The ambassador next to Bonet in the ceremony./ Photo: Cervantes Institute
The Diplomat. 07/07/2018
The director of the Cervantes Institute, Juan Manuel Bonet, has been decorated by the president of Brazil, Michel Temer, with the insignia of the Order of Rio Branco for his work as «informal ambassador» of Brazilian culture in Spain.
The award was presented yesterday by the ambassador Antonio Simões in recognition of his «admiration for Brazil and for his work in favor of the dissemination of Brazilian culture in Spain”, according the Cervantes Institute. The decree granting the badge in degree of Grand Officer to the director of the Cervantes Institute was signed by Temer on April 18.
According to the Brazilian government, Juan Manuel Bonet is one of the great «informal ambassadors» of Brazilian culture in Spain. The current director of Cervantes was the promoter of the exhibition Brazil 1920-1950. From anthropophagy to Brasilia in the IVAM (Valencia, 2000) and curator of several exhibitions related to Brazil, such as the retrospective of the painter Tarsila do Amaral, held at the Fundación Juan March (Madrid, 2009). In addition, the Instituto Cervantes is preparing for 2019 an exhibition on artistic and literary relations between Brazil and Spain throughout history.