"El Cervantino" inaugurated amid Catalonian music, Chinese firework

Chinese sparklers brightened the night sky of Guanajuato, central Mexico, as the International Cervantes Culture Festival or "El Cervantino" lifted its curtains Wednesday.

The annual festival of "El Cervantino" of Guanajuato is one of the most important cultural events of Latin America, dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish novelist who created Don Quixote.

Catalonia of Spain and Campeche of Mexico are chosen as this year's guests of honor, for these two regions "have set admirable example of how to maintain one's own culture under globalization," according to the organization of the event.

"It's a challenge to every existent culture to inherit the traditions and promote their evolution in this more and more globalized world," Juan Manuel Oliva Ramirez, governor of Guanajuato told Xinhua reporter.

During an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Oliva showed full confidence in that, despite all difficulties in communication, the human beings share the same sentiments and mentality thus are able to understand each other.

The culture can be an efficient method and even a "shortcut" to obtain the mutual comprehension, he said.

Oliva coincided with Joan Manuel Serrat, well-known Catalonian singer-songwriter who inaugurated the festival with his duo concert "100X100 Serrat."

"The language never will become a barrier in case of understanding. I don't know Chinese but it doesn't mean I cannot get benefit from the Chinese philosophy, or the water painting," comented Serrat to Xinhua.

"The real challenge is not the globalization but oneself's identity as person," Serrat said.

From Oct. 8 to 26, more than 2,000 artists from 24 countries will offer 391 functions for the local public. Each one of the show is guaranteed a fabulous tour to different cultures.

Last year China made its first visual impact in Guanajuato withperformances of experimental play, dance and acrobatics.

Guanajuato is a small town in its namesake state of Guanjuato, in the center of Mexico, whose population is no more than 16,000 people but with a history of more than 470 years.

Every year in October the city will celebrate one edition of International Cervantes Culture Festival. In 2005, Guanajuato received the title of honor as the "Capital of Cervantes Culture of the Americas."

Source: Xinhua