It wasn't many hours. But during them, the Colombian Pacific, with all its rhythms, flavors and colors were felt in Washington.
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This is thanks to an effort by the Colombian embassy in the US capital that wanted to bring a sample of the famous Petronio Álvarez music festival, which incidentally made its debut in this country after almost 30 years of existence.
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The exhibition had two moments. On the one hand, an academic and cultural conversation with organizers of the event that sought to bring this rich tradition of the Colombian Pacific closer to the American public.
And on the other, a concert and culinary tasting at the residence of Ambassador Luis Gilberto Murillo attended by diplomatic representatives, members of Joe Biden's administration and staff of the US Congress.
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Canalón de Timbiquí, directed by Maestro Nidia Góngora, and nominated for the Latin Grammy in 2019, were in charge of entertaining the evening.
“Cultural promotion is an essential part of Colombia's inclusive diplomacy in the United States. The Petronio Álvarez highlights the rich and dynamic Afro-Colombian culture and we are delighted to bring a sample of this cultural experience to the American public and highlight the Afro-Colombian heritage of our country and its diverse artistic expressions,” said Ambassador Murillo during the opening of the exhibition.
According to the embassy, in the last four years the festival has undertaken a solid internationalization strategy to bring the culture of this region to different parts of the world.
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“Now we are in Washington DC, forging alliances and opening paths so that artists and bearers of tradition from the Colombian Pacific have new opportunities for circulation and participation in the world,” said Ana Copete, director of the Festival, who traveled from Cali to lead the procession,
Copete and Murillo, incidentally, took the opportunity to extend an invitation to the next edition of Petronio that will be held in August 2024 in the capital of Valle del Cauca.
SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
On Twitter @sergom68
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