The series of events -created by Laura Perez Medina Mora- that brings select British audiences´ senses closer to some of Mexico´s finest contemporary cultural products has scored another success. On this occasion, Chef Enrique Olvera captivated guests´ taste buds with a menu that revitalized some of Mexico´s best culinary traditions with an assortment of highly innovative dishes. The event took place at the Oficial Residence and kicked off with a public talk conversation between Chef Olvera and food critic Tom Parker Bowls. In said discussion, the audience was able to learn that the rich diversity of Mexico´s culinary traditions rests on five basic ingredients that grow from the earth; however, Olvera also pointed out that these traditions must be preserved through creativity, as opposed to be treated like objects in a museum.

Enrique Olvera is the Chef at Pujol, the Mexican restaurant that was named one of the best 50 restaurants in the world by the San Pellegrino list. British guests expressed their surprise to discover the wide ranging diversity that true Mexican cuisine has to offer and, of course, they were also amazed by Olvera´s talents.

On the night of the 15th of September, in front of a 500 strong crowd made out of nationals from Mexico, the United Kingdom and many other countries, Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora presided the traditional ceremony known as “the cry of Independence”, in commemoration of the 201st anniversary of said heroic deed.  The event took place in Hammersmith Hall, located in south London.

In commemoration of the 201st anniversary of Mexico’s struggle for independence, the Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom hosted a reception on the 15th of September, attended by distinguished British government officials, representatives from various diplomatic missions acknowledged by the Court of Saint James as well as other highly recognized guests, such as Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes.

The Ambassador of Mexico in the United Kingdom, Eduardo Medina Mora, gave a brief speech in which he acknowledged the hard times that the world is going through, yet reminded his audience that Mexico’s current economic strength was forged out of precisely similar circumstances. Moreover, he praised the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United Kingdom while pointing out that “in the 21st century, independence is spelled ‘cooperation’”.

Mexico´s beach volleyball team, integrated by Bibiana Candelas and Mayra García, took part in the VISA FIVB Beach Vollyeball International. Both players, who have previous olympic experience, gave a very strong performance, proved by the fact that they reached the semifinals leg after defeating Brazil, China and the USA. 

The tournament is part of a series of preparatory events taking place in London anticipating the upcoming 2012 Olympics, one which proved to be a good sample of our atheletes' talent and the warm support they will recieve next summer.

For more information pelase visit http://www.londonpreparesseries.com/beachvolleyball

After months of intensive training, the Mexican swimmer Mariel Hawley successfully crossed the 33km stretch of the English Channel. As Ambassador Medina Mora noted during his meeting with Hawley; the crossing is an achievement in itself, but it is even more admirable due to its ultimate goal- to raise support for underprivileged Mexican children with hare lips and cleft palates.

In addition, this is the second time that Hawley has successfully made this effort for the same cause. Her spirit marks her out as a shining example of Mexican perseverance and generosity.

In recognition of his many contributions to the world of culture throughout his long career, the University of Essex awarded Minister Durán an honorary degree.  Minister Durán worked with great dedication to promote Mexican art and culture in the United Kingdom, thereby strengthening the relationship between the two countries.

The Ambassador of Mexico to the United Kingdom, Eduardo Medina Mora, together with the Head of Promexico in the UK, Jose Neif visited the firm “Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL)” on 27 July. This visit took place within the framework of activities promoted by the UK branch of the Mexican Talent Network with British centres of research and development.

SSTL was established in 1985 with the aim of linking the scientific knowledge generated in the University of Surrey to the practical and commercial spheres. It is a company with more than 25 years of experience in the research, technological development and manufacture of satellites. In only two and a half decades SSTL has become an important operational and commercial provider of satellite technology at the international level. SSTL has launched 34 small satellites into space and has another 13 under construction.

A delegation of six legislators from a range of political parties, equally representing both Chambers of the Mexican Legislature, held a meeting in London with British Members of Parliament as part of an official visit lasting from 11 to 15 July. The visit’s programme also included several meetings with British Government officials which touched upon issues such as trade, climate change and human rights.

Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora took part in the book launch of Diego Rivera: The Complete Murals, published by TASCHEN, at the publishers shop located in Duke of York Square.

The event –organized by TASCHEN, Pallant House Gallery and GAM- was part of a series of parallel activities to the exhibition Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Masterpieces from the Gelman Collection, which is taking place at Pallant House Gallery.

Diego Rivera: The Complete Murals is the most complete compilation of the Mexican artist´s work and showcases a wide selection of his paintings and drawings as well as pictures, documents and  related to him that belong to both private and public collections around the world.

The Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom invites you to the exhibition “Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Masterpieces from the Gelman Collection” which will run from 9 July to 2 October 2011 in Chichester.

Kahlo and Rivera are Mexico’s two most famous artists, and have obtained international mythological status. The exhibition currently open at Pallant House is the first to bring together works by both artists in the UK and has also toured the cities of Istanbul and Dublin.

For further information click here 

The Electoral Councillor of the Federal Electoral Institute, Dr. Francisco Guerrero Aguirre, made an official visit to the United Kingdom to inform the Mexican community about the process through which Mexicans resident abroad can exercise their right to vote in the next federal elections in 2012.

During his visit, Guerrero met with members of the UK Mexican community, officials from the Embassy of Mexico and the media.

For further information click here 

The ninth annual Symposium of Mexican Students in the United Kingdom was held on the 9 July at the University of Essex. In his welcoming address, the Director of the University’s Institute for Democracy and Conflict Resolution, Professor Todd Landman, mentioned the important links between the University of Essex and Mexico. Following Professor Landman’s address, Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora inaugurated the symposium with a conference on “Mexico’s Current Circumstances and Challenges” in which he highlighted the economic stability which Mexico has achieved.

In order to further develop Mexico’s ties with the United Kingdom, Patricia Espinosa, the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs, made an official visit to London. During her stay Secretary Espinosa held talks with her British counterpart, Sir William Hague and the Minister of Energy and Climate Change, Sir Chris Huhne. She also delivered a keynote speech at the invitation of the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

Due to public interest in Mexico’s fight with organised crime, we refer concerned readers to President Calderón’s first speech (in spanish) to the Movement for Peace delivered during the dialogue which he held with representatives from this group on June 23 2011 in Mexico City.

Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora –alongside the Head of ProMexico, the governmental office in charge of promoting Mexican businesses abroad- took part in the inauguration of the Mexican Chamber of Commerce (MCC). The MCC will be providing a wide range of services to promote new opportunities, build a strong business network and maintain its members and stakeholders informed on relevant commercial and social aspects and opportunities in both Great Britain and Mexico.

The Ambassador of Mexico to the United Kingdom, Eduardo Medina Mora, participated in “Mexico, what it takes to succeed?” a conference that took place at prestigious CASS Business School. In front of a large audience, made out of executives from the City and students of diverse subjects, Ambassador Medina Mora offered an economic overview that gave a commercial insight about Mexico for prospective investors. In said event, Yves Hayaux du Tilly, a Mexican lawyer, explained the multiple legal mechanisms that Mexico has put in place, in order to protect and encourage foreign investment. After a question on the subject by a correspondent for Reforma, a Mexican newspaper, Ambassador Medina Mora explained that the fight against organized crime that Mexico is going through is a consequence of the weakness of institutions in charge of rendering justice and security that Mexico lived with for decades. He also pointed out that the model behind the violent events that occur in certain parts of the country –which are fed by arms trafficking from the U.S. to Mexico- is that of a distribution curve, one which is now reaching its peak and, consequently, will begin to decline, something which will happen before the most intense period of said fight ends. Finally, Ambassador Medina Mora mentioned that this effort, which seeks to recover peace and tranquility for Mexicans in their communities, strengthen institutions, and guarantee the rule of law, will approximately take a generation to be completed.

