final ping pong exhibition dialogue embajadora clemencia forero ucrós

8/14/2019 FINAL Ping Pong Exhibition Dialogue Embajadora Clemencia Forero Ucrs

1/7

ColombiaAustralia: Cultural Connections in the 21stCentury Ping Pong exhibition PanelIntervention by H. E. CLEMENCIA FOREROUCRS

Ambassador of Colombia1

Ping Pong Exhibition PanelColombiaAustralia: Cultural Connections in the 21st

Century

November 8th, 2013

Interventionby

H. E. CLEMENCIA FOREROUCRSAmbassador of Colombia

Dr Kevin Murray, Adjunct Professor, School of Art, RMIT

University

Mr Jorge Leiva, Colombian musician, visual artist and educator

Mr Justin MacDonnell, Australia Latin America Foundation

Ms Jill Morgan AM, CEO, Multicultural Arts Victoria (Moderator)Dear Friends

It is a privilege to be here with you today and be part of this

dialogue which takes place on the occasion of the Ping Pong

exhibition, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of

Colombia and Multicultural Arts Victoria.

Let me start by saying that I feel very much at ease in this

scenario, exchanging views with artists and people dedicated to

culture and the arts. As an anecdote, I wish to refer to the

beginning of my career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of


2/7



Colombia. After studying Philosophy and Literature at the

Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, I taught for several years

at the Faculty in courses that were focused on different aspects

of culture and humanities, such as Colombian Literature. Thosewere the times of the so called Latin American Boom. Gabriel

Garca Mrquez, our Nobel Prize winner, had just published his

famous novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. Students and

Professors alike were dedicated to the analysis of the

innovative works of the fascinating generation of novelists that

was surging in Latin America. After this academic segment of

my career, I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and due tomy background I was offered the position of Director of Cultural

Affairs. So you can realize why I feel so immensely happy to be

among you in this special exercise of Cultural Diplomacy.

I think this is the perfect occasion to talk about culture in

Colombia.

As you know, Colombia is rich in cultural diversity, expressed in

its vast cultural heritage and in the vibrant contemporary artistic

activity that characterizes its great cities today: Bogota,

Medellin, Cali and Barranquilla are scenarios for vanguard

proposals in every area of the visual, dramatic, and musicalarts.1

Modern cultural expressions are produced at large centres for

artistic creation, production and dialogue, built with innovative

architectural designs.


3/7



Contemporary architecture has also created what is called the

silent revolution of the libraries. These public libraries are part

of the Governments efforts to make Colombia a nation of

readers.2

As I mentioned, our cultural heritage is vast. And there are

several sites included in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

of UNESCO. These are unique expressions of Colombian

culture and are representative of a country whose identity is

based precisely on its diversity.

Let me mention some of the most outstanding, which can

illustrate the different phases of our history and the pillars of our

traditions:

San Agustin Archaeological Park in the southern Province

of Huila contains monumental tombs, and sculptures of

human figures, reptiles and amphibians for ceremonial

use of the indigenous peoples that settled in the region

thousands of years ago, which are an exceptional

expression of our pre-colombian culture, the original basis

and cornerstone of our national identity .

Much older than the statues of San Agustin are the goldpieces shown in the Gold Museum of Bogota, one of the

most important collections of pre Colombian gold artefacts

in the world. Different cultures settled in several regions of

Colombia produced masterpieces that originated the

legend of El Dorado.


4/7



The Port, Fortresses and Group of monuments in

Cartagena, which were included in the World Heritage List

in 1984, are the most significant constructions by Spain on

the Caribbean. Located strategically on the Caribbean,Cartagena, a city that has been able to preserve its

historical centre, is also a meeting place for cultural events

organised around famous Festivals like the Classical

Music Festival and the Hay Festival. This annual event,

mainly a meeting space for novelists and writers,

originated in Wales in the small town of Hay on Wye and

holds similar events in Spain, Mexico and Brazil andColombia.

