A discreet euphoria - if the expression fits - was felt this Monday at the Directors Meeting of Cervantes Institute in Malaga, according to the assistant’s accounts. It happened when the Foreign Minister, Alfonso Dastis, announced that they would do everything possible to increase the budget of the Institute.
The current Director, Juan Manuel Bonet is conscious about the possible destination of the economic resources. Among other things, they will be determined to open three new centers in a short term period. It is another unusual new in the last decade. There have not been opened new hubs in the years of crisis and budgetary decline. So, the announcement of opening Cervantes Institute in Switzerland, Senegal and South Korea, has been a complete change of paradigm.
"Seoul is part of the expansion to Asia and the Pacific. The vast majority of European cultural Institutes are looking ahead over there, and we can not miss to be present, "said Bonet.”I was asked to increase the profile of the Institute’s activities. We have designed a culture shock program, even if the word is bombastic". For this strategy, Bonet has a new manager in the area of Culture; the Asturian poet and manager, Martín López-Vega. It is one of 30 changes that Bonet has made in the recent months. The plan also includes a new head of analysis and strategy; the diplomat Alfonso Lucini. The expansion strategy will not stop at the three announced hubs.
Today, the motives are not merely linguistic or about close cultural ties. The referred aspects are reinforced with the need to form part of a front, with countries as Mexico, since "there are many other countries that want our presence, but, by now, these are our priorities, always in line with the ones that belong to the ministry that we are attached to”; the Director added.
