Algerian Week
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the independence of Algeria and the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Spain and Algeria, Casa Árabe reserves a week to that country, from October 25th to 30th, in Madrid. The program includes an entrepreneurial summit, a speech, a book launching, an exhibition, cinema and a concert.
October 18, 2012
THURSDAY OCTOBER 25th. OPENING SPEECH AND EXHIBITION
The weeklong activity program started on Thursday October 25th at 19.30. The Ambassador of Algeria to Spain, Mohammed Haneche, and Director General of Casa Árabe, Eduardo López Busquets, gave the opening speech titled Algeria, 50 Years of Independence (1962-2012): Accomplishments and Challenges.
The speech took place at Casa Árabe’s Auditorium (c/ Alcalá, 62).
Afterwards, at 20.30, the exhibition "Emir Abd el-Kader: a Man, a Destiny, a Message" was inaugurated. The vital itineraries of the founder of the Algerian modern State are described through texts and illustrations which bear witness of the extraordinary figure he was. Emir Abd el-Kader (1808-1883) contributed with his thought and actions to the understanding between Christians and Muslims, and he defended the complementariness of Orient and Western. The exhibition has been organized by Geneviève Simon-Khedis and has already visited several Arab countries, Europe and America.
The exhibition will be opened until November 11th in the Column Hall at Casa Árabe.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 26th. CINEMA: "EL GUSTO"
A day later, on Friday October 26th, the screening of the film El Gusto, by Safinez Bousbia (Algeria, Ireland and United Arab Emirates, 2011). The good mood is a characteristic from the Algerian popular music, Chaabi, created mid-twenties in the heart of the Algerian kasba by the great musician of the time, El Anka. Through the mythical orchestra El Gusto, the Algerian Buena Vista Social Club which meets again fifty years later, we travel through the cultural and political history of the country. The film was part of the season "Connected to the amplifier. Music, youth and transitions", screened at Casa Árabe this autumn.
The screening will be in original version with subtitles in Spanish and it will take place at Casa Árabe’s Auditorium. Ticket: €4. For advanced sell of tickets click here.
MONDAY OCTOBER 29TH. SPANISH- ALGERIAN ECONOMIC FORUM and CONCERT
On Monday October 29th, the Spanish-Algerian Economic Forum: Investment Opportunities in Algeria starts. On the event of the visit to Spain of the Algerian Minister of Industry, SMEs and Investment Promotion, Cherif Rahmani, and an Algerian delegation of institutions and public and private operators they met with Spanish counterparts to examine investment and entrepreneurial cooperation opportunities offered by the economic reforms and the new incentives to investment in the country. Mutual interest sectors will be analyzed and those with high growth expectations, such as renewable energies, infrastructures and public works, transport and logistics.
The forum is organized in collaboration with Casa Árabe, the Embassy of Algeria in Spain, the CEOE and the ICEX. It lasted from 9.00 to 14.00 and took place at Caixa Fórum (Paseo del Prado, 36). Entrance was free but prior registration was needed.
That very same afternoon there was a concert by the Algerian group El Refda, founded in 2009 and whose aim was to set a new trend on the Algerian popular chaâbi music, both regarding composition and musical arrangements. Formed by eight musicians, men and women, El Refda composes songs out of popular tunes which are played with guitar, banjo, bendir, tar, violin and keyboards.
The performance took place at 19.00 in the venue of the Conde Duque Cultural Centre (c/ Conde Duque, 9-11) and entrance is free, limited to space availability.
TUESDAY OCTOBER 30th. SPEECH AND LITTERARY LAUNCHING
The Algerian Week will be closed on Tuesday October 30th with a speech and the launching of the book "Relaciones hispano-argelinas: Contexto histórico, desafíos y proyectos comunes" [Spanish-Algerian Relations: Historical Context, Challenges and Shared Projects], by Antonio Marquina Barrio.
The launching of the book took place at 20.00 in Casa Árabe’s Auditorium, and the event included a speech by its author, professor of Security and Cooperation in International Relations at the Complutense University of Madrid. During the intervention Amed Abiayad, professor at the University of Oran, took also part, mentioning the Hispanic studies history in Algeria.