The Carnival of Barranquilla: This tradition is a fusion of

the cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples and the

African and European influences that started to develop in

the sixteenth century. It was proclaimed as a masterpiece

of oral and immaterial Heritage by UNESCO in 2003.

So, Culture in Colombia can be characterized by its

multicultural roots and its diversity, features that we share

with Australia, a nation that is also multicultural and

diverse.

One of the components of our foreign policy agenda isCultural Diplomacy, through which we wish to increase

and deepen our presence in different parts of the world.

For this purpose, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has

created a tool for the promotion of Colombia called Plan

de Promocin de Colombia en el exterior - Plan of

Promotion of Colombia abroad-, in charge of developing


5/7



cultural activities in selected countries, such as concerts,

festivals, work-shops, seminars and exhibitions.

Regarding Australia, and since the Embassy was re-opened in 2008, we have been developing multiple

cultural activities.

For Latin America, a very significant event was the

inauguration of the Latin American Plaza in Canberra,

through a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the

ACT authorities by all the Ambassadors of the LatinAmerican Group accredited in Canberra, a place that has

become a meeting point for commemoration, symbolizing

Latin American unity.

The creation of ANCLAS, as the Centre for Latin American

Studies, at ANU, has provided a relevant space in the

Australian capital for academic reflection, research andcultural events.

The Embassy has been participating in the Canberra

Multicultural Festival, and presenting several musical

groups in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne (presentation

of Salsa: we are the Colombian Pacific November 2011)

For the Bi-centennial Anniversary of our Independence

from Spain, that involved Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador

and Venezuela, the Symphonic Orchestra of Wollongong

took part in the celebration with a Concert that included

works from the five countries, under the direction of the

Colombian conductor Carlos Alvarado. In that context,


6/7



young talented Australian musicians interpreted classical

pieces and arrangements of Latin American and

Colombian music.

We also attribute great importance to sports, as a way to

promote links between countries. In this context we have a

project that we have been developing in Australia and

New Zealand that has a relevant social component.

Through the project that started in 2011, sponsored by the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, we are bringing

young Colombian boys and girls, who are starting to betrained in Rugby and also groups that have experience in

BMX, to become familiar with their sport in Australia and

enjoy the experience of these activities through training.

These young Colombians belong to vulnerable

communities and the promotion of sports has opened new

opportunities in their lives. We hope that this initiative

becomes sustainable and for that purpose we are alreadyengaging with associations and institutions in Australia

that have shown interest in this social project.

Culture is fundamental for creating people to people links,

which are the indispensable basis of relations between

countries. This is why we consider that the experience of

Artistically Residences is significant. In this respect, in2012, the Embassy participated in a project called

Irregular Hexagon, organized by the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs of Colombia with the collaboration of the Gertrude

Gallery of Contemporary Art of Melbourne. Delcy Morelos,

a Colombian artist stayed for three weeks in Melbourne


7/7



working in the Gallery and creating new audacious works

of art.

With the exhibit that started yesterday, we advance in theestablishment of an interactive dialogue between

Australian and Colombian contemporary artists. We have

also the exceptional opportunity of having Julian

Aristizabal and Gregg Creek sharing their experience in

this unique initiative of the Ping Pong process. Also it is

very meaningful for the Embassy to be able to meet and

exchange views with several Colombian artists currentlyresiding in Melbourne who are, no doubt, the best

Ambassadors and representatives of our culture and arts.

This process is possible through institutions such as RMIT

and Multicultural Arts Victoria, which are the focal points

and the providers of the space required to materialize this

project. We wish to establish and consolidate in the futurea network of institutions such as Multicultural Arts Victoria

that will enable us to continue deepening the meaningful

cultural process that has been initiated through this

splendid exhibition.

Thank you for your kind attention and participation.

_________1. Colombia,a Country of Opportunities. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Benjamin

Villegas. Ed. 2013

2. Colombia, a Country of Opportunities. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Benjamin

Villegas. Ed. 2013

final ping pong exhibition dialogue embajadora clemencia forero ucrós

Documents