The Cervantes Institute and Casa África will cooperate in the promotion of Spanish and its culture on the African continent
The Cervantes Institute and Casa África will collaborate in activities and projects of common interest related to the promotion of Spanish and the dissemination of Spanish culture in Africa. This is provided for in the agreement signed by the director of the Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero, and the director general of Casa África, José Segura Clavell.
The general protocol of action between the two entities, both attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lays the foundations for cooperation in the organisation of conferences, forums, meetings, etc. on the teaching of the Spanish language and the dissemination of its culture on that continent.
Among the activities that can be carried out, as specified in the text signed at the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute, are biannual meetings of Africa-Spain Hispanists, cultural and academic initiatives in the field of Sub-Saharan Africa, co-publication of publications in Spanish (such as the second edition of 'Spanish in Sub-Saharan Africa') or the promotion in Africa of Casa África's collections.
The Director of Cervantes recalled the recent inauguration of a centre in Dakar (Senegal), the first that the Institute has opened in sub-Saharan Africa, and stressed its importance in terms of a growing presence in the subcontinent. García Montero also reiterated the importance of the collaboration between the two entities, as "public and state institutions committed to the defence of human rights".
For his part, José Segura recalled numerous experiences from his long political career in the Canary Islands, which were marked by the drama of migration at sea. He advocated "cultural diplomacy as one of the routes that we travel from Casa África", and insisted on the convenience of organising activities for culture and language, which also "open up investment horizons" for our own companies.
Sent by José Antonio Sierra, Hispanism advisor.