For your interest, the Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom has published a bulletin concerning the new reform of the Mexican Constitution. The alterations will integrate the human rights protected by international treaties ratified by Mexico into the national constitution itself. This is one of the most important constitutional reforms of recent times, and it is for this reason that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has produced the bulletin which the Embassy is making available.

Click here to read the bulletin.

For the second time this year, the Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom presented “Mexico Through Your Senses” on the 8th June at the Official Residence, a series of events that seeks to project a hint of our country’s profuse sensorial richness through its varied cultural expressions. Headed by Laura Pérez Medina Mora, wife to Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora, this second edition centered on music as its main theme, an art which is deeply entwined with Mexico’s personality –as Mrs.Pérez Medina Mora pointed out in her speech. Mexican tenor, Jesús León, accompanied by the British pianist, Jeremy Cooke, performed a repertoire of Mexican songs for the occasion. The quality of his execution was such, that the guests asked him to serenade them during the cocktail that took place after the concert, which at times became an actual dance fest.

Read Mrs.Pérez Medina Mora speech here.

Mexican and British citizens of all ages have sent us letters and emails with the intention of enhancing mutual knowledge between both countries. This Embassy greatly appreciates these communications and would like to bring them to your attention.

In order to participate send your letters to the following address:

Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom
16 St. George Street
London
W1S 1FD

Or send us an email:

mexuk@sre.gob.mx

On 7th June Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora held a brunch at his official residence to celebrate the inauguration of the Second Latin American Art Fair PINTA in London. The meeting was attended by the distinguished Eminent Ambassador of Mexico Andrés Rozental, PINTA’s President Alejandro Zaia and its Directors Diego Costa and Mauro Herlitzka. The Ambassador and his guests enjoyed a traditional Mexican breakfast and had the opportunity to view together Works by some of the artists which participated in the exhibition.

The Embassy of Mexico in The United Kingdom is pleased to invite you to the Second Edition of the International Latin American Art Fair.

PINTA

Highlight includes Solo Projects section curated by the London-based Mexican Pablo León de la Barra, where selected galleries showcase interesting works from contemporary Latin American artists.

Mexican artist Felipe Ehrenberg is one of the special guests and the art pieces of Alejandro Pintado and Pablo Vargas will also further in the event.

Art Show PINTA will take place from 6-9 June 2011 in London.

Earls Court Exhibition Center
Warwick Road, Earls Court
London SW5 9TA

On 28th May, Dr Luis Rubio, the Head of the Centre of Research for Development, gave a conference as part of the programme of the 2011 Hay-on-Wye Festival. Rubio addressed Mexico’s political, economic and social circumstances, placing a special emphasis on the role of Mexico’s middle classes.

To download the speech, click here.

BOOK LAUNCH AT THE INSTITUTO CERVANTES
The Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom, in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes in London invite you to the book launch of “Mexico knows Mexico”, an anthology of the 50 most important Mexican writers of the 20th Century. Join us in attending conferences by Mexican writer Ana Clavel, Concepción Zayas and Angelica Muñiz-Huberman in which they will explore the diverse and rich Mexican literary landscape.

Date and time: 19^th of May, 18:30

Place: Instituto Cervantes  / Auditorium
102 Eaton Square
SW1W 9AN Londres

For further information click here 

Mrs Laura Pérez de Medina Mora, wife of Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora, coordinated Mexico’s participation in the 52^nd Spring Fair. The event was organised by the charity CFAB (Protecting Children and United Families Across Borders).

Princess Alexandra of the British Royal Family was present in her capacity as the charity’s patron.

The Embassy of Mexico invites the public to participate in the seminar on Modern Literature at King's College London. The speakers also include Professor John King from the University of Warwick and Gerald Martin from the University of Pitrsburgh.

