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• 12 / 21 / 2009

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Casa de las Americas cultural centre in Vedado neighbourhood, Havana is a constant hotbed of artistic activity with revolving art exhibitions, discussion groups, panels and concerts.

The Casa’s theatre director Jaime Gomez Triana spoke about the important presence of young writers, theatre artists, historians, painters, researchers, musicologists, filmmakers, etc...

Under the slogan of "Casa tomada" the festival gathers young artists under 40.

Founded in 1983, early editions of the event were attended by important writers like Ecuadorian Raul Vallejo, Argentinean Jorge Boccanera, Guatemalan Arturo Arias and
Cubans Leonardo Padura and Senel Paz.

Their goal was to be constantly in touch, be together and meet again somewhere in Latin America, as Salvadorian journalist Juan José Dalton said in the final statement of the meeting.

The program included several workshops on migration, cultural resistance and the role of arts and the media, among others.

Colombian writer Viviana Vargas said that the meeting of young Latin American artists is a point of departure for arts and relations among creators. "From the sphere of culture we can also struggle for the integration of our people," said Vargas.

Vargas is an advent activist in promoting reading among indigenous children and adolescents in her country through the  initiative "Tras la nevera" (Behind the fridge").Deeply moved by being in Cuba for the first time, she said she will travel
to Cuba again next year to take part in a poetry event.

Also attending the meeting are Mexican journalist Gloria Munoz, and Argentinean Washington Cucurto and Ecuadorian poet Santiago Vizcaino.

Sponsored by the ALBA Cultural Fund, the Hermanos Saíz Cultural Association, and the Cuban Book Institute, the Casa Tomada  meeting closes the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Casa de las Americas, a cultural institution founded by Haydeé  Santamaría.

Source: Source: www.jrebelde.cubaweb.cu