Students celebrate international Spanish language day with tribute to female authors

Spanish students at Birzeit University celebrated prominent female Uruguayan, Mexican, and Spanish authors whose works have left a mark on Spanish-language literature in an exhibition organized by the Office of External Academic Relations together with the Department of Languages and Translation on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. 

The exhibition featured, among many visitors, Sofia Ruiz del Arbol Moro, the deputy consul general at the Consulate General of Spain in Jerusalem; Pedro Blanco Pérez, the head of the Mexican mission to Palestine; and Derar Samara, the consular officer at the Embassy of Uruguay to the State of Palestine.

Marking World Book Day and UN Spanish Language Day, the exhibition showcased photos and quotes from known authors such as Rosario Castellanos, Ángeles Mastretta, Ida Vitale, Ana María Matute, Elena Garro, Juana de Ibarbourou, and Juana Inés de la Cruz. 

Amir Khalil, the external academic relations officer at Birzeit University, hailed the exhibition for encouraging students to learn more about the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and asserted that it aligns with the office’s goal to connect students with international countries and cultures. 

Adnan Abuayyash, the chair of the Department of Languages and Translation − which offers Spanish language courses − emphasized the department’s holistic approach to teaching languages and cultures. He explained that such workshops, seminars, and lectures, organized by the department’s teachers and staff, allow students to immerse themselves in international cultures and to learn languages in various contexts. 

Sarai Calero, who teaches Spanish at the university, saluted this day as a tribute to the female authors whose works form part of the basis of Spanish literature but who have frequently been neglected due to their gender.