I’ve always admired the Catalonians, especially for their intelligent adoption of new technologies, and there was a time that I was a big fan of the extra-net! gazette of Alfons Cornellá, a real pioneer of the Spanish Internet. That’s why I attended next’06 in Barcelona; it is an event organized by Infonomía, an strange mixture of social network and event organizer, which is a little too much attached to its leader: Cornellá.In my opinion, and judging with the objectivity of someone that sees thing in the distance, Catalonia is a very well structured and integrated society, an example as far as creativity is concerned. Catalonians know what they want and how to get it. And, what’s more, normally the whole society gets involved and exited with these common aims.Their new aim is innovation, and that means boosting innovators, enterprising people ready to give everything for one idea. Next’06, that started 10 years ago as a gurus’ reality show, is just that: the party of the innovative and creative people. And it is even supported by the president of the Generalitat, the Catalonian government, who was also there.The event was perfectly organized, with really important business innovators (and even some cultural ones as well, even though they didn’t really fit there) and loads of spectacularity. As a critic I’d mention the lack of participation from the attendants, who were treated are mere viewers. It is obvious that today’s innovation must be collaborative, and next’06 wasn’t the best example. It lacked most of the elements of a 2.0 event (Martín Varsavsky did also mention this).In relation to the components, I’d like to highlight the speech by the representative of Virgin Galactic, a space cruise company that, as I’ve gathered from the news published in its Web page, has been stuck for more than a year. It received special admiration from the attendants. I also liked that of Marcel Planellas, teacher at the Esade Business School; he spoke clear and concisely. Varsavsky, who probably provoked the biggest excitement, used this opportunity to criticise those who criticise. “The problem in this country is that nobody has any respect for those who innovate”, he said. By the way, he was the only blogger among all the speakers.