Latest news with #cultura
CTV News
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Rome, Navalny widow blast Italy invite for pro-Kremlin maestro
Valery Gergiev at the Mariinsky Theatre in Russia, on May 1, 2013. (Dmitry Lovetsky / AP) Italy's culture minister joined the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday in condemning an invitation for maestro Valery Gergiev to perform near Naples, saying it risked being propaganda for Moscow. Russian conductor Gergiev, a personal friend of President Vladimir Putin who has since December 2023 led Moscow's world famous Bolshoi Theatre, has been shunned by the West since the start of the Ukraine war for failing to denounce Russia's invasion. But he has been invited to conduct what organisers described as an 'unforgettable symphony concert' on July 27 at the former royal palace of Reggia di Caserta, near Naples in southern Italy. Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation has called for the concert to be cancelled and his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, pressed the case in an editorial on Tuesday in Italian daily La Repubblica. 'Any attempt to turn a blind eye to who Valery Gergiev is when he's not conducting and to pretend that this is merely a cultural event with no political dimension... is pure hypocrisy,' she wrote. Just hours later, Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli issued a statement warning the concert 'risks sending the wrong message'. 'Ukraine is an invaded nation and Gergiev's concert could transform a high-level... musical event into a platform for Russian propaganda,' he said. 'For me, this would be deplorable.' Stand-in for Putin Giuli is a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government, which has strongly backed Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022. He noted the concert was part of a programme of events promoted and paid for by the region of Campania. Campania regional leader Vincenzo De Luca, from the centre-left Democratic Party, has defended the concert, saying that 'culture is a tool to keep dialogue open'. On social media on Friday, he noted an Israeli conductor was also on the programme, adding: 'We don't ask those men of culture to answer for the political choices of those who lead their respective countries.' He repeated his position on Tuesday, condemning Putin's actions in Ukraine but saying that refusing to engage in dialogue 'only serves to fuel the rivers of hatred'. But Navalnaya, whose husband died in an Artic penal colony last year in what she and his supporters say was a killing on Putin's orders, was scathing. 'As Putin's cultural ambassador, Valery Gergiev implements Russia's soft power policy. One of his current goals is to normalise the war and Putin's regime,' she wrote. She described the Caserta concert as a 'test balloon' for boosting Putin's image in Europe and noted it was being praised by Russian authorities. 'Forgive me, but if the Kremlin is happy with you in 2025, then you are definitely doing something wrong,' she wrote. Other members of the Democratic Party have called for the concert to be cancelled, as have other cultural figures outside Italy. Peter Gelb, general manager of New York's Metropolitan Opera and a staunch supporter of Ukraine, told AFP that Gergiev 'is no less than an artistic stand-in for Putin'. He added: 'There can be no 'cultural exchange' with mass murderers and kidnappers of children, which is the current modus operandi of the Russian regime.' Gergiev has stood by Putin's policies for more than two decades and performed propaganda concerts in honour of Russian military victories in the past. In one of his most criticised moves, Gergiev conducted a concert in the ruins of Syria's Palmyra after Moscow's intervention in the country on the side of dictator Bashar al-Assad. He also conducted a triumphant concert in Georgia's Tskhinvali region after the Russian invasion in 2008, just a few metres (feet) from a detention centre where Georgian civilians were being held.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mexican mayor says 'I do' to caiman reptile in colorful tradition
SAN PEDRO HUAMELULA, Mexico (Reuters) -In the southern Mexican town of San Pedro Huamelula, a unique celebration takes place each year: the symbolic marriage between the town's mayor and a live alligator-like reptile. This ritual, rooted in more than 230 years of tradition, represents the union of two of Oaxaca state's indigenous cultures - the Chontal and the Huave - and is believed to bring prosperity to the community. This year, Mayor Daniel Gutierrez took part in the ceremony, marrying "princess girl," a female caiman, a reptile that closely resembles the alligator. The caiman is known by the name given to her by the town: Miguelana Estela del Mar Zavaleta Ramirez. As part of the ritual, the reptile is adorned in a white wedding gown and paraded through the town, visiting homes as residents dance to festive music. Finally, Gutierrez seals the symbolic union with a ceremonial kiss, symbolizing his love and commitment to his ethnic group. The caiman symbolizes the Huave princess, while Gutierrez represents the Chontal king. As the legend goes, a royal marriage between the two groups centuries ago ended a long-standing conflict. Hundreds of years later, the ritual continues as a symbol of peace and unity. "For us, it's a ritual in which we ask mother earth and our creator for abundance in our harvests, fishing, and every product our region can offer," said Luis Manuel Lopez, a resident of the town. The celebration spans three days of music, dance and vibrant cultural displays. The reptile is dressed by a woman known as the godmother in three different traditional dresses, including a regional Zoque dress adorned with bright colors, a multicolored skirt and floral headpieces. The symbolic ceremony, held before a crowd of townspeople, marks the culmination of the patron saint festivities in honor of San Pedro Apostol. "Huamelula is so rich in tradition and culture that today, like every year, Huamelula is in the eyes of the world,' Gutierrez said.
