PROA has led the communication management of the conference with which the Vargas Llosa Chair began its new phase on 15 October. The Chair, promoted by the International Foundation for Liberty, dedicated the first edition of what will become an annual event to the promotion of culture in freedom. The event, which was attended by representatives from the world of culture, education, academics, businessmen, politicians and journalists from both sides of the Atlantic, brought together culture, commitment to the promotion of freedom and gastronomy. The event was held at Mario Sandoval's El Jaral de la Mira estate (San Lorenzo de El Escorial).
The Nobel Laureate in Literature stressed that the Chair that bears his name, created ten years ago, when he received the prize, "by some friends without telling me anything", will work "to keep written Spanish alive". And it will do so by "bringing Spanish-language writers together so that there is communication, friendship and, above all, constant literary exchanges between them".
During his speech, Mario Vargas Llosa also highlighted the work carried out by the Chair since its creation: the prizes, the agreements with universities, the promotion of literature... And he predicted that its activity will be more ambitious with an institution such as the International Foundation for Freedom, chaired by him and created 19 years ago to coordinate "the activities of Spanish, North American and South American liberal institutions".
His son Álvaro, who opened the main part of the day, insisted that this is an event with the ambition of "permanence in time, institutionalised every year, which is, at the same time, a celebration of freedom and culture, and also an act of private fundraising to give the Vargas Llosa Chair an autonomy, a moral, political and financial independence".
For their part, the three directors, apart from expressing their gratitude for the task entrusted to them, expressed their willingness to strengthen "the work with universities, with different associations that are committed to culture and to work very closely with the Guadalajara International Book Fair", in the words of Raúl Tola. To which Ramiro Villapadierna added the "moral commitment at a time when we are experiencing a recession of freedoms". This was echoed by Darío Loperfido, who also stated that "the two slogans of culture and freedom are essential for me" and that the Chair, by linking the two, has to promote literary activity and offer a space for reflection.
The day's agenda included a fusion of culture, commitment to the promotion of freedom and the gastronomy of Spain and Latin America. The Spanish-Peruvian bullfighter Andrés Roca Rey performed a bull tantadero behind closed doors before the Nobel Prize winner's speech. On the other hand, the meal consisted of an Ibero-American lunch prepared by the chef Mario Sandoval with the collaboration of the Peruvian chef Jose Olave. In addition, the first edition of the Literature Festival 'Escribidores', organised by the Vargas Llosa Chair and the cultural centre 'La Térmica' in Málaga, was presented.
The Vargas Llosa Chair
The Vargas Llosa Chair was created in 2011 with the aim of promoting the study of contemporary literature, fostering interest in reading and writing, supporting new Ibero-American literary creation, analysing the ideas of our time and developing models of technological innovation for education, research and scientific and cultural dissemination, as well as disseminating the work of Mario Vargas Llosa (Nobel Prize for Literature 2010). To achieve this, it carries out academic, creative and dissemination activities, such as prizes for novels, historical stories, journalism, literary competitions and festivals, grants, seminars, conferences, courses, colloquiums and support for new writers.
The Chair collaborates with companies and cultural and educational institutions from Spain, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, the United States, France and Sweden, and brings together universities that have awarded honoris causa or other distinctions relevant to the writer.
The International Freedom Foundation
The International Freedom Foundation (FIL), chaired by Mario Vargas Llosa, was founded in October 2002 with the main objective of defending those principles whose establishment constitutes the foundations of democracy, freedom and prosperity. It was set up on the initiative of a group of intellectuals and leading figures from think tanks from both sides of the Atlantic (United States, Latin America and Europe).
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