Washed by two Oceans –the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean- and spotted by vineyards, stunning mountains and picturesque fishing villages, the Western Cape Province is the fourth largest of the nine provinces of South Africa in terms of both area and population; it is the only one ruled by the Democratic Alliance party, the main opposition party to the almighty ANC, the party founded by Nelson Mandela.

To properly visit the province you will need a minimum of 2 days. Although I am not usually a big fan of group tours, I suggest you to use the service of the uncountable day trip companies if you travel alone or you don’t feel comfortable driving in a foreign country where in addition people drive on the left-hand side of the road. That is what I did.

On the first day I visited the province: my touring vehicle was a nice van driven by an enthusiastic South African –a little bit too enthusiastic sometimes- that headed south of Cape Town along the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula. We piled into the van and rode along Chapman’s Peak Drive. It winds between the steep mountainside and the ocean, cutting right under the cliffs in some spots.

After a few hours on a slow drive, we arrived to the Cape Point, a promontory at the southeast corner of the Cape Peninsula. Then, we went on till Cape of Good Hope, from where we had amazing views of the ocean. The Cape of Good Hope, contrary to what many people believe, is not the southern tip of Africa and the dividing point between the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. Actually, the southernmost point of Africa is Cape Agulhas.

The second day in the province, I went to the Cape Winelands. The triangle formed by Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek it is one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen.

The origin of the wine production in South Africa dates back to the seventeenth century, when French protestants –mainly Huguenots- escaped from being annihilated and took refuge in the African country bringing along the vineyards from their country.

Since then, a sophisticated industry has developed till our days. Wine tastings in South Africa are about more than wine. It is mostly about experiencing and tasting an important part of its history. It is a whole touristic industry and it became part of the identity of the country.

The post The Mother City: Cape Town (III) appeared first on Brussels Express.

While it is true that anyone who has been to Cape Town knows that 48 hours there is nowhere near enough, I had the feeling that I had sufficient time to grasp the essence of the city.

On the day of my arrival I still had a bit of time to go for a stroll across the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, situated in South Africa’s oldest working harbor, a few meters away from the hotel I was staying at.

The V&A Waterfront is still a working harbor but it is currently housing over 450 retail outlets, restaurants and cinemas which attract millions of visitors every year. I had dinner in one of the countless restaurants in that area, which offered a high quality beef and traditional live music.

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is also the departure point to Robben Island, one of the greatest attractions of the country.

Used as a prison until 1996, this Unesco World Heritage Site is preserved as a memorial to those, such as Nelson Mandela, who spent many years incarcerated here. This was by far the most rewarding experience I lived in the city. This prison is to me the best example of the greatness and misery of the human being at the same time. I believe that one of the reasons why Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and traditional African beliefs coexist peacefully in this proudly multicultural city is the shining example of Mandela.

Walking to the city center across St Georges Mall -a beautiful pedestrian street packed with stalls of second hand books- is another experience that makes you feel a little bit Capetonian.

The city center itself is well worth to spend a few hours on it. The Company’s Garden, the Castle of Good Hope and the square of Cape Town city hall are some of the nice spots that one cannot miss out.

In the vicinity of the town is the Table Mountain -which can be reached taking a cable car or on a 4 hours walk across the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden– and the Lion’s Head, a mountain that peaks at 669 meters above the sea level which offers better and less crowded views of the city and its surroundings than the famous Table Mountain. It takes two hours to hike to the top and the walking is highly recommendable.

Cape Town enjoys more than 300 sunny days; it means that a dip in the sea should definitely not to be missed. I would suggest Sea Point, near to the city center and with clean and sandy beaches.

Before going to bed, taking a walk across Long Street is a must. This is a trendy area of bars and clubs where to enjoy excellent cocktails at affordable prices.

Next week we will continue our journey throughout the province of Cape Town, stunning from sea to sky.

The post The Mother City: Cape Town (II) appeared first on Brussels Express.

My interest in the southernmost country in Africa comes from afar. Well, in fact, it comes from 2010, perhaps a few months earlier, on the occasion of the celebration of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. This initial interest was further strengthened when Spain, my country of origin, ran off with the Cup in the Soccer City Stadium of the no-capital city of Johannesburg.

That’s when I became interested in that distant and unknown piece of land and when I decided to find out more about it. I dicovered that South Africa is known to be one of the most violent countries in the world; it concentrates the largest population of European descendants of the whole continent and, because of that, it has 11 official languages; it is the only African country that has legalized gay marriage and, lastly, that it has suffered one of the most sinister and shameful political regimes of the twentieth century.

So much was the information that I gathered about this country, that when I watched the movie Invictus, I was almost able to locate a good part of the exteriors that appeared in it.

On top of that, one of the first people I met here, when I moved to Brussels 6 years ago, was a South African guy based in Belgium, Jason, who introduced me to one of the most special wine varieties I have tried to date, the Mocha Pinotage.

Therefore, in April 2015 I decided that I had already collected sufficient information about the country and bought a plane ticket to Cape Town.