SBS Australia
03-07-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Ep.376: Nige has waited 16 years to see his wife again. But he may never do so
DOWNLOAD the script in Italian and English side by side. English A cooking class is underway at a small café in the leafy Melbourne suburb of Warrandyte. Chef Nigethan Sithirasegaram ((NEE-GATE-AN SIT-RAH-SAY-GRAM)), known to friends and family as 'Nige', is preparing a feast from his homeland Sri Lanka. For the 49-year-old, cooking is a vital connection with his Tamil culture. 'I'm going to teach lamb curry, one of the iconic curries in Sri Lanka and also cook beetroot Curry and also raita, rice, the full package meal. When I'm cooking here, actually I'm really proud everyone likes my food. ' And that means a lot to Nige who fled Sri Lanka in 2009 at the end of the civil war, leaving behind his wife and young son. '16 years, almost 16 years [ago] I left my wife. Every day is very torture and the painful. I'm struggling and also panic. I want my family with me all the time.' As a Tamil, Nige fears he can never return to Sri Lanka. He now has a permanent protection visa in Australia, and has applied for a spouse visa for his wife Thusa, who remains in Sri Lanka. '[It's] A very hard time. My wife asks me every day 'when you take me to Australia?' It's very painful for me and also painful for her. ' Immigration is a hot election issue. The federal budget predicts net migration of 260,000 in the next financial year. Asylum Seeker resource centre deputy CEO Jana Favero. 'It's really disappointing. What we should be doing is increasing in our humanity and our generosity and our compassion. It's really a tactic used by politicians that are playing into fear and division.' With almost 140-million people forcibly displaced worldwide, according to the UNHCR, Jana Favero calls for an earlier pledge to increase Australia's humanitarian intake to 27-thousand places. 'Australia can and should do more to increase our humanitarian intake in response to global catastrophes that are happening around the world. If you have a look at what's happening in Gaza, in Yemen, in Sudan... We've had many conversations with the Albanese government about their commitment to increase the places to 27,000, but [we] only have them at 20,000. This is insufficient, and we should do more. We feel that the figure should actually be 50,000.' For Nige, who worries daily about his wife's safety, the long wait is agony. 'It's really killing my heart. I know the situation; [for] a single woman [to] survive in Sri Lanka in [the] east part or [the] north part is really hard. So, that [is] situation for my wife, it's so breaking [my] heart.' As a Tamil born in Sri Lanka's east, Nige grew up as conflict raged between government forces and the Tamil Tigers. His earliest memories are of fleeing violence. '[For] My whole life, [I saw] war and bombing and disaster. I'm Tamil, so they suspect me and also they tried to kidnap me. I saw lots of torture equipment, lots of civilian kidnapping and killing them on the street, dead bodies. That's why I escaped from Sri Lanka without my wife and son'. At the end of the war and fearing for his life, Nige fled to Singapore and then Malaysia. What followed was a harrowing 46-day boat journey to Australia. 'The fuel is not enough, fuel run out. And also the boat is [a] very old boat and wooden boat. Also very big storm and rough sea. Many people got seasick. Then finally the Australian border posts took to me Christmas island.' Nige spent the next six years in various Australian detention centres. '[The time in the] Detention centre is [a] very hard time because we can't go outside. I'm really struggling [in the] detention centre [for] six years, mentally and physically'. At the Melbourne Immigration Detention Centre in Broadmeadows in 2014, Nige met café founder Derek Bradshaw and the connection would change his life forever. 'We had a house out the back of our café that we decided that we wanted to use to try and support people to get the start that they so badly needed after coming out of detention. And Nige went on to cook and that's when we started doing our Tamil feasts. ' A decade later the pair remain good friends and in 2023 Derek Bradshaw obtained a student visa for Nige's son, Ruksi. Being reunited with his dad was a day the teenager will never forget. 