VIII International Congress of the Spanish Language (Cile)

The CILE is a forum for reflection on the Spanish language, where its current situation, problems, and challenges are discussed.The meeting is organized every three years by the Cervantes Institute, the Royal Spanish Academy, and the Association of Spanish Language Academies in collaboration with different Spanish-speaking countries’ governments. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, together with other institutions, was part of the organizing committee.

This was the second time that the CILE was held in Argentina; the first one took place in Rosario in 2004. The center stage in Córdoba was the Libertador San Martin Theater, which opened its doors on April 26, 1891 and was especially restored, renovated, and enhanced for this event.

The central activities were masterful conferences conducted by different personalities from the cultural world like writers, teachers, human rights leaders, and politicians. There were conferences about education, journalism, poetry, literature, copyright, and the influence of the digital world in languages, among other subjects. 

Some of the speakers were writers and narrators from Argentina, such as Jorge Fondebrider and Ana María Shua, including many from Córdoba, such as Perla Suez, Cristina Bajo, and María Teresa Andruetto, whose audacious final speech caused great impact. There were also many important writers from Latin America, such as Juan Villoro, Jorge Edwards, Mario Vargas Llosa, Sergio Ramírez, and Jorge Volpi, as well as Carmen Riera, from Spain.

The event also gathered other renowned writers and journalists such as Mempo Giardinelli and Alejandro Dolina, the Spanish singer Joaquín Sabina, and the Mexican activist Paco Ignacio Taibo II, among other important personalities. 

The speakers at the opening ceremony were Juan Schiaretti, the Province of Córdoba’s Governor; Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis, Secretary-General of the Iberoamerican General Secretariat (SEGIB); Luis García Montero, Director of the Cervantes Institute; Santiago Muñoz Machado, Director of the Royal Spanish Academy and President of the Association of Spanish Language Academies (ASALE); Felipe VI, King of Spain; and Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina. Also, the distinguished writers and essayists Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru), Carme Riera (Spain) and Santiago Kovadloff (Argentina). On behalf of Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Rector Hugo Juri and Vice Rector Pedro Yanzi Ferreira were present at the ceremony, among other authorities.