Adriana Ortiz Semidei, Minister of Culture of Paraguay, was in Loulé on November 13th to get to know the “creative ecosystem” that exists here and take a first step towards cooperation between this Algarve municipality and Paraguay.
Accompanied by the ambassador to Portugal Julio Van Humbeck and the mayor Vítor Aleixo, the minister took a tour of the spaces spread across the city where the “Loulé Criativo” workshops operate, a project that, according to the municipality, «really excited this person», she own training designer.
At Palácio Gama Lobo, a hub for activities, Adriana Ortiz Semidei had the opportunity to learn a little more about this project that started in 2015, contact artisans and designers who work in partnership, combining ancestral knowledge and techniques with a more contemporary approach, and visit the exhibition and store with the creations of these artists incubated here.
Next, the delegation traveled through the Historic Area, passing by the Islamic Baths, the only “uncovered” ones in our country, a National Monument “which enchanted the Paraguayan officials”. Even earlier, the minister visited the “Loulé Criativo” workshops at Caldeireiro, Olaria and Casa da Empreita.
At the end of the visit, the Paraguayan head of Culture left in the air the desire for a future twinning with this Algarve city.
«I'm very happy to be in Loulé, it's a beautiful city, which takes care of its heritage, which takes care of its creators of culture, its master artisans, the knowledge and traditions of its people... It really motivates me to know that these workshops exist of crafts to perpetuate the techniques and, hopefully, we can also sign an agreement between Loulé and Assunção so that we can carry out a cultural exchange and also some artistic residencies”, said Adriana Ortiz Semidei.
«It is above all the connection between craftsmanship and design, in a contemporary approach, that the government of Paraguay wants to implement and, in this sense, Loulé could be an inspiration for the way in which he works on this relationship, “rescuing techniques, in which design is the best ally nowadays and that in Loulé it is very advanced", says the municipality in a note, reinforcing that "the traditions of ceramics, the technique of basketry with braided work in natural fibers, woodwork and also goldsmithing are some of the points in common between the realities of the two countries».
Ambassador Julio Van Humbeck was responsible for organizing this visit, on the eve of the Minister of Culture participating in the Ibero-American Summit of ministers of culture, which took place in Lisbon.
In relation to this moment, he highlighted that “it is a demonstration of interest in us twinning, cooperating with each other, getting to know each other, discovering ourselves and so that our people, through the riches that the
their cultural identities, this ancestral knowledge, their crafts, can come closer together. We are building bridges».
Vítor Aleixo, mayor of Loulé, also expressed his satisfaction with this rapprochement and strengthening of ties with Paraguay.
«We have a lot in common with this territory, which is not limited to its geography, but also to its cultural and social aspects and that is why, in recent years, we have strengthened this partnership with Casa da América Latina in Portugal. We are proud of the fact that we were the first place in the country visited by a member of the new Paraguayan government. This cooperation will certainly materialize very soon so that we can learn from each other, especially in this area of creativity», highlighted the mayor.
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