Latin America, its people, culture, literature, and the issues affecting its nations, will be celebrated and discussed during Latin America Week in Galway.
The festival was launched yesterday and runs until Thursday April 22 with free public events including film screenings, talks, literary readings, a table quiz, and a visiting guest speaker from the Via Campesina international peasants movement.
There will be a one day film festival this Saturday in the Huston School of Film & Digital Media from 12 noon to 7pm. The programme includes contemporary Mexican and Colombian feature films and documentaries, introductory discussions, and question and answer sessions.
Admission is free but donations will be accepted for the Casa De Las Migrantes centre in Chiapas State, Mexico, which provides help and support to Central American migrants in Mexico.
A new event is the People’s Cabaret that will take place upstairs in Kelly’s, Bridge Street, on Tuesday April 20 from 8pm. On the night there will be a multi-media quick fire drama on the history of Haiti up to the recent devastating earthquake.
The film will be presented by Michael McCaughan, who has written on Latin America for The Irish Times and The Guardian and is currently outreach officer at Galway One World Centre.
This will be followed by a celebration of Latin American literature. All those with an interest in Latin American literature are asked to bring a short piece of fiction prose or poetry by their favourite writer from the region (no more than four minutes long ) and share it with the audience.
Whether you enjoy Pablo Neruda, Carlos Fuentes, Roberto Bolano or Gioconda Belli, Eduardo Galeano, Julio Cortazar or Isabel Allende, there are plenty to select from.
Admission to all events is free. For more information on all Latin American Week Galway events see www.galwayowc.org or contact the Galway One World Centre on 091 - 530590.
