Commitment to the IAI
The Förderkreis des Ibero-Amerikanisches Instituts e.V. has been supporting the work of the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut (IAI, Ibero-American Institute) and standing by its side since 2000. For example, it enables the acquisition of rare works, the digitization of outstanding collections and helps to finance publications. Its members also contribute to the Institute's event program. At the same time, the Supporters Circle of the Institute focus on Ibero-American topics and build bridges to other institutions and projects. “Discover Latin America anew in Berlin!” is the motto of their multilingual blog which publishes news, background information and event tips.
When the Förderkreis des Ibero-Amerikanisches Instituts e.V.was founded in 2000, its members initially simply called themselves "Friends of the IAI". And it is friends of Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal in particular who have been supporting the Institute with their commitment for 25 years now. The common interest, diverse expertise and often personal connections to these regions unite the members of the Supporters Circle and the staff at the IAI.
Celebrating the anniversary
With a festive event on July 4 at the IAI, the Förderkreis celebrated its 25th anniversary together with friends, cooperation partners, IAI colleagues and companions.
Looking back in pictures
A photo retrospective – presented by Susanne Klengel and Max Meier from the Förderkreis – introduced personalities who have particularly shaped the Supporters Circle through their commitment. It also offered impressions from the founding period of the association as well as some of the more than 300 events that the association has organized together with the IAI and other cooperation partners. Funded projects such as the acquisition of rare books were also shown.
Latin American literature and culture in Berlin
Timo Berger and Douglas Pompeu from Barrio | Bairro Berlin (external link, opens in a new window) presented the project of mapping cultural locations of the Latin American diaspora. The continuously updated map (external link, opens in a new window)includes bookstores, galleries, cultural cafés and collectives, festivals and clubs - places of the current Latin American literary scene as well as past and future presences of writers from Latin America in Berlin. It goes without saying that the IAI and its sponsorship group are included as an important place and hub in this Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking landscape. Barrio | Bairro Berlin is a network that aims to make Latin American cultural and literary production in Berlin known to a broader public and organizes a Latin American literature festival.
Musical and literary journey through Latin America and Spain
The artistic highlight of the event was a musical-literary journey through Latin America and Spain, which focused on the guitar in poems and stories. Guitarist and composer Virginia Yep and actress María Magdalena González Atao had put together this dialog between poetry and guitar playing especially for the festive event. Federico García Lorca, Luis Rosales, Nicolás Guillén, Nadia Fink, Eduardo Galeano, César Vallejo and the rabbit and the skunk from the indigenous tale of the same name from the Mexican state of Puebla had their say. The musical answers were provided by compositions by Virginia Yep, Joaquín Rodrigo, Fernando Sor, Francisco Tárrega, Leo Brouwer and Violeta Parra.
The reception that followed provided an opportunity to reminisce, network and make new plans for future activities of the Förderkreis des Ibero-Amerikanisches Instituts e.V..