As the plane began to get closer to the city, the song Colorblind,from the Matt Damon & Morgan Freeman movie’s soundtrack- started to sound in my head, competing with the commander’s voice, announcing the temperature, the local time and the ritual sentece of « looking forward to travel with all of you again ». I took the precaution of looking for a hotel near the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, supposedly one of the safest areas in town. It was not a bad decision since I was very close to the sea: for someone like me – born in a city that rises less than 4 meters from sea level – it is quite an important detail. I can’t get too far from that endless blue horizon, nor from the fragrance of saltpetre that impregnates my nostrils.  On the subject of security, which was the main reason for my choice, I think I greatly exaggerated. It is true that certain precautions need to be taken as should be done in any great city of our surroundings. But beyond that, I saw no reason to be permanently on alert. After a couple of hours in the city I realized that, although it was not my hometown and it was a completely different environment, I was feeling at home.

Before leaving Brussels, my friend Jason told me: « Well, you will see how Cape Town could happen to be a Mediterranean city like València, Barcelona or Marseille ».  In the end, he was right. I have never imagined that I could feel so near my county being so far. Cape Town is one of the most wonderful trips I have made so far.

The post The Mother City: Cape Town (I) appeared first on Brussels Express.

Many of the great corporate leaders of the region considered this result with caution. That said, it is already two years since the coalition took office and overall economic performance have significantly improved, to the satisfaction of the Government and tranquility of the businessmen.

In that, it has had much to do with political leaders like Maria Dolores Parra, 31 years, director of Internationalization of the Government of València. With an admirable curriculum, she has the responsibility of attracting investors to the region -the fourth most populous region and the second largest exporter region of Spain- and promoting the expansion of the Valencian companies abroad.

Why choose the Valencian region to invest?

The Valencian Region’s stable business climate combines with various key factors that make it the place chosen by a large number of foreigners who see it as an ideal place to live and work.

There are many reasons for choosing the Valencian Region, among them we can highlight our geostrategic location in the Mediterranean; our outstanding infrastructures; the availability of competitive public industrial land; a broad research and innovation network; a large pool of highly qualified professionals; the institutional support and an incomparable quality of life.

The real estate market has traditionally attracted an important number of foreign investments into the Valencian region. Which are currently the most appealing market niches to invest in Valencia?

Whilst it is true that we cannot omit the sound performance of this market, the Valencian Region offers investors attractive business opportunities in various industries, such as the automotive industry, the tourism industry and agrofood industry and some strategic industries like the Healthtech, Biotech and Medtech.

What is the Government of Valencia doing to attract foreign investments?

The Government of Valencia –through the Regional Ministry of Sustainable Economy- is working not only in a reactive way providing personalized advice and support to the investor in the implementation of their projects, but also in the application of proactive measures in order to identify and attract investment opportunities to our region.

Among the activities developed within the framework of these proactive measures of attraction of investment, I would highlight the organization of singular actions to promote the Valencian region and its productive sectors in potential investment-issuing markets, the organization of events and forums for contacts between international investors and companies in the Valencian Region seeking funding -such as the Healthtech Venture Forum 2017- and the development of an international network of prescribers to support the investment attraction team in identifying and channeling new investment opportunities.

Finally, we are working on a Communication Strategy aimed at strengthening the image of the region of Valencia and improving its positioning, at national and international level, as a suitable destination to invest.

In which sectors has Valencia region focused its efforts to become particularly attractive?

As I have already mentioned, Valencia hosts many attractive sectors. Nevertheless, from the Valencian government we are focusing on the opportunities represented by sectors such as the automotive sector, with a special focus on connected cars, chemical sector, ICT or Healthech.

This region has great potential in these sectors and for this reason we have made them the spearhead of our promotional action to attract foreign investments to our territory.

Many regions worldwide claim to be the ideal location to invest. What makes the region of Valencia a better place to invest? What is its added value?

Well, the region of Valencia is an incomparable place to live and work. We can point out that this region has competitive advantages over other regions, such as our infrastructures, connectivity, high qualify professionals, etc., but we also have an unbeatable quality of life.

This region notes for its open and integrating society, its climate with more than 320 days of sun per year, its beaches, its cuisine -a leading exponent of the Mediterranean diet and our highly valued historic heritage-, a testimony to the Valencian Region’s contribution to universal culture.

In addition to this, Valencian Region has many schools that teach in foreign languages, making it easier for foreign residents to integrate and a universal health system which is among the best of the world.

All this combined with a cost of living that lies under the National and European average make this region the best place to start a business project.

What kind of measures is the Government of Valencia carrying out to create an appealing investment climate in the region?

Investors enjoy strong institutional support from the Valencian Government, which are committed to minimising bureaucratic barriers in order to make easy to set up business here and create the right climate for investment.

How do we do that? The Regional Ministry of Sustainable Economy has created a department exclusively aimed at attracting foreign investment and offering investor support, it is called the Valencian Investment Desk (VID). The VID seeks to provide comprehensive solutions to potential investors´needs in the various areas of business competitiveness. This is achieved through a group of experts in international expansion, industrial land, energy, innovation and financing.

The FindKapital Programe and Loyalty programe are two iniciatives held by Invest CV. How these programs might help foreign investors?

The Findkapital Program has a twofold purpose; on the one hand and after a previous and exhaustive work of identifying projects is intended to provide the investor with viable companies and projects in which to invest in the Region of Valencia and, on the other hand, to offer companies of the Region an alternative way of financing.

Through the Loyalty program, the development and reinvestment of the foreign companies implemented in our territory is supported by their expansion and reinvestment projects.

