The Diplomat
Two institutions of cultural diplomacy and public diplomacy, the Instituto Cervantes and Casa África, yesterday signed a cooperation agreement for the promotion of Spanish and the dissemination of Spanish culture on the African continent.
The general protocol of action between the two entities, signed by the director of the Instituto Cervantes, Luis García Montero, and the general director of Casa África, José Segura Clavell, lays the groundwork for cooperation in the organization of conferences, forums, meetings and other activities related to the teaching and dissemination of Spanish language and culture in Africa, according to the Cervantes.
Among the activities that can be carried out, as specified in the text signed at the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute in Madrid, are biannual meetings of hispanists Africa-Spain, cultural and academic initiatives in the field of Sub-Saharan Africa, the 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.
After the signing, the director of Cervantes recalled the recent opening of a center 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 collaboration between the two entities, as “public and state institutions committed to the defense of human rights”.
For his part, José Segura recalled numerous experiences of his long political career in the Canary Islands that were marked by the drama of migration at sea. He also advocated “cultural diplomacy as one of the routes we travel from Casa África” and insisted on the desirability of organizing activities for culture and language, which also “open up investment horizons” for Spanish companies themselves.
