MGIMO Hosts Ibero-American Week and “Descubre América Latina” Exhibition

14 March 2022

On March 14^th, MGIMO University held a solemn opening ceremony of the Ibero-American Week and “Descubre América Latina” (Discover Latin America) exhibition on the initiative of the Ibero-American Club.

The guests were welcomed by the Vice-Rector for Students’ Development and International Affairs Stanislav Surovtsev, who noted the event’s role in strengthening cultural ties between the Russian Federation and the countries of Latin America. The Vice-Rector highlighted the achievements of the Ibero-American Club of the MGIMO Scientific Student Society and the growing interest among students in studying the processes happening in Latin America and on the Iberian Peninsula. The President of the Ibero-American Club Polina Slepukhina also gave a welcoming speech, presenting the agenda of the Ibero-American Week.

The solemn opening was also attended by distinguished guests. In his statement the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Argentine Republic to Russia Eduardo Antonio Zuain stressed the need to support intercultural dialogue between Latin American countries and Russia and thanked MGIMO University for the interest in the Argentinian culture. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to Russia Maria Luisa Ramos Urzagaste highlighted the importance of informal ties between the peoples of Russia and the countries of Latin America, noting the need for unity in the current context. The Counsellor of the Embassy of Nicaragua to Russia Diana Melendez also welcomed the guests and thanked the Ibero-American Club for organizing the event.

After the opening ceremony, the guests took a tour around the exhibition, presenting the photos of the embassies of Argentina, Bolivia and Nicaragua to Russia. The event concluded by a Bolivian movie entitled El día que murió el silencio in Spanish and its discussion.

The MGIMO Ibero-American Week will last till March 18^th. Its agenda includes a round-table “Left and Right Populism in Ibero-America: Past and Present”, a lecture “Prominent Latin American Writers” by the Argentinian literature scholar Damian Bogi and a Spanish discussion club.