Ibero-America rekindles cultural flame with lively festival in Uruguay’s Montevideo

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The cultural ties that unite the 22 Ibero-American countries will be the protagonists of “Iberoamérica Viva”, a new festival that, with Uruguay as its first host, will seek to “lift the spirits” of audiences and artists after the harsh impact that the pandemic had on the activity.

This was emphasized during an interview with Efe on the eve of the event, to be held next Sunday at the Sodre National Auditorium in Montevideo, by the director of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (Segib) for the Southern Cone, Alejo Ramirez, and the national director of Culture of Uruguay, Mariana Wainstein.

REKINDLING THE FLAME

Art and culture have been particularly affected by Covid-19 due to provisions that in 2020 led to the early closure of theaters, cultural centers, libraries, and performance halls worldwide.

Ibero-American countries, however, today see an open window to what Segib seeks to rekindle the region’s cultural flame with the proposal of a festival that, as Ramirez explains, is based on the programs the Secretariat promotes to boost cinema, music, theater, and dance, among other disciplines.

The idea of “Iberoamérica Viva” came up nine months ago after an exchange with various actors in the cultural scene in Uruguay, where Segib has its Southern Cone headquarters.

“The promotional video we made for the festival starts by saying that these are tough times for culture and we believe that doing this at this time is a vindication in some sense, (because) culture has had a hard time, the world has had a hard time, society has had a hard time,” he stresses.

In the same line, Wainstein points out that Uruguay received “with pleasure” the idea of hosting the first edition of an international festival in a context that he described as “very special” for the sector because although the cultural activity remained active, it went through moments of “a lot of darkness”.

“I think that these kinds of events and celebrations are welcome and positive because they raise the energy of the people, the spirit of all of us to move forward with everything now that we can do much more,” she remarked.

A CULTURAL LAND

Despite being a pioneer by resuming live shows with a reduced capacity in July 2020, Uruguay reversed course after the Covid-19 wave that hit it at the beginning of 2021.

With almost 70% of its population immunized with two doses and de-escalation of cases that allowed the reopening of live events in July with capacity and preventive measures, the country regained a slight advantage over its neighbors.

Wainstein maintains that Uruguay, despite not being an economic or military power, “shines above all for its culture” and says that perhaps its experience is useful for other countries. Still, he does not see it as an example for the region.

Another is the vision of Ramirez, who assures that the country “is showing the way out” and expresses his joy that “Iberoamérica Viva” takes place in the land of such important figures for Ibero-American culture as the musician Jorge Drexler – who will give a message at the festival as Ibero-American ambassador – and the former secretary of Segib, Enrique Iglesias.

“It seems to us that (doing it here) is like killing many birds with one stone in a sense; it is integrating many personalities and many feelings in the same night,” he argues.

COOPERATE, PROSPER

With the phrase “Celebrate what unites us!” as its motto, the festival, which will have as its centerpiece the performance of the Uruguayan Sodre Youth Orchestra and will feature, among others, numbers by the circus ensembles Tranzat, El Picadero, and Entropía, as well as a stage piece by the Plataforma Clo ensemble, is committed to building new bridges.

“In a region that is sometimes complicated, with difficulties of dialogue, of understanding, finding in culture that aspect that unites us, that integrates us, seems fundamental to us,” says the Segib director.

According to Ramírez, although the festival was born in the Uruguayan capital, the objective is to replicate it in various Ibero-American cities, seeking to reach even the smallest localities.

“We want this festival, beyond being in itself an enjoyment of culture and art, to serve also to make more people aware of Ibero-American Cooperation and that this will make it grow and more people can get involved”, he concludes.