A famous choreographer once said that art is the only way to run away without leaving home. These words have proved to be particularly true during the COVID-19 pandemic. Who hasn’t gone, while in a confined space, on virtual tours to the most renowned museums of the world? Who has not enjoyed movies, rediscovered music, and devoured books during lockdown? Art nurtures imagination and creativity. Now that some restrictions have been lifted, the time has come to put to good use these amazing qualities to celebrate Spanish language in a different and more inventive manner. Indeed, Palabras+ is already crafting a special program adapted to current circumstances for this year’s edition of Spanish Language Week that will take place from 22 September to 4 October and will wow the public with a plethora of original activities. Let’s take a quick look at some of them.
To start with, grab a pen and paper and show us your writing skills. The 7th edition of the literary contest De la traducción a la creación is now ready to receive your creations. The theme is Juntos, pero no revueltos, which is also the motto for this year’s Spanish Language Week. May the best win!
As always, music, literature and art will feature prominently in our celebration. Timekey, a guitar and voice duo, will give a concert on the 25th of September at le Boléro Bistro, in Versoix. You will have the opportunity to discover new authors during a literary presentation in the bookshop Albatros. On the visual arts front, an exhibition will be dedicated to Costa Rica-born Mexican singer Chavela Vargas, also known as la voz áspera de la ternura. Be ready once again to wear your dancing shoes for folkloric dance and tango. For our epicurean audience, there will be some wine and rum tasting, along with a bread baking workshop. We even have something for gamblers: a mus (a card game) tournament, and possibly an escape game. After that much excitement, a meditation session in Spanish will do our public some good. The little ones will also have their own activities on the 27th of September: arts and crafts and a treasure hunt. As you can see there is no lack of ideas.
The full schedule of activities, as well as dates and venues, will be posted shortly at the Asociación de Funcionarios Internacionales Españoles website and the Facebook page of Comité Palabras+, organizers of this initiative which was founded in 2016, and whose main objective is to honour the richness of the Spanish language. ¡Os esperamos!
