Chilean Charge de Affairs to ST: Chile eyes more cultural and academic exchange with Syria
Within the framework of enhancing cultural and academic cooperation between Syria and Chile, the Chilean Architecture Month, opened last week by Damascus University and the Chilean Embassy in Syria, continues its activities at the Faculty of Architectural Engineering in Damascus.
The event, which targets Syrian students and academics, provides a great opportunity for the two countries to exchange architectural experiences.
On the first and second days of the event, students of the Faculty of Architecture in Damascus had the opportunity to have interactive dialogue with renowned Chilean architects: Dr. Bruno Barla and Dr. Marcello Sestito, who were invited by the Chilean Embassy and Damascus University to give important lectures in which they introduced some of their works, presented their views about architecture in Latin America and highlighted the most notable characteristics that distinguish the style of Chilean architecture.
The Charge de Affairs of the Chilean Embassy in Damascus Patricio Brickle said in a statement to Syria Times that scientific openness towards other countries is one of the priorities of Chile’s policy, stressing his country’s keenness on consolidating academic and cultural exchange with Damascus University which is one of the oldest and most reputable universities in the Middle East.
He added that the situation in Syria is getting better and it is encouraging for more cultural exchange between the two countries, hailing the Syrian sides’ extreme openness and cooperation for holding the Chilean Architecture Month.
He indicated that the blockade imposed on Syria has not affected the two countries’ cultural and academic cooperation, stressing that education and culture should not be impeded by blockades.
Future cooperation
On future cooperation, the Chilean diplomat said that his country plan to sign an academic cooperation agreement with Syria so that Syrian students can go to Chile to obtain higher education in Chilean universities and vice versa.
He added that that the embassy plans next year to invite the Noble-prize winning poet Gabriela Mistral and to hold an exhibition for her literary works in Syria, pointing out the embassy plans to present her books in Spanish and Arabic.
Mr. Birkel also noted a plan to expand cooperation with Damascus University to include various fields. “We plan to invite Chilean professors of philosophy to Syria with the purpose of exchanging ideas and experiences with their Syrian counterparts to enhance cultural diversity.”
The Chilean Architecture Month, on its first day, witnessed the opening of an exhibition titled “Alberto Cruz…Architecture and observation”. It reproduced the paintings of the prominent Chilean architect Alberto Cruz Covarrubias, a theorist of architecture, who lived between 1917 and 2013 and was one of the founders of the Architecture School of the Catholic University of Valparaiso in Chile.
“The exhibition was named “Alberto Cruz” in tribute to this great architect who is the godfather of architecture in Chile and the founder of a unique school of architecture in the country,” Mr. Brickle told Syria Times.
About architecture in Chile, Brickle said that since the beginning of the year 1900, we have established schools for architecture Engineering in Chile. Many of the Chilean architectural engineers have studied in Europe and obtained PHDs from prestigious European universities and they managed to benefit from this knowledge in founding a solid base for architectural schools in Chile and with the passage of time, these Chilean architects managed to create a special style of design inspired by the European schools.
Among the most prominent Chilean architects, Brickle said, is Borja Huidobro who is one of the designers of the French Ministry of Finance and Alejandro Aravena, who designed many important buildings in several countries including the United States. Aravena, who took part in the Chilean Architecture Month in Damascus with an online lecture on December 6th, is also the winner of the 2016 Pritzker Architecture Prize, which equals the Nobel prize in importance, for his dedication to improve urban environments and to address the global housing crisis.
About the Syrian expatriates in Chile, Mr. Brickle said they number around 5 million and that the Syrian community there is one of the most important and respectable communities in the country. They arrived 100 years ago and have played a key role in the country through many achievements in the fields of investment, economy, culture, industry and finance.
Among other activities of the Chilean Architecture Month, are documentaries and online debates that further highlight the art of architecture and present architects visions on how people want to live in the future.
Interview and Report: Hamda Mustafa