The Instituto Cervantes celebrates the culture that will spread throughout 2013

The Instituto Cervantes has presented a program that seeks  "excellence and quality"

The Instituto Cervantes has introduced its cultural program for this year in an act of "celebration of culture" which has involved numerous artists and creators. A program of activities aims to show the world the best of the Spain’s culture and Spanish, which has "an extraordinary wealth and is one of our best resources".

The presentation was attended by representatives of the most important cultural institutions and relevant cultural personalities, writers such as Lorenzo Silva Fernando Savater, the musician Antón García Abril, theater director Jose Luis Gomez, the singer Juan Carmona, soprano Pilar Jury, actor Francis Lorenzo, designer Modesto Lomba, among many others. This "party culture" concluded with a recital by acclaimed pianist Rosa Torres-Pardo and singer Rocio Marquez, who played pieces by Falla, Albéniz and Granados in a short recital.

"They are not easy years," acknowledged the director of the Instituto Cervantes, Victor Garcia de la Concha. "Budget constraints have forced us to think hard about" the development of a "excellent" program, he said, which exists across five Hispanic continents, and in which the Latin American presence is essential.

The director of the Institute of Culture, Montserrat Iglesias, has shelled the main lines of 2013 programming in more than 80 cities in which the Instituto Cervantes has centres or classrooms.

Artists of all genres and specialties starred in various acts, including names such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Kenzaburo Oe, Antón García Abril, Ainhoa ​​Arteta, Maria Bayo, Pedro Halffter, Fernando Iwasaki, Jorge Edwards, Lorenzo Silva, Luis Landeros , Rosa Montero, Carlos Nunez, Concha Buika, Cesc Gelabert or Pilar Jurado.

Literature, film and music, theater, dance, art, history and popular science are some of the areas that cover the cultural activities which the Instituto Cervantes "pursues excellence and quality."

Each centre of the Instituto Cervantes will host a wide range of activities with clear teaching, and from which numerous courses will be taught along with workshops and seminars. This is in close collaboration with other Spanish and local institutions and Spanish embassies in Spanish-speaking countries. The latter fits with the mission of "latinamericanize" the Instituto Cervantes.

In short, throughout 2013, the Institute will show the cultural heritage of Spain.

Text translated from the Instituto Cervantes website.