'Touching him, hugging him. It's so crazy: when I see him, I have a hug and it's all the feeling about my dad. It's like feeling in real life in front of my eyes and I can feel it. This is my dad!' It was a great moment for Derek Bradshaw, too. 'When we picked up Ruksi from the airport he looked at me and said, 'this is the best day of my life', and sorry, I'll get emotional, but as a father of four kids, I just cannot imagine the trauma and the grief that Nige has gone through. ' Nige and his son Ruksi now live in north Warrandyte rent free, thanks to the generosity of a local couple Reg Ellery and Olive Aumann. 'Our children had left home Nige's been living with us since 2016. He's a wonderful, wonderful man and his son's a wonderful young fellow. ' Nige and Derek Bradshaw continue to host Tamil feasts at the 'Now and Not Yet' Café, raising raise funds to resettle refugees and asylum seekers. 'When you hear the stories and understand the atrocities that they are escaping - civil war and genocide and things that [happen] if we're in those situations, we would absolutely run and escape as well. I'm proud that this sort of sacred community space has become a space where people feel loved when they walk through the doors, that people come in here and connect with others.' Nige is also working in aged care while he waits for his wife's visa to be granted. Jana Favero says the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre already supports more than 7,000 people seeking safety. 'We need to invest in family unification so that people can be with their families. That story is extremely sad. And what's sad is that family reunion probably will be one area that is cut, which would be absolutely devastating not only for that individual but for tens of thousands of others who are waiting to be with their family. For now, all Nige can cling to is hope. 'This process takes a very long time. I don't know what's the reason. I don't know still how long I'm going to be wait. Every day is painful. But I believe one day, me and [my] wife [will be] reunited in Australia.' Italian In un piccolo caffè nel verdeggiante sobborgo di Warrandyte a Melbourne è in corso una lezione di cucina. Lo chef Nigethan Sithirasegaram, conosciuto da amici e parenti come 'Nige', sta preparando un banchetto tipico del suo Paese natale, lo Sri Lanka. Per il 49enne, la cucina è un legame vitale con la sua cultura tamil. 'I'm going to teach lamb curry, one of the iconic curries in Sri Lanka and also cook beetroot Curry and also raita, rice, the full package meal. When I'm cooking here, actually I'm really proud everyone likes my food. ' E questo significa molto per Nige, che è fuggito dallo Sri Lanka nel 2009 alla fine della guerra civile, lasciando in Sri Lanka la moglie e il figlio piccolo. '16 years, almost 16 years [ago] I left my wife. Every day is very torture and the painful. I'm struggling and also panic. I want my family with me all the time.' In quanto tamil, Nige teme di non poter più tornare in Sri Lanka. Ora ha un visto di protezione permanente in Australia e ha richiesto un visto per coniugi per sua moglie Thusa, che rimane in Sri Lanka. '[It's] A very hard time. My wife asks me every day 'when you take me to Australia?' It's very painful for me and also painful for her. ' L'immigrazione è un tema elettorale caldo. Il bilancio federale prevede una migrazione netta di 260.000 persone nel prossimo anno finanziario. La vice direttrice generale del Centro risorse per i richiedenti asilo, Jana Favero: 'It's really disappointing. What we should be doing is increasing in our humanity and our generosity and our compassion. It's really a tactic used by politicians that are playing into fear and division.' Con quasi 140 milioni di sfollati in tutto il mondo secondo l'UNHCR, Jana Favero chiede un impegno anticipato per aumentare l'accoglienza umanitaria australiana a 27mila posti. 'Australia can and should do more to increase our humanitarian intake in response to global catastrophes that are happening around the world. If you have a look at what's happening in Gaza, in Yemen, in Sudan... We've had many conversations with the Albanese government about their commitment to increase the places to 27,000, but [we] only have them at 20,000. This is insufficient, and we should do more. We feel that the figure should actually be 50,000.' Per Nige, che si preoccupa quotidianamente della sicurezza della moglie, la lunga attesa è un'agonia. 