The companies already established in our territory are our main demand for foreign companies from the same sectors or related sectors to be implemented in our region. Our aim is to make available to them, listen to their needs and act as go-between with the Public Administrations providing the necessary institutional support if it’s required.

Connectivity is an important factor for businesses that are deciding where to locate or expand. Is the region of Valencia well connected?

The Region of Valencia is a Region open to the world and open to business.

It lies at the center of the Mediterranean Arc, a key element in the European logistics network. It is a ideal port for freight traffic from Spain and Southern Europe to Africa, Asia and US. Its capital, Valencia has full-modal transport integration (sea, airport, motorways, railways), each with global connectivity.

We have modern and well equipped infrastructures: 3 Ports:  ValenciaPort  -the leading container port of Spain and the Mediterranean- Port of Castelló and Port of Alacant; 3 International Airports (Castelló, València and Alacant-Elx); a high Speed rail line –AVE- which connects Valencia and Alacant with Madrid in 98 and 150 minutes, respectively.

The Valencian Region is also the central part of the Mediterranean Corridor. The Mediterranean Corridor will improve the connectivity of all the main cities of Spain, from France to Andalusia. Will reduce transport time of people and goods connecting with rail access to the Spanish Mediterranean ports, saving economic and environmental costs.

And a Strong Road Network: the Valencian Region is connected by road to the rest of Spain and Europe through a network of fast roads.

Since you come from the academic world, how do you see the role of the University in the era of the economic globalization?

It is important the connexion between companies and universities, something that has been reinforced over the years. The important work that the universities have done to establish bridges between the research and the entrepreneurial application derived from it has resulted in an increase in spin-offs to the parks science parks of our five public universities.

At all times initiatives are emerging that help reduce the distance between University and company and demonstrate that universities can help and provide a plus of innovation and competitiveness that completes the training in companies and institutions that different degrees have implemented and reinforced in recent years.

Do you think that Valencian universities have the capacity to generate a qualified professional manpower?

Absolutely yes. The Region of Valencia, with 9 universities (4 private and 5 public, with 5 scientific parks located in its facilities), offers a fertile environment for the formation of human capital in our land.

In addition, our universities enjoy a high reputation both at the state and international level as well as in the business environment.

The Polytechnic University of Valencia is ranked 1st in the university-business ranking in Information and Communication Technologies, as stated in the II report of the EVERIS University-Company Ranking 2016 Foundation.

The main added value of the Region of Valencia is to have highly competitive professionals in terms of educational qualifications and remuneration.

València is the second largest exporting Spanish region. What measures is the Valencian Government implementing to consolidate its position?

The Valencian Government considers one of its priorities to support business internationalization. We know that it is a complex process, which requires time, resources and a medium- and long-term strategy.

The Region of Valencia has a particularity. And 90% of our business fabric is made up of small and medium-sized companies, which makes it even more worthwhile to place ourselves as the second most exporting region in Spain, and which has a healthy balance of trade among the most exporting regions.

From the Valencian Government, we carry out a policy of internationalization that seeks to expand the export base, diversify both the sectors that are internationalized and the countries to which we export and consolidate the presence of our companies abroad.

What is importance of the Port of València in the Valencian exports?

Valenciaport is one of the strengths of the Region of Valencia as a region open to the world. Mediterranean leading port in commercial traffic, mainly containerized goods, it is the 5th in Europe and the 31th in the world.

Valenciaport is a key element in the external projection of the Region of Valencia and also as a maritime port of production and consumption throughout the Iberian Peninsula.

Its leadership is based on several factors. A privileged location in the Western Mediterranean, an area of influence of 350 km, unbeatable connections by road and rail with the center of Spain; More than 100 regular lines including those of the main international shipping companies and with connections to more than 1000 ports worldwide.

Which measures are being carried out in order to support the internationalization of Valencian companies?

From IVACE we offer to the company an integral support to the companies. From a specialized advisory program, with experts accompanying and guiding the company for periods of 3 to 9 months to expand their knowledge in areas such as initiation to export, international financing, submission of proposals to tender Public or international marketing, among others.

We also offer personalized support to companies through our network of delegations abroad. We have developed an ambitious foreign promotion plan, we support the specialization of human resources and offer financial support through direct aids and reimbursable aids.

The network of Valencian commercial offices abroad (IVEX) has been fully dismantled. How is the Government of Valencia region supporting Valencian companies abroad at this moment?

We are convinced of the importance of offering support in destination markets to companies. It is a useful and real support and for this we are strengthening this network through a complex transparent bidding process.

The objective of the autonomous entities of foreign promotion is to accompany the companies in the destination markets, making them easy the identification of contacts, and the search for new clients in foreign markets difficult to access for our SMEs.

We want to be in markets of vital importance for the growth of our exports, reinforcing our presence in markets of maximum interest in the EU such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Poland, as well as in third countries where our companies are making such great efforts as Mexico, The United States, China and Russia, the Maghreb area – Algeria and Morocco -, or Colombia, Peru, and Brazil – as engines of growth in the Latin American region. This year we will be present in markets like Iran, given the opportunities it represents.

This new structure allows us to select the markets according to the opportunities it offers. We live in a rapidly changing world and therefore we must be agile to offer real support to companies.

