Rocío Vázquez: The duende – kudupinter World News Network

The data proposed by the advisor during the ABC Culture Forum leaves no doubt. Culture, in addition to the essence and identity of a people, is an irreplaceable industry, an economic opportunity and a transversal and coherent issue. In a few … We agree more on things across an entire territory than on the cultural signs that distinguish it from others. Finding the formulas for your projection depends on the setting of each one. In the case of Andalusia, the figures are overwhelming. More than 55% growth during these almost seven years of popular management both in the number of businesses and in jobs generated around the cultural event. This increase is due to support policies, of course, but above all to the impetus of citizens, increasingly aware that the traditional tourism sector loses its appeal if it is not presented with the authenticity of the place. Its music, its gastronomy, its art, but also its way of being and communicating. His “duende”, explained Mayor María José García-Pelayo during this same meeting about the main weapon with which Jerez Copper will fight to obtain the designation of European Capital of Culture in 2031, in which Granada also participates among other Spanish capitals. Never before has a southern enclave been designated as the epicenter of the continent’s culture, and the city of Cádiz will exploit, in addition to its internationally recognized qualities such as flamenco, wine and equestrian tradition, the fact that it constitutes a bridge territory with other continents due to its position close to Africa and its undeniable link with Ibero-American, very visible in flamenco art.

In this same debate, the mayor of Seville recognized that he had not considered opting for the title that Jerez and Granada are demanding because the City Council was already in charge of cultural projects for the years to come (months now): the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the marriage of Charles V and Isabella of Portugal which changed the destiny of Europe, the centenary of the 27 generation and that of the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929. A wise decision to insist on the proclamation of the historical position, the fundamental role in key events in Spain and the rest of the world, a source of pride that must be recognized.

But we should rethink the situation. And it is not only political leaders here, but all citizens, guarantors of their cultural characteristics. If, as the historian Reyes Pro said yesterday in these pages, even spinach with chickpeas no longer tastes the same because we have adapted to the tastes of visitors, without taking into account the question of time, if we have to queue for two hours to eat churros from a franchise, we run the risk of losing our essence, even if it is wrapped in a splendid setting. The stone, the heritage, is unalterable, the “duende”, we must know how to pass it on to those who come, but also stop prostituting it out of respect for the Sevillians themselves.

Session limit reached

Access to Premium content is open thanks to the establishment you are in, but there are currently too many users connected at the same time. Please try again after a few minutes.

try again