Wednesday 18 May 2011

18:30-20:00

Anatomy Theatre & Museum,

6th Floor, Strand Campus,

King's College London,

London WC2R 2LS

For further information click here

After the success of 2006, the Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom was pleased to again present the Kantorei Cedros choir of the Panamerican High School. The choir is composed of 35 Mexican youngsters between the ages of 8- 20.

The concert at St Gabriel’s Church in London on 6^th May marked the end of the group’s European tour and included a broad range of Mexican songs.

For further information click here

Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora took part in a seminar organized by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, titled "Drug Control and Related Security Implications". In the meeting, a series of specialists from both governmental and nongovernmental backgrounds debated on the best approach to drug securitization. In addition to this, organized crime was another issue that was thoroughly discussed, in terms of the threat it poses to the international community in an ever more globalized world. Ambassador Medina Mora gave a conference during the third session of the event, which centered around the viability of reform in regards to drug control.

On behalf of the Government of Mexico, Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora recognised the career of Neil MacGregor by conferring on him the Order of the Aztec Eagle. MacGregor has distinguished himself by his brilliant and sustained contribution to the study and promotion of Mexican culture in the United Kingdom.

The Ambassador of Mexico in the United Kingdom, Eduardo Medina Mora, attended a meeting –alongside his wife, Laura de Medina Mora- with several prominent academics from the University of Cambridge that have shown a particular interest in Mexico throughout their careers.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's visit to Mexico reflects the excellent state of relations between Mexico and the United Kingdom. This relationship is based on shared values such as democracy, the rule of law, the promotion of economic growth and prosperity, the fight against organized crime and climate change, as well as the recognition of the links between development, peace, security and human rights.
Today's visit, like President Felipe Calderón's state visit to the UK in 2009, is a valuable opportunity to boost cooperation and build a partnership based on a wider range of issues.

With the aim of acquainting British senses with contemporary Mexican culture, the first of a series of events titled “Mexico Through Your Senses” was held yesterday at the Residence of the Mexican Ambassador in London. “Mexico Through Your Senses” is the brainchild of the Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom and is coordinated by Laura Perez de Medina Mora, wife of Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora.

Press Release

The Embassy of Mexico held a reception at Ambassador´s Residence to commemorate Mexico’s Armed Forces Day, presided over by Minister Alejandro Estivill and the embassy’s military attaché Brigadier General José Luis Valdés Chavez, on behalf of Ambassador Medina Mora. The event was attended by the military attaches of embassies from Europe, North America, Latin America as well as the High Commissioner of Australia and Trinidad and Tobago. Officials from the British Ministry of Defence were also present.

The 106th session of the London-based Council of the International Coffee Organization began on 28th March.
The Mexican Government, through the Undersecretary of Agriculture Mariano Ruíz Funes, used the event to present the candidacy of Mr Rodolfo Trampe Taubert for the position of Executive Director of the ICO for the period 2011-2016. Mr Taubert is currently the Executive Coordinator of the Mexican Coffee Association.

Website: www.mexico-candidatooic.org

The Minister for Public Education, Alonso Lujambio Irazábal made an official visit to London from 22nd to 24th March.
The Minister’s programme of activities was coordinated by the British Council and included meetings with representatives of British educational institutions with the aim of identifying areas for bilateral cooperation. In a similar vein, Minister Lujambio met with officials from the British Council and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Skills to discuss training programmes for Mexican teachers in the teaching of English in primary schools. Also on the agenda was the development of links between Mexico’s higher education system and its economy. In addition, Minister Lujambio met with representatives from the University of London’s Institute of Education to evaluate the progress of the Project for National Curriculum Standards in Basic Education in Mexico. 

As part of the LSE’s Mexico Week, Mexico’s Finance Minister Ernesto Cordero gave a very informative speech on Mexico’s Economic Prospects for 2011.

