The Diplomat
On 10 December, the Venezuelan Embassy held the Canto de esperanza en Navidad (Song of Hope at Christmas), which was the first public activity of the new head of mission, Coromoto Godoy, since her arrival in Spain, an event held in collaboration with the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI).
The meeting, which took place at the Julián Besteiro School in Madrid, included a concert given by members of the Venezuelan cuatro workshop Jacinto Pérez, with the participation of the Ibero-American Choir of Madrid.
“Today we celebrate that, despite all the difficulties imposed on our people, we have arrived at Christmas in peace and increasingly strengthened,” said Coromoto Godoy.
The Venezuelan head of mission thanked the UGT and the Asociación Vecinal Pradera Tercio Terol and Natalia Armijos, director general for culture of the OEI (Organisation of Ibero-American States), and the Coro Iberoamericano de Madrid and its director, Maestro Raúl Barrio, for accepting her invitation. “Thank you very much, she said, for sharing today this song of hope at Christmas.”
“Particularly,” said Coromoto Godoy, “I value the work that has been done for the teaching of the cuatro in Spain, I believe that there is no greater strength of a people than the defence of its identity and that there is no better way to communicate with other peoples than through the dialogue of cultures. Much more so between the peoples of Venezuela and Spain, who share so much of our history, our culture, our spirituality and all the good and great things that characterise us.”
“In 2013 the Venezuelan Cuatro was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation, continued the head of the Venezuelan mission. In 2016, the Venezuelan Embassy in Spain established the Venezuelan Cuatro Workshop as part of the Venezuelan Sounds programme; to date, ten editions have been held. This speaks to us of the seriousness of the work, of the constancy and commitment with which this task has been carried out, and of the institutionality it has acquired within our diplomatic mission. With this extraordinary work, the music of Venezuela, its culture, its identity have been present in very important neighbourhoods of Madrid, with an impact on more than 300 students of very diverse nationalities who have passed through the classrooms of the workshop”.
