Click here to learn more:

http://www.demos.org/pamela-cataldo

Luminaries in the Hispanic literary and film world met in Lawrence for the seventh annual International Book Festival September 21-23.

Speakers included Jacobo Morales, renowned Oscar nominated film director from Puerto Rico; Cuban writer and poet Zoe Valdes; Luis Alberto Ambroggio, Member of the Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española; Dominican poet Marianela Medrano; and author Armando Lucas Correa, editor of People en español magazine, among many others.

UMass and the Latin American and Iberian Studies Department had a space reserved in the exhibitor´s hall and were represented by Professor Diego Mansilla, director of the Certificate Program in Spanish English Translation.  The public -mostly bilingual- was especially interested in hearing about the new undergraduate track in Translation Studies and the Spanish/English translation program, as well as in the track in Latin American Studies.

The Festival also included art exhibits, literary discussions, open forums, poetry reading, artistic presentations and informational tables by local and international organizations (such as the Instituto Cervantes) and consulates (Spain, Colombia).

Cuban singer and actress Xiomara Laugart, who portrayed Cuban singing icon Celia Cruz on Broadway, performed to a large audience on Saturday night as part of the arts program of the Festival.