Download the SHCP communiqué about the conference (require hipervínculo al comunicado)

Download Minister Cordero’s presentation (require hipervínculo a la presentación)

On Monday 21st March, the Ambassador of Mexico in the United Kingdom, Eduardo Medina Mora, inaugurated Mexico Week at the LSE. The Ambassador addressed a large audience largely composed of undergraduate and postgraduate students of many nationalities. Also in attendance were: Howard Davies, Director of the LSE; Ernesto Cordero, Mexico’s Finance Minister and George Philip, Professor of Latin American Studies at the LSE.

The Ambassador of Mexico in the United Kingdom Eduardo Medina Mora, gave the introductory address at the second plenary session of the Conference “Prospects for Mexico”. The conference was organised by the Ditchley Foundation and took place in Oxfordshire between the 3rd and 5th of March.

Doctor Gonzalo Canseco, the Coordinator of the Advisors to the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Patricia Espinosa, as well as other Mexicans also spoke at the conference. Participants of the event included distinguished figures from many countries in the fields of public service, academia, and journalism.

A group of 15 young Mexicans and Britons held a demonstration outside of the embassy on 18/02/11 to protest against the violence in Mexico. The event was well-natured and the protesters were received by Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora a few minutes after they began their demonstration. The students, mostly from the University of Central London, expressed their concerns for the violence of organised crime in Mexico as well as for the role of the armed forces in countering it.

On 16th March the Ambassador of Mexico to the United Kingdom, Eduardo Medina Mora visited Manchester to inspect the city’s urban renewal project. The Ambassador was received by the Lord Mayor of Manchester Mark Hackett.

Ambassador Medina Mora also met with members of the city’s cabinet including: Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive of the Council of Manchester; Robert Hough, Chairman of the Northwest Regional Development Agency and Eddie Smith, Chief Executive of New East Manchester Ltd. Together with other officials, they explained the difficulties involved in the renewal and transformation of the city.

During his mid-January meeting with Mexican ambassadors and Consuls, President Felipe Calderón discussed the major challenges that Mexico faces as well as the progress it has made in solving them.

“We are making a real effort in issues which concern all of humanity such as facing and overcoming climate change” affirmed the President. He also reminded his audience that Mexico has a bright future thanks to its strong economy which presents the conditions for economic take-off.

From January 19th to April 25th, 2011

Inventive Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco will hold his first retrospective exhibition at Tate Modern. Orozco earned his reputation as one of the leading contemporary artists by experimenting with video, drawings, photography and sculpture. He is renowned for his endless experimenting with everyday objects, which he subtly alters.   

The exhibition is sponsored by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in association with Tate Modern, Fundación Televisa, the National Council for Culture and Arts “CONACULTA” and the Mexican Embassy to the UK, among other. Gabriel Orozco will show some of his uniques sculptures, a skull with a geometric pattern carefully drawn onto it, a classic Citroën DS car, a scroll filled with numbers cut out of a phone book. Some of his photos are also on display, capturing the beauty of fleeting moments showing Orozco’s eye for simple but surprising and powerful images.

The Mexican Embassy in London acknowledges the public apology issued by the BBC for the anti-Mexican remarks made by the presenters of "Top Gear" on the 30th of January 2011. Last Friday the Embassy received a letter of apology addressed to Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora.
 
The Embassy is also aware of the public statements made by presenters Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson. Hammond declared: “I am really sorry if I've offended anyone”. Clarkson said that he “apologies unreservedly to Mexico and its people”. This Embassy will continue to monitor references to Mexico in the British media and act to protect Mexico’s image in the United Kingdom.

Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora yesterday sent a letter of complaint to the offices of the BBC to express his outrage over the anti- Mexican remarks made by the presenters of the popular programme “Top Gear” broadcast on BBC2. The three presenters, intending to discredit the Mexican-made sports car “Mastretta”, resorted to degrading and xenophobic language in their ridicule of the Mexican people, their culture, as well as Mexico’s representative in the United Kingdom.