The region of València is ruled by the Socialist party in coalition with a nationalist Valencian party –Compromís- after 20 years of Conservative governance. Is the new Government of València business oriented?

The Government of Valencia is prosperity oriented; every business committed to sustainable development, interested in creating opportunities for people and generating wealth, are more than welcome and will count with all the support of the regional government.

The post Why should you invest in Valencia? appeared first on Brussels Express.

“The so-called low cost tourism comes without any help. The only thing necessary is a Ryanair connection. The other type of tourism, you must look for it outside and pick it up, to gain its trust” says Ana.

She knows what she is talking about. The region of Flanders in Belgium and the city of Sydney, in Australia, are the models of well-managed tourism according to her.

Valencia Premium was created in 2013. How did this initiative arise?

We wanted to make the quality offer of our destination more visible. València has companies with a great trajectory focusing on quality and offer a service of excellence; companies that invest in continuous improvements to please our visitors. All this had to be valued, and the best way to do so was gathering all the companies that share that same philosophy, years of experience and the commitment to upgrading our tourism in one association, Valencia Premium.

The high-level tourist usually shows a higher cultural level, appreciates good service, seeks the genuine values of the destinations and what’s most important for us, comes during the whole year, avoiding in many cases the peak seasons. In a nutshell, tourists looking for a quality service.

In the region of Valencia there are a large number of entities whose aim is to promote tourism: provincial and regional administrative bodies. Isn’t this an impediment to presenting a clear differentiated product?

Yes, of course. The promotional strategy should be unified for the whole territory with a clear image that identifies the Region of València and the most differentiated products that one can find there.

Flanders has an excellent tourism strategy: they focused on 4 products which are art, beer, chocolate and cycling. Then, there are also beautiful cities such as Brugge, Gent, Brussels, but the tourism strategy is based on consumable products.

Coming back to the Region of València, we can identify a number of products in which we have a clear advantage over other competitors: golf courses next to the Mediterranean sea; opera at the highest level of the world; a long history from Romans until our days; Mediterranean gastronomy; MICE destination ideal for events all the year long, etc. Those are only a few examples. We should focus on a few of them and start promoting them endlessly for years.

What is the luxury tourism and which are the benefits associated to it?

The concept of luxury tourism has evolved considerably over the past decades. Luxury tourism means impeccable service, confidence, genuine experiences rather than formalism or opulence. This kind of tourism is just perfect for any destination. It does not jam the city or the region and improves its economy.

València is not luxurious destination. It has a wide offer of hotels and quality services which together to the Mediterranean climate, makes of our territory an essential location to enjoy.

What kind of initiatives should be implemented in other to upgrade ‘Comunitat Valenciana’ brand?

València is a territory with many resources. The first action should be put into place is the implementation of a unique promotional strategy; all the entities working on tourism strategy must coordinate their strategies.

Then, the promotion by products is the most effective. The example of Basque country in Spain is very good: they focused on 3 products –gastronomy, MICE, and nature- and have gone from being irrelevant on tourism to become one of the strongest tourism destinations in Spain.

Have you developped synergies between your organisation and the board of tourism?

Absolutely yes. There is a better communication between us and the Administration.

The post Valencia is attracting premium tourists appeared first on Brussels Express.

If the eyes are the mirror to the soul, the festival of Les Falles could easily be considered the mirror to Valencia’s soul. Recently included in the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Valencia’s world-famous festival tackles this year’s celebration with batted breath, aware that it will be very much in the public eye all over the world. This is largely thanks to people like Jorge Guarro, a person so profoundly in love with his city and Les Falles, that he worked tirelessly for years to give it the recognition it deserves. Brussels Express sat down with Jorge Guarro, coordinator of the technical group of writers of the candidacy of Les Falles for its declaration as Intangible World Heritage by the UNESCO. 

Dates:  from March 15 until March 19, 2017.

Can you tell us about the history and origins of Les Falles?

It is really difficult to date exactly when the Falles Festival started to be celebrate as we know it now. There are stories or legends that say that in ancient times people celebrate the coming of the spring or summer by lighting bonfires. However, the written documents we have dates back to the 18th century and from them we can say that the fiesta has lot of similarities as how we celebrate it nowadays.  The origin is completely linked to a social group related to the different neighborhoods of Valencia; quite different of the mostly widespread romantical theory of being a festival related to the carpenters’ guild.

Les Falles, Valencia’s world-famous festival of art, fire, and music is, since December 2016, part of UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. What does this recognition mean to the city and the region of Valencia?

The UNESCO recognition has had a big effect on the Valencian people and especially to the falles members. First and foremost, the inscription of the Falles Festival in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has helped boost our self-esteem. Moreover, the recognition will make the city of Valencia and the Falles Festival much more visible and well-known mainly among different circles of culture and cultural events lovers. As a result of the international recognition of the Falles Festival there will be an increase in the number of people interested in the festivities.

When did you submit the festival for UNESCO recognition, and who were the main backers of this initiative?

The idea that the Falles could be declared Cultural World Heritage was first launched in January 2003 by the rector of the Polytechnic University of Valencia during his speech in the Homage of the Valencia Falles Queen for that year. It was not till 2009 when the Falla owned by the Polytechnic University took up the torch and started to follow the idea of preparing the way to get the inscription of the festival in the UNESCO’s Representative List of World Heritage. After several meetings in the headquarters of the Valencia Falles Festival Organizing Committee, the consent of the City Hall officials and the 380 Falles presidents approval, the long journey started.

