By Manal Abdel Fattah
The Director of the Spanish Cultural Center (Cervantes Institute in Cairo), José Manuel Alba, stressed the Institute’s keenness on joint cooperation with local and international cultural entities and institutions, through its various events and activities, as a fundamental pillar for building bridges of communication between Egyptian society and 21 Spanish-speaking countries whose activities the center supports in cooperation with the diplomatic missions of Spanish-speaking countries in Egypt.
During a press conference at the Cervantes Institute in Cairo, he stated that “the center pays great attention to organizing and supporting events that include Egyptian artists and activists and others from Spanish-speaking countries; hence the interest in sustainable participation over the years in local festivals such as the “Hi Arts” Festival, which will be held at the end of this month, the Cairo Jazz Festival scheduled to be held in November, the Panorama of European Cinema Festival, and the “Sedim” Festival, which works to bring together artists from different countries in a creative residency in Egypt with the participation of local artists, culminating in the presentation of joint works.”
It also cooperates diligently with Egyptian cultural institutions, including, for example, the Academy of Arts, especially in organizing the Microteatro Festival, and it cooperates with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina to organize many joint events in Cairo and Alexandria.”
In terms of the center’s activities to promote the dissemination of the Spanish language and support its students, José Alba stated that “the center organizes educational activities directed at students and those working in Spanish studies, in order to spread the Spanish language and create spaces for dialogue between cultures, in cooperation with the Spanish language departments at Egyptian universities. This is achieved through its specialized courses and the Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language (DILE) exams, which provide opportunities to study at Spanish universities and open new horizons for work in Spanish-speaking countries.
Jose Alba continued that, on an international level, “the sustainable cooperation between the Cervantes Institute and the European Union’s National Institutes of Culture (EUNC), of which the Cervantes Institute is a member, represents an essential tool for the geographical spread of cultural events, expanding the scope of dialogue and reaching those interested in culture and arts throughout the Republic. While the Cervantes Institute operates in Cairo and Alexandria through its official headquarters, the partnership with EUNC allows for greater spread within the governorates of the Republic.
For his part, Miguel Grajales, Head of Cultural Activities, stated: “Our goal as a cultural center is not to show how beautiful and interesting Spanish culture is; rather, it is to stimulate a creative and mutual dialogue with local artists, professionals and technicians, in order to enhance Spanish cultural exchange and find points of intersection and cultural convergence with Egyptian society.”
“Such multifaceted cooperation is at the heart of the Cervantes Institute’s objectives since its establishment by the Spanish government in 1991, which are to meet the strategic need to coordinate and support the country’s external work around the world, particularly with regard to teaching the Spanish language, introducing Spanish culture, and creating rapprochement with other cultures, which cannot be achieved without close cooperation with various local and international governmental and private entities,” added Miguel, emphasizing the importance of joint work to enhance the effectiveness of cultural efforts.