Download the transcript of the remarks made on “Top Gear” (PDF in English)

Link to BBC iPkayer where the entire episode can be viewed (by UK residents only). The comments start from 17:50

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00yb5jr/Top_Gear_Series_16_Episode_2/

From January 14th to February 11th, 2011
Victoria Tower Gardens
Milbank, London W1
FREE ENTRANCE

Mexican artist Rivelino has come to London to show Nuestros Silencios a monumental exhibit that has already traveled to five European cities. This exhibition, made out of ten bronze sculptures, invites us to reflect about all the things we keep in silence every day, in a society where freedom of speech is a fundamental right. The visual impact of this exhibition invites the audience to also crate a space of conscience.

Four outstanding Latin-American novelists shared their vision about contemporary literature in Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. This rich conversation was held at Emmanuel College, the “Cathedral of Latin American literature” according to Carlos Fuentes.

Professor Steven Boldy from Emmanuel College was the host in collaboration with ACALASP, “Association of Cultural Attachés of Latin America, Spain and Portugal”.

Carlos Franz, from Chile, Juan Gabriel Vásquez, from Colombia, Jordi Soler, from Mexico, and Santiago Roncagliolo, from Peru, exchanged in an outspoken manner their opinions about their work and the directions in which Latin American literature is currently moving.

Next Tuesday 26, October 2010,Poet  Ernesto Priego will present his new book The Present Day at the Beeston International Poetry Festival in Nottingham.He is the only Spanish speaking participant in this prestigious event The work includes several poems in English and Spanish that propose a dialogue between many poets including Octavio Paz's Labyrinth of Solitude. more information...

AMBASSADOR ADDRESSES THE ENGLISH SPEAKING UNION DURING ITS OCTOBER INTERNATIONAL AT HOME MEETING See more...

Morgan Szymanski who has featured artist on the cover of Classical Guitar Magazine and was a finalist in the '2008 Oustanding Young Artist Award", will for the first time perform at Canning House. The guitarist will present themes from composers such as, Mauro Iguliani, Manuel M. Ponce, Paulo Bellinati and Astor Piazzolla. More information..

This coming 17 November, the Embassy of Mexico and the British Academy will host a seminar on the Mexican Revolution through cultural and historical perspectives. Entry is free. To attend please fill the registration form  .

This coming 17 November, the Embassy of Mexico and the British Academy will host the seminar The Mexican Revolution 1910-2010: Historical and Cultural Perspectives, which will be dedicated to the memory of the late Mexican writer Carlos Monsiváis.

Opening on 19 June at Chichister’s Pallant House Gallery, this exhibition celebrates the life, work and friendship of three iconic women in the history of Mexican art: Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo and Kati Horna. The exhibit shows extraordinary works by these unique artists and photographer who all met in Mexico City in 1943 after fleeing war in Europe. The Mexico experience made them live exceptional lives in the country’s artistic circles.

The British Library celebrates the Latin American Bicentenary of Independence with the extraordinary exhibition Viva la Libertad!

Discover the history of Spanish America's road to independence, which has been marked by several forms of revolutions, the most important being the struggle for political emancipation from Spain and Portugal that began in 1810.

From 27 May to 27 June The Freud Museum in collaboration with the Mexican Embassy in the UK present Divan: Free-Floating Attention Piece, a site specific project by Mexican artist Santiago Borja. Taking as a starting point an iconic piece of furniture in the museum, Sigmund Freud’s couch, Borja proposes an intervention to encourage new readings of Freud’s work in relation to non-European cultures.

On Saturday 22 May 2010, London Business School will host its 5th annual Latin America Business Forum. Global Business leaders , prominent political figures, leading faculty, financiers, entrepreneurs and students, will convene at the forum to discuss the realities of doing business in or with Latin America.

www.londonlatamforum.com

On the 27th of April 2010 in London’s Purcell Room, Machaca will launch their much awaited new album ‘Los Ambulantes’! A musical feast of works by Villa-Lobos, Piazzolla, Lauro, Machado, Iannarelli, Cardoso and the world premiere of a new work by Stephen McNeff especially written for Machaca!

