The International School of Languages was the virtual venue for the 1st International University Symposium on Cultural Management in Latin America, organized by the Academic Coordination of the Bachelor's Degree in Languages and Cultural Management in collaboration with the Bachelor's Degree in Cultural Studies and Management of the EAN University in Bogota, Colombia.
The Symposium offered the attendees the opportunity to participate in more than ten activities and more than ten national and international universities who collaborated in the event.
The purpose of the event was to analyze, share and discuss knowledge and experiences related to cultural management in the current context from the academic-university point of view in Latin America. More than 100 people attended, including professors, students, and the general audience.
Fernando Vicario Leal, who has a Master's Degree in Advanced Ibero-American Studies from the Faculty of Political Sciences of the Complutense University of Madrid, gave the keynote conference in which he explained to the audience the beginnings of cultural management, its development, and the challenges currently faced by managers.
Other guests were invited such as Gustavo Serrano, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Bogotá; Michelle Brener, lecturer at the Anáhuac Mexico University; Orlando Araque, Venezuelan cultural manager; Fabián Retamal, from the University of Chile, among others.
The host countries held two cultural activities. The first was "Gastronomic culture of cocoa and chocolate in Colombia and its similarity with Mexico" led by Margarita Salcedo, Gastronomic Advisor of Late Chocó. The second one was a short concert by the Mixe Soprano Maria Reyna, native from Oaxaca, who has dedicated herself to disseminating the native languages of Mexico using her voice to do so.
There were three panels of analysis and discussions on various topics. The first was with the participation of 7 university lecturers from Mexico and Colombia and was entitled "Training in Cultural Management: a perspective from the teaching work." In the second, 9 Mexican and Colombian students participated with the title "The Future of Cultural Management: A perspective from the student experience."
This activity stood out for the level of analysis of the students, their excellent mastery of the topics, and the vision they have of their professional future. The last panel was on "Resource management, sustainability & finance." The three panelists from Mexico and Colombia discussed and analyzed the key aspects of resource management in cultural management, sources of funding for the cultural sector, and how to access them.
Cardiela Amezcua, with a BA in Performing Arts, gave the closing workshop entitled "Culture in times of pandemic: innovation that ignites possibilities." The purpose of the workshop was to provide participants with an overview of the factors to consider when organizing a cultural project or event during the pandemic.
Finally, Andrea Hernández, Director of the Cultural Studies and Management Program at Universidad EAN, and Cristina Wyssmann, Dean of the International School of Languages at Anáhuac Cancun University, closed the Symposium by thanking the students and speakers for their participation. They invited the participants to network professionally.