'It's really killing my heart. I know the situation; [for] a single woman [to] survive in Sri Lanka in [the] east part or [the] north part is really hard. So, that [is] situation for my wife, it's so breaking [my] heart.' Nato nello Sri Lanka orientale, Nige è cresciuto mentre infuriava il conflitto tra le forze governative e le Tigri Tamil. I suoi primi ricordi sono quelli della fuga dalla violenza. '[For] My whole life, [I saw] war and bombing and disaster. I'm Tamil, so they suspect me and also they tried to kidnap me. I saw lots of torture equipment, lots of civilian kidnapping and killing them on the street, dead bodies. That's why I escaped from Sri Lanka without my wife and son'. Alla fine della guerra, temendo per la sua vita, Nige fuggì a Singapore e poi in Malesia. Seguì uno straziante viaggio in barca di 46 giorni verso l'Australia. 'The fuel is not enough, fuel run out. And also the boat is [a] very old boat and wooden boat. Also very big storm and rough sea. Many people got seasick. Then finally the Australian border posts took to me Christmas island.' Nige ha trascorso i sei anni successivi in vari centri di detenzione australiani. '[The time in the] Detention centre is [a] very hard time because we can't go outside. I'm really struggling [in the] detention centre [for] six years, mentally and physically'. Nel 2014, nel centro di detenzione per immigrati di Melbourne a Broadmeadows, Nige ha incontrato il fondatore del caffè Derek Bradshaw e conoscerlo ha cambiato la sua vita per sempre. 'We had a house out the back of our café that we decided that we wanted to use to try and support people to get the start that they so badly needed after coming out of detention. And Nige went on to cook and that's when we started doing our Tamil feasts. ' Un decennio dopo i due rimangono buoni amici e nel 2023 Derek Bradshaw ottenne un visto di studio per il figlio di Nige, Ruksi. Il ricongiungimento con il padre è stato un giorno che l'adolescente non dimenticherà mai. 'Touching him, hugging him. It's so crazy: when I see him, I have a hug and it's all the feeling about my dad. It's like feeling in real life in front of my eyes and I can feel it. This is my dad!' È stato un grande momento anche per Derek Bradshaw. 'When we picked up Ruksi from the airport he looked at me and said, 'this is the best day of my life', and sorry, I'll get emotional, but as a father of four kids, I just cannot imagine the trauma and the grief that Nige has gone through. ' Nige e suo figlio Ruksi vivono ora a nord di Warrandyte in affitto gratuito, grazie alla generosità di una coppia locale, Reg Ellery e Olive Aumann. 'Our children had left home. Nige's been living with us since 2016. He's a wonderful, wonderful man and his son's a wonderful young fellow. ' Nige e Derek Bradshaw continuano a ospitare feste tamil al 'Now and Not Yet' Café, raccogliendo fondi per il reinsediamento di rifugiati e richiedenti asilo. 'When you hear the stories and understand the atrocities that they are escaping - civil war and genocide and things that [happen] if we're in those situations, we would absolutely run and escape as well. I'm proud that this sort of sacred community space has become a space where people feel loved when they walk through the doors, that people come in here and connect with others.' Nige lavora anche nel settore dell'assistenza agli anziani mentre aspetta che venga concesso il visto alla moglie. Jana Favero afferma che il Centro risorse per richiedenti asilo sostiene già più di 7.000 persone in cerca di sicurezza. 'We need to invest in family unification so that people can be with their families. That story is extremely sad. And what's sad is that family reunion probably will be one area that is cut, which would be absolutely devastating not only for that individual but for tens of thousands of others who are waiting to be with their family. Per ora, tutto ciò a cui Nige può aggrapparsi è la speranza. 'This process takes a very long time. I don't know what's the reason. I don't know still how long I'm going to be wait. Every day is painful. But I believe one day, me and [my] wife [will be] reunited in Australia.' Report by SBS News Listen to SBS Italian every day from 8 am to 10 am. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
CTV News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
The Spanish town where locals soak each other with wine