Described as ‘a jewel’ by Gramophone Magazine, Machaca’s first album, ‘Mano a mano’ was released during La Linea 2007. La Linea 2010 is proud to host the launch of their much awaited sequel.  Led by Mexican guitarist Morgan Szymanski, Machaca consists of the UK’s finest young classical musicians including ODuo (percussion), Gemma Rosefield (cello), Lizzie Ball (violin), Phuong Nguyen (accordion) and Al Mobbs (bass). They will be joined by guests including Galo Cerón (guitar + cuatro) and rising star Adam Walker (flute).

For tickets and more information please visit:
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
www.comono.co.uk
www.morganszymanski.co.uk

Viva El Mariachi! is taking place on Mon 26 Apr, as part of La Linea: The London Latin Music Festival.

Featuring Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlán – an all-female mariachi super band flying directly from Mexico for this show – and Mariachi El Bronx, the mariachi side project of Los Angeles hardcore punk band The Bronx. Their debut album El Bronx was made available worldwide on August 17, 2009. With a number of special guests yet to be announced for this one-off extravaganza, this is one fiesta you won’t want to miss!

Tickets can be purchased using these links:
http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=10122
www.comono.co.uk/lalinea

Thursday 25 March, 6.30pm
in Spanish with simultaneous translation
Participants: Dr. Francisco Moreno, Academic Director of the Instituto Cervantes and Dr. Rosina Márquez Reiter, Senior Lecture in Spanish at the University of Surrey.

Venue: Instituto Cervantes
102 Eaton Square, London, SW1W 9AN
http://londres.cervantes.es
www.acalasp.org.uk

On 22 January the Mexican naval vessel Papaloapan left for Haiti with more than 1,700 tonnes of medicines, water, food and other emergency equipment.  As well, doctors, engineers and naval officials were on board and will participate in rescue and reconstruction. The Papaloapan will join her sister ship El Huasteco which arrived in Haiti on 20 January with a 170 tonnes of supplies. President Felipe Calderon recognizes the valuable assistance provided by the Mexican search and rescue team known as Grupo Topos who helped save lives in Haiti. Mexican government has donated $8 million to the UN and as sent Air Force planes to Haiti carrying experts in damage assessment.

Luz y Fuerza del Centro faced an unsustainable financial situation. During the last nine years, due to its disability to generate its own earnings and reduce its financial costs, the annual subsidies that it received quadruplicated, reaching this year 42 thousand million pesos. The operation of this Organism is inefficient and of low productivity. The electric service provided to homes and industries in the country’s center region was deficient, which limited the development of productive investments that generate employment in this region.

Mexico has a vast range of festivals, several commemorating national events but mostly religious or spiritual in inspiration. After the Spanish Conquest of 1521, Roman Catholic teachings fused with the beliefs of native civilizations, and even today the popular arts and crafts draw upon the Church as a rich source of imagery. Fiestas are often lavish and extremely costly. With extensive preparations, they commemorate local saints’ days and religious holidays such as Christmas, Carnival and Holy Week.

As part of the Mexican Season, from 2 October and until 19 December, the renowned David Roberts Art Foundation in London will host the exhibition Sculpture of the Space Age inspired in the fictional exhibition mentioned by J.G. Ballard in his short story The Object of the Attack published in 1984.

The exhibition curated by Raimundas Malasauskas presents new work of international artists including Mexican Mario García Torres, winner of the prestigious Cartier Prize 2007.

For more information please click on the press release or visit www.davidrobertsartfoundation.com

 This year, Mexico was put to the test

• During the last year, several circumstances put the strength of our institutions and our society to the test, such as the global economic crisis, the emergence of the A(H1N1) virus, the virulence of the organized crime gangs, a reduction in oil production and falling oil prices on the international market, and the impact of one of the worst droughts seen in decades.
• The federal government has faced the challenges that have arisen and, at the same time, has led Mexico toward sustainable human development.