How would you describe the journey between the initial contact with the UN and the final seal of approval in Addis Ababa two months ago?

As a famous song of British group The Beatles says, it has been a really long and winding road. From the end of 2009, when we started working on the UNESCO file, till November 2016, when the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage that took place in Addis Ababa approved the inscription of Les Falles, lots of ups and downs and delays in the stablished procedure to follow occurred..

The final file was presented by the Festivals and Folk Culture Counsellor of the Valencia City government to the Annual Meeting of the Council of Spanish Historical Heritage celebrated in Tarragona in March 2012. The candidacy of the Valencian Falles Festival was approved and elected by the Council to be the one who present Spain to the UNESCO for being approved in November 2013. Lots of changes happened to the procedures and finally with 3 years of delay the Falles festival was approved and inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Les Falles is a major tourist attraction, and yet it has stayed relatively unknown to tourists outside of Spain. What would you say is the most defining element of the festival?

Valencian people and specially the falleros always boast of their festival saying proudly that the Falles Festival is the best festival in the world and have the idea that everyone knows it, which is not true. Actually, the reality is quite another and as you said the Falles is one of the less known festivals amongst the big ones in Europe.

Valencians are fans of the Falles Festival because it is a festivity inherited from our ancestors which reflects universal values that must be. We love the values of citizen participation, sociability, the popularity and spontaneity, multiculturalism and social integration, the intergenerational transmission of technical knowledge, the intergenerational coexistence, etc. All those values come true in the Valencia Falles Festival. The Falles Festival did a lot in the maintenance and survival of our own language, the Valencian. Thanks to the Falles Festival, with its own satirical literature and unique publications that went on existing even though during Franco’s dictatorship when the use of Valencian language was officially prohibited. Traditional craftsmanship professions involved in the Festival, whose knowledge are transmitted from generation to generation in the workshops through the master-apprentice relationship. Tabal i dolçaina traditional music and the skills of how to play these typical musical instruments are transmitted across generations within the falles groups headquarters. The Falles Festival also involves other skills such as dance, theater, traditional sports, rituals and festive events, knowledge about traditional clothing, etc.

Some 1.5 million people attended the 2016 edition. This had an enormous economic impact on the city. What would you say are Les Falles most lasting  benefits in terms of culture, legacy and social integration?

The Falles Festival is probably considered the biggest outdoor ephemeral art exhibition in the world. Art and all kind of cultural activities are organized all over the year by the fallas groups.

Also Valencia is considered to have one of the more efficient social integration system for newcomers to the city. The importance of the huge social network formed by the fallas groups as well as all the social, solidarity, cultural, sportive or just leisure activities organized by them is the most effective way to help foreigners or newcomers to the city to integrate within the neighbourhood society.

When is Les Falles held?

March is the month when the falles are set in the streets of Valencia. The falles should be completely finished at 8 o’clock of March 16th and will remain for a public exhibition for 4 days until midnight of the 20th

However the fiesta happens all around the year. Falleros gather in the casals, the headquartes of the different groups, and there during the whole year lots of varied activities are done. From traditional music or traditional dancing classes, to sporting activities, from charity actions to theatre playing, from children poetry recitation classes to cultural or gastronomical excursions.

And last question: After a year of hard work building Les Falles, why do you burn them?

It is not a matter of why we burn Les Falles or why they are burnt every 19th of March. The Falles, from their origin, let’s say from the very beginning, even before the first idea in the fallas artist’s mind appear, even prior to start drawing on a paper the final burning is present. In the Valencian people collective unconscious fire is always present and everyone will answer the same, we burn the Falles because they were born to be burnt. That’s the end of thiskind of ephemeral art.

The post Festival Les Falles: a mirror of Valencia appeared first on Brussels Express.

William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice.

The Silk Road represents one the most effective tools of nonviolent diplomacy in mankind’s history, made all the more notable when we examine just how easily our civilsation has regressed to the sword.

The Silk Road is most famous as a network of trade routes connecting modern day China, India, Iran and Europe, but its role as a conduit for peaceful coexistence between these vastly different peoples and cultures is perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this ancient pathway. The Silk Road represents a robust history of trade, travel, exchange, globalization, an unprecedented transfer of knowledge, and an essential and exemplary history of hospitality.

The term “Silk Road” is a recent construction, given significance by the German geologist Ferdinand von Richthofen in the mid-nineteenth century. It refers to all the routes, both land and sea, along which silk and many other goods were exchanged between people from across the world. The well trodden land route and great trade winds of the Indian Ocean connected east and west in every conceivable way.

Nowadays, many historic buildings mark the remnants of the Silk Roads through caravanserais, ports and cities. Moreover, the long-standing and persistent legacy of this unique network is reflected in the distinct and interconnected cultures, languages, customs and religions that have developed over millennia along these routes.  Now more than ever, is the tremendous gravity of the cultural impact of the silk road coming into focus for both academic and touristic reasons.

