About the Author
Carlos Ornelas
Professor of Education and Communication
In contrast to the global perception many of us share of the United States, we actually know very little about Europe’s politics and its relations with the rest of the world. And yet its cultural influence is much more profound and long-lasting – not so much because of the influence of its popular culture and its communications media, but because of its history and development. However, Europe’s diplomacy and cultural actions are no match for the power of the USA or for the influence of its popular culture.
I would like to delve what lies behind Latin America’s impressions of European culture and in so doing attempt to answer the following questions: What kind of European cultural and educational initiatives are needed in Latin America? What kind of foreign cultural policies must Europe adopt in order to open doors and create the kind of trust between the two communities that is necessary to promote the arts, education and intercultural dialogue? What would people in, say, Mexico like to see happen in this respect? How can Europe contribute towards building trust between the two communities on either side of the Atlantic?
European culture is incredibly rich and diverse. It is the source of what we think of as Western civilisation. But Europe is not only to be thanked for introducing certain art forms and for its developments in science and technology. I am referring to a particular way of thinking and a particular way of perceiving the world and its various relationships. Even Latin America, it is claimed, is dominated by a Eurocentric cultural vision. The most popular languages spoken in this part of the world, Spanish and Portuguese, have their roots on the old continent, while the old languages of the region have disappeared or are slowly dying out, despite recent efforts to promote multiculturalism and interculturality. Even the dominant religion and other more recently arrived Christian denominations have come to us from Europe.
The most influential art forms in the region originally came from Europe, while the heavyweight legacy of the Renaissance continues to be felt in many forms of culture, especially amongst the educated classes. We admire European writers of classic and contemporary literature, including popular works. We still listen to the music of the great European composers and their operas still shape people’s tastes. We marvel at the paintings of the great European artists and are fascinated by other art forms of European art.
Our education system is based on the structure of European systems, especially that of France. In many parts of the region, history lessons in secondary schools tend to start with the influence of the Hellenic tradition, rather than looking at local culture. As a result, we generally know more about Greek mythology than about the rich and complex holy pantheons of the Aztecs and the Maya.
European cultural dialogue is rich and abundant, but so far it has taken place predominantly between the European countries themselves. The offspring of well-educated sections of the community often grow up speaking more than one language, which facilitates the lively ex-change of ideas amongst the countries of mainland Europe and, to a lesser extent, the British Isles. Maybe it was from Europe that Latin America also inherited the nationalistic ideas that tend to persist in the region. On the old continent they are doing their best to rid themselves of them. What this comes down to is that knowledge of Europe’s cultural legacy is fundamental to understanding contemporary civilisations, not only in the West, but on all five continents. Today, many forms of communication and culture have their roots in this legacy, even in Oriental countries with their own ancient cultures.
The other side of the coin is the fact Latin American countries – and, I suspect, other parts of the world too – are still suffering from the legacy of past colonisation by the major European powers. Many Latin Americans find it hard to forgive or forget the fact that European religion, culture and civilisation were imposed on the region with the help of the sword and the cross. They know that much of Europe’s wealth came from stealing the natural resources of its colonies and exploiting their population. In the last century, Europe was the origin and main battleground of two world wars that brought intense suffering to humankind. Luckily, we now live in peaceful times, even if the participation of some European countries in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have somewhat shaken our pacifist consciousness. Added to this is the fact that EUNIC is now trying to build new cultural relations and present a new