond the traditional "State-Island" pattern. They also back a self-administered sustainable development model based on "Corsica's historical and cultural foundations".

The manifesto was presented during the Citizens' University in Corti, the annual symposium organized by the University of Corsica. The symposium was entitled "Cultural and political identities: the citizen before diversity", and was attended by university students and intellectuals from Corsica, Quebec, the Catalan Countries and other territories. Antoine Aiello, president of the University, released the document with the aim of getting support "to find an objective settlement and think of an appropriate model for Corsica".

According to Corse Matin, the manifesto will be presented in different levels of decision-making institutions in Corsica, France and Europe, as well as international organizations like UNESCO.

Further information:

• Manifeste pour le droit à l'avenir de la Corse
• Radio Alta Frequenza: Naissance à Corte d'un Manifeste pour le droit à l'avenir de la Corse
• Corsica Diaspora: Université Citoyenne de Corsica Diaspora

See the Corsica profile and  the dossier Peoples and nations today: Corsica for further information.