Brussels Express sat down for an interview with José Maria Chiquillo, President of the International Network for the UNESCO’s Silk Roads Online Platform and an eminent Silk Road expert. Mr. Chiquillo,  an attorney by training and deputy in the Spanish Parliament by vocation, started his relationship with the Silk Road in his native Valencia, where public outcry over the College of High Skill Art falling into disrepair drew his interest. This building, dating from the 15th century, has hosted the Guild of Valencian Silk Weavers without pause from its creation into the present day. Inexplicably, such an historical gem was in ruins until a couple of years ago.  The commitment of Mr Chiquillo, Vicente Genovés –the president of the College of High Skill Art- concerned citizens and private entities –like the Hortensia Herrero Foundation, who paid for its restoration-, saved it from collapse.

In 1987, the UNESCO put into place the Integral Study of the Silk Road: Roads of Dialogue Program. What were its main objectives?

The main goal was to promote the study of the Silk as a transferor of experiences, ways of life, ideas and knowledge between the West and the East. The centre line is the Silk Road as the mechanism of contact between peoples and cultures. Since then, the UNWTO set up its own Silk Road Program and in 1994, the ministers for Tourism of the member countries of the Silk Road gathered in Uzbekistan with the aim of boosting the revival of these legendaries roads.

Culture and tourism. It seems the perfect combination. Is it as good as it sounds?

Absolutely. Actually, one of the objectives of this joint program created by the UNESCO and the UNWTO is to promote a certain tourism linked to the historical patrimony. More and more, tourists around the world choose their destinations on a cultural basis and associate leisure with culture.

València was included in the Silk Road maps in May 2015 after the approval of a resolution presented by you during the meeting of the UNESCO Silk Road Online Platform held in Xi’an. How did you convince your colleagues that Valencia should be part of the Silk Road platform?

Until that moment, all the maps of the Silk Road ended in Venice (Italy). That was something completely illogical. The main center for the trade of the silk in the Mediterranean area was precisely built in Valencia in the fourteenth century: la Lonja of the Silk (the Silk Exchange), which was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 1996. In the eighteenth century Valencia was the world capital of the silk. In fact, more than half of the inhabitants of the city at that time were directly or indirectly involved in the industry of the silk.

What does this new reality imply for the city?

It will give a great projection to the city. It will allow us to recover a forgotten path. València was a city where people and cultures mingled together, and this is a legacy that we cannot lose.

What is the main distinguishing feature of València in respect to the other cities alongside the Silk Road?

Each city and region has something special. For instance, Xi’an can claim to be the origin of the Silk Road; Uzbekistan, in the center of the route, is proud to be the heart of the road. And that is true, obviously. València is probably the unique city where the silk is plays a central role in the 21st century: in our main cultural expression –las Falles– the tradition of the silk is still alive, where more than 200.000 men and women wear the traditional clothes made in silk.

The post The Silk Road: a successful tale appeared first on Brussels Express.

What you may not know is that this city -founded by the Phoenicians nearly 3000 years ago- has become a cultural first-level world center. And it has certainly not been easy.

Surrounded by authentic marvels of the art and the history such as Cordoba, Granada and Seville – monumental and universal cities – Malaga has managed to gradually build its own account to become the cultural capital what it is today.

The winds of the Mediterranean Sea have brought to this beautiful valley of the south of the Iberian Peninsula to numerous peoples that, fascinated by the natural beauty of its surroundings, tried to settle in it. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Arabs bequeathed a part of their culture and spirit to this city that still today can be found among the alleys and buildings of its historical center, such as the Roman fountain recently discovered in the basement of the Palacio Villalón or the remains of the Phoenician walls found in the Palacio Buenavista.

Perhaps one of the most astonishing aspects of Malaga is the large number of first-level museums that have chosen this city to open a permanent home, among them we can emphasize the State Russian Museum Saint Petersburg – the only branch in Europe of this museum is located in Malaga- the Museum Carmen Thyssen, the Centre Pompidou, the Picasso Museum and the Contemporary Art Center of Malaga.

The first stop of our museum route is the State Russian Museum Saint Petersburg in Malaga. Located in the ancient Tabacalera factory buildings, it is one of the few museums that is not placed in the historical center of the city. It was inaugurated just two years ago and constitutes a true enclave of the Russian culture in Spanish territory. It has an annual collection and several temporary collections. Until next February 5, one of the temporary exhibitions is dedicated to the fascinating Russian artist Marc Chagall. From that moment on, a retrospective exhibition of Vasili Kansdinski accompanied by a project dedicated to the czarist dynasty of the Romanovs will arrive.

Back to the center of the city, the Picasso Museum is a sight not to be missed. The legacy of Pablo Picasso is enormous and the imprint he has left in the city of his birth is indelible. The city is proud of who is probably his most universal son and surely Picasso would have loved to live in the Malaga of today. The Picasso Museum is located in the Palacio Buenavista, a renaissance building with Mudejar elements. There are 233 works in this collection covering a wide range of styles and techniques he mastered.

The next stop on our museum route is the Carmen Thyssen Museum. The space chosen for this collection that covers the different genres of nineteenth-century Spanish painting, from Goya to Picasso, is the palace of Villalón. Next to this building is the Calle Mártires, which houses some exquisite 18th century murals.