A reveller is covered in wine as people take part in a wine battle, in the small village of Haro, northern Spain, Saturday, June 29, 2019. Hundreds of revelers participate in this famous summer battle throwing thousands of liters of red wine over each other. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) A glass of Burgundy sipped during dinner. A chilled Chardonnay while the sun goes down. A sparkling Champagne at a wedding. Typically, a glass of wine is something savoured. Except in one quiet town in Northern Spain, where it's used for ammunition. Every June 29, hundreds of locals gather in Haro for a festival to celebrate the wine for which the surrounding La Rioja region is famous, culminating in La Batalla del Vino — the Battle of Wine. What once began as a religious procession to the nearby Hermitage of San Felices, a historic hilltop place of worship, has now evolved into an annual vibrant cultural celebration where thousands of participants drench each other with red wine using water guns, buckets and bottles. The chaotic and frenetic event can draw crowds of tourists eager to soak up the atmosphere. But, despite the huge quantities of wine launched through the air, local officials are now worried about visitors turning up to soak up too much booze. 'We must not transform this into just another drinking event,' José Luis Pérez Pastor, La Rioja's minister of culture, tourism, sports and youth, told CNN. Events start at 7:30 a.m., when Haro's mayor and members of the San Felices Brotherhood gather and lead pilgrims to the Bilibio Cliffs, on which is perched the Hermitage. After a Mass is held at the Hermitage, a rocket marks the start of the wine battle. Participants dressed completely in white with red handkerchiefs then proceed to soak one another until their clothes turn deep purple. 'Wine baptisms' Though often portrayed as a light-hearted spectacle, the festival is rooted in deep tradition, religious history and local folklore. It is said to have begun in the sixth century, when pilgrimages in honor of Haro's patron saint, San Felice, were made to the caves where he was buried. Over time, these turned into lively celebrations featuring 'wine baptisms,' which eventually became the wine fights known today. Another origin tale involves a 12th-century land dispute between Haro and the neighbouring town of Miranda De Ebro, which saw locals from both towns complete a boundary walk to ensure property lines between them were properly maintained. This was said to have lasted over 400 years until it was disregarded and both sides started throwing wine at each other. Rules of the event are outlined on the Batalla del Vino website. The goal of the festival is to stain your neighbor with wine, leaving them darker than the Pendón de Haro, a banner associated with the town of Haro. Gigantic wine tankers, each containing up to 15,000 litres (3,300 gallons) of wine, are provided by the town hall for attendees to fill their approved weapons. In total, up to 50,000 litres (11,000 gallons) can be thrown each year. While this might seem like a criminal waste of good wine, the vino used in the battle isn't suitable for bottling, as it is not of high commercial value. Much of it is leftover or low-quality product. Afterward, the wine that flows down the mountainside is absorbed back into the soil or washed away by the rain, officials said. At midday, after the battle has been raging for several hours, everyone heads back to Plaza de la Paz, in the center of Haro, where locals parade through the streets accompanied by brass bands before — because this is Spain — they head to an arena for bullfighting and other events. Participants also typically eat a traditional popular local dish of caracoles, or snails, cooked in a tomato and pepper stew at some point during the day. 'Surreal, joyful' In recent years, the event has gained visibility and now attracts visitors from across the world, thanks to viral social media posts and growing tourism. Jessica and Eric Smith, American expats living in La Rioja who document rural Spanish life to more than 100,000 followers on Instagram, say they came across the event while working with a rural housing association. 'The wine battle itself is only three hours,' Eric says. 