Latin American and Caribbean Culture Festival 2024

The Latin American and Caribbean Culture Festival took place in Moscow from July 20 to 28, with its grand opening held on the Main Stage of the Hermitage Garden. The event was attended by representatives of the Government of Moscow and ambassadors from Latin American countries. The festival introduced Muscovites and visitors to the traditions and customs of Latin American nations that maintain strong multifaceted trade, economic, scientific, technological, and cultural ties with Russia.

This large-scale cultural and educational project was implemented with the support of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, the Department of Culture of Moscow, the Moscow Center for International Cooperation, the House of Latin America, the Russian State Film Fund, the Moscow City Government University, the Rudomino Foreign Literature Library, the Mayakovsky Moscow Academic Theater, and the embassies of Latin American and Caribbean countries. The Moscow Center for International Cooperation served as the event operator.

The festival aimed to develop international humanitarian cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries while promoting Moscow’s positive image as a hub of creative life. During the opening ceremony, Sergey Cheremin, Minister of the Government of Moscow, Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations, addressed the guests.

This unique festival, held in Moscow for the second time, provided an excellent opportunity to acquaint residents and visitors with the vibrant and unforgettable cultural heritage of Latin America and the Caribbean.

On behalf of the Government of Moscow, Cheremin congratulated Colombian Ambassador Hector Isidro Arenas Neira on his country’s Independence Day, which coincided with the festival’s opening. National holidays of Nicaragua, Argentina, and Peru also fall in July.

“Though geographically distant, we share close cultural ties, common human values, and similar outlooks on life. The Hermitage Garden will host a Latin American film festival at the Illusion Cinema and the Tretyakov Gallery’s Engineering Building. I invite everyone to attend these screenings for a fascinating journey through Latin American cinema. Let us all celebrate the festival’s opening and make it an annual tradition!” Cheremin remarked.

The first day featured performances by folk music ensembles and vocal artists. The Cuban group Hot Havana Orchestra played traditional Cuban music from the 1940s-50s, while Ecuadorian opera singer Karen Lisbeth Sosa Limones captivated the audience with her vocal pieces.

Renowned Colombian singer and actress Aida Bossa presented a modern interpretation of her country’s musical genres. The Tango en Vivo orchestra and musical star Emil Sales performed exhilarating Argentine tango numbers, complemented by dance performances from the Tango Jam Moscow school and artists of the Moscow Tango Theater.

The Cuban ensemble Eduardo Breff & Su Son del Son delivered an original program blending dynamic salsa and rumba rhythms, while the Dominican group ORQUESTA EL DOMI energized the crowd with lively bachata, merengue, and mambo.