And the last of the cultural centers that I would like to highlight of this visit to Malaga is the Centre Pompidou, located in the modern building of El Cubo, at the confluence of the Paseo de la Farola and Paseo de los Curas and the recently renovated Muelle  1 and Muelle 2 of the Port of Malaga. Opened its doors in 2015 and the aim of this Center is to offer to people a tour through reference works of the collection of the Centre Pompidou, and accompany it with a program of exhibitions and multidisciplinary experiences, as well as exhibitions and workshops.

The picture of this impressive and avant-garde cultural gathering just a few meters away of the water of the port reminds me the deep connection between the sea and the modernity that in Malaga is so clearly visualized.

At the Pompidou Centre it is advisable to come taking a stroll through the numerous narrow streets and squares that covers the city center. The streets of downtown have a melancholy air. The heart of Malaga’s old quarter is the Plaza de la Constitución. One of the sidewall of the square leads to Calle Marqués de Larios, one of the most important shopping-streets of the city and a direct route to the Port. In this point of the city, one realizes that Malaga has something intangible: style and class.

Taking the narrow street of Santa Maria comes out into the vicinity of the Cathedral de la Encarnación and from there can easily be reached the Roman Theater and the Alcazaba (citadel).

The gastronomy: cult and culture

The gastronomy of Malaga deserves a special remark. The city has more than 1,000 restaurants, which gives us an idea of ​​the importance that the gastronomy has for their people. In Malaga, gastronomy and art go hand in hand. Legumes, fish, vegetables, meats and fruits are the basis of the cuisine of Malaga, where olive oil –which has reached a very high level of quality in this land-, acts as the natural link between all these elements. Restaurants such as El Palmeral, El Trillo, El Pimpi or Los Patios de Beatas combine tradition and sophistication, and offer a selection of local wines that will make your lunch or your dinner an unforgettable experience.

Getting to Malaga from Brussels is just a breeze. Brussels Airlines and Ryanair take you to this lovely Mediterranean city in less than 3 hours on a daily basis.

The post Malaga, the Mediterranean Queen appeared first on Brussels Express.

I met Consol Castillo in València on a rainy December day, rare in a city that enjoys more than 320 days of sunshine a year. It is said that the Valencians, cheerful  and open people, fizzle out on rainy days. But the Mercat Central, where we are, is full overcrowd. Perhaps because it is considered the heart of the city, as Consol likes to repeat. València has just been selected as the World’s Food Capital in 2017. Consol greets us with a charming smile. She is so at ease moving around among the market stalls that could be easily mistaken for a market shopkeeper.

Why has been València selected to be the World’s Food Capital in 2017? 

Well, most probably for two reasons: firstly because València was one of the cities that signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact at the very beginning and secondly because the application we presented really talked about what we are. In other words, a city that has looked at agriculture as one of its greatest values since many centuries. In fact, our system of irrigation dates by the time when the Arabs were established in our territory. We are a city concerned about our Horta – an area of orchards that surrounds the city – which was about to succumb to the pressure of a predator urban policy. Finally, we are a city which its political proposal fully comply with the Milan Pact conditions.

And what would this election imply for the city?

The opportunity and the challenge of making these new policies happen in the near future. Now, with the support of the FAO and the commitment of all the social agents of the city, will be easier.

In October 2015, more than 100 large cities around the world signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. What are the commitments of the cities to join  the Milan Covenant?

To spread another food perspective for the municipalities, to implement local policies that consider food as part of a whole, like different methods of production, processing and distribution, waste management, environmental footprint, etc.  These new policies will help to move towards a more sustainable local food system, more diverse, healthy and diversified.

In this framework, what kind of activities will be carried out this year ? 

Rather than extraordinary activities to build an ad hoc scenario, the idea is to give a central role to all the actions that the City Council is working or had planned to work around the food system in order to encourage a sustainable diet, to promote social equity and equality, to promote local food production, to improve the food supply and its distribution and to reduce food waste.

Regardless of this, we will follow the annual meeting of the Covenant of Milan members, some specific activities will be organised in order to boost the strategies embodied in the Pact.

60% of world population live in cities. The way that cities are fed is essential to set the global food system. In Valencia, how and what do citizens consume?

Well, one of the main goals that we have set for this year is to carry out a diagnosis on how we eat, what we eat and to check its origin.  With the results of such analysis, we will be able to make reasonable proposals in order to improve our dietary pattern.

Which is the food model that you  want for your city?

We want to implement a healthy and sustainable model. A model that enables the countryside to become an economic engine; a model that allows to regenerate  our territory and a model that guarantees  the generational renewal of the people who work in the countryside.

You have stated yourself that  l’Horta “is not just an urban landscape but a productive sector”. In contrast, year after year the abandonment of the arable lands is steadily growing. What kind of actions is your Government taking to convert the agricultural sector into a productive one?

One of the first measures we are working on is the creation of a bank land addressed to people who cannot work the land because of their age but would like to cede it to people willing to work the orchard. Regarding the profitability, we want to guarantee the sale of their farm production, shortening the marketing channels so that the profits will remain in the hands of the farmers and raise awareness of the fact that a quality product has a different price that we will have to assume.

L’Horta of València has suffered an enormous urban pressure over the past years. How can be protected?

In fact, the current local government has already taken some political decisions with the aim of preserving the orchard. For instance,  the modification of the land-use plan approved by the previous government. Simultaneously, the regional government has implemented an special plan to limit the urban growth. In addition, the so-called L’Horta Law will promote the rural environment and the agricultural activities with the objective of restoring our oldest productive sector.