'It's just a fun experience. You show up and there's thousands of other people.' To reach the hilltop where the festivities take place, participants are transported part of the way by buses, with seats covered in plastic, a precaution taken to prevent damage from the wine on the return journey. 'The best part is you hop on this bus and you're heading towards the wine battle, but then they stop and let you off in the vineyards. You then have to walk up the hill for about 10 to 15 minutes to get to the wine battle,' said Eric. That's when things get wild. 'As you enter, these older Spanish men, who've clearly been doing the wine battle for years, are standing there with backpack sprayers full of wine,' Jessica said. 'You walk in and you're just being sprayed. And then a random kid comes out of nowhere and dumps a bucket of wine over your head.' 'At any point in time, people can dump wine on you,' Eric added. 'The atmosphere of the wine battle is just so much fun… you don't necessarily know what to expect.' Jess said the atmosphere gave her an instant sense of belonging. 'I felt like I was adopted for the day,' she added. 'It's literally just every piece that we love about Spanish culture, and I feel like you get a glimpse into it when you go to this event.' 'We first went to Haro for La Batalla in 2007 and have been going back every year since,' says Toby Paramor, managing director of Stoke Travel, a UK tour company that organizes trips to the festival. 'It was the most surreal, joyful, authentic little discovery.' While Paramor says his company's beer and wine-inclusive package trips are also aimed at giving travelers a deeper experience of La Rioja, festival organizers are worried about its popularity and the preservation of its cultural roots. José Luis Pérez Pastor, the local culture and tourism minister, says the festival began 'with faith and friendship' and he is adamant it must not turn into just another party. 'This is the only way to have a truly transforming experience — with respect and authenticity,' he said. 'It's not just about drinking. Attending the Mass is an important cultural moment, even if not in a religious sense. It reflects centuries of tradition.'
New York Times
27-06-2025
- General
- New York Times
The Brazilian Artist Who Listens to Minerals
The car sped southward from Belo Horizonte, the highway climbing out from Brazil's third-largest city into the surrounding hills. Red dust from oncoming convoys of heavy trucks drifted onto the windshield. On board, Luana Vitra — one of Brazil's fastest-rising young artists and the offspring of a long lineage of manual workers in this rugged, iron-mining region in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais — was offering a quick précis of the land and local temperament. 'We have a culture that is made from iron,' Vitra said. 'What our ancestors lived inside the mines made us the way we are now.' People in Minas Gerais, she said, were shaped by a legacy of watching out for others and forming survival strategies in mines where labor was exploited and collapses were frequent. Her grandfather, she added, attributed his longevity to the prayer to Saint George — who is associated in Afro-Brazilian religion with Ogun, the spirit of iron and metallurgy — that he kept tucked in his helmet. 'Iron is very much in my history,' she said. The daughter of a carpenter and a teacher, Vitra grew up in Contagem, a city in the Belo Horizonte agglomeration known for its concentration of heavy industry. Now, at 30, she has emerged as one of the most visible and distinctive — in Brazil and abroad — of a wave of young Black Brazilian artists who are finding new languages with which to explore their histories and connect to the world. She places her region's materials — particularly iron ore and copper — at the heart of elegant, often room-scaled installations, their characteristic reddish tones set against deep blue fabric or painted backgrounds. The compositions extend to beads, ceramics, glass and clean-drawn lines on various surfaces. They favor symmetry, with a ritual feel that nods to Afro-Brazilian religion — the metal arrows, the talismans — but also to broader and nonspecific sacred geometries. Shaping every installation, she said, is an 'equation' — not mathematical but metaphorical, calibrating the emotional architecture that results from particular material combinations, as if working from 'a periodic table with feelings connected to minerals.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