—

Consol Castillo is graduated in Contemporary History, Teacher of Valencian language for 21 years. She was elected as a member of València City Council in 2011 by the political coalition Compromís, on behalf of the nationalist party Bloc Nacionalista Valencià. In 2015, she was elected again councillor of the city. Nowadays, she is  the head of the Department of Social Welfare and Agriculture.

The post Valencia, World Food Capital in 2017 appeared first on Brussels Express.

It has been given the nickname “the Valencian Sistine Chapel” thanks to a Gianluigi Colalucci comment, renowned international expert and chief restorer of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, who baptised the frescoes in the church of Saint Nicholas in Valencia as worthy counterparts of Michelangelo’s Vatican masterpiece.

Located and half-hidden in the center of Valencia, far from the bustle of the central Caballeros street, where a narrow passage gives access to the temple, the 15th-Century-Gothic church and Baroque decoration enjoys a new life thanks to an enormous complete restoration, both pictorial and ornamental and architectural, which lasted nearly four years.

Dazzle and impress. The frescoes in the church of Saint Nicholas are displayed over an irregular surface of 1,904 square meters of vaults, nerves and columns -in front of 800 square meters of the most famous chapel of the Vatican Basilica -where Valencian artist Dionís Vidal (Valencia 1670- Tortosa 1719) implemented the design conceived by the prestigious painter Antonio Palomino, his mentor.

The frescoes have a strong narrative character, as was customary in the counter-Reformist 17th-Century in Spain. The nave is conceptually divided into two parts: one half narrates the life and miracles of Saint Nicholas who alleviated the poverty of a father and the prostitution of his three daughters, giving them anonymous gifts; this event is the origin of the myth of Santa Claus. The other half of the nave tells the story of Saint Peter Martyr.

As the restoration was developing, new surprises appeared. A painting of a woman representing Ecclesia Mater which had been hidden for centuries was also restored. Other discoveries have been a self-portrait of Vidal along with his master in the gable end wall, where he painted the evangelists Saint Lucas and Saint Marcos.

At a cost of 4.7 million Euros funded entirely by the private Foundation Hortensia Herrero, the Restoration Institute of the Universitat Politècnia de València interdisciplinary team led by professor and researcher Pilar Roig has used more than 6,000 sheets of paper for fixing paints, 10,000 liters of distilled water, 100 kilos of cotton and 500 brushes and has invested more than 41,400 hours of work that have enabled reversing the severe deterioration suffered by these paintings due to degradation of roofs and windows of the nave.

The building enters now the phase of preventive conservation or monitoring to ensure the sustainability of the project, such as thermal probes and automated opening windows for ventilation of the nave. The restoration was presented in early February and has already received more than 20,000 visits during that month, with peaks up to 2,000 visitors per day.

If the face is the mirror of the soul, the church of Saint Nicholas could easily be the mirror of Valencia’s soul.

Considered by many intellectuals as an Italy graft in the Iberian Peninsula –the Renaissance enters into Spain through Valencia- the country of Valencians requires a slow learning. One will never end up fully understanding it, as is the case of almost all Italian regions.

Mediterranean, festive, bustling, Valencia struggles to overcome the darkest years of its recent history. The engine of the Spanish rampant economy in the first decade of 2000, the region of Valencia has evolved into a caricature of itself and a symbol of some of the major excesses that characterized the Spanish crisis in recent years. A controversial vision, unfair and abusive, despite it contains elements of truth.

The primitive austere building of Saint Nicholas parish, built in the 13th Century, was reconverted into a Gothic style church and ornately decorated at the initiative of Borja family (Italianised Borgia). This happened in the 15th Century, at the time of Valencia’s greatest splendor; in the Century of the First Globalization Pope’s -the Valencian Alexander VI- who divided the World into two oceanic areas of influence (Treaty of Tordesillas between Castile and Portugal). Over time, the Gothic evolved into Baroque in a new twist.

Cheerful, festive, irreverent, in the “leaden years” of the Cold War, the Soviet Union bought more than 6 million kilos of Valencia oranges in 1950 (4.7 millions East Germany, 4 million Czechoslovakia, 1 million Poland, etc.). Valencians were nearly the only Westerners, together with the Italians and their Fiats, who managed to pierce the iron curtain with a cargo of oranges on their shoulders. Valencia, Italian city.

Many miracles are attributed to Saint Nicholas, known as Saint Nicholas of Myra in the East (on account of his place of death) and as Saint Nicholas of Bari in the Western nations (on account where his mortal remains can be found to this day). His figure is remarkable in the Christian world because has given rise to the myth of Santa Claus. In the Italian city of Bari exists a widespread popular devotion to him, as do in Valencia. Parishioners will continue praying but under more luster.

Valencia is rediscovering its place on the world in the midst of a tremendous economic, social and political turmoil. The final result of Saint Nicholas Church restoration’s made Valencians feel proud and contributed to return a bit of their self-esteem lost in recent years. It seems Valencia has initiated a reverse path, more Gothic and less Baroque. Perhaps Valencians learnt the lesson. Or perhaps Saint Nicholas is acting again.

The post The Valencian Sistine Chapel appeared first on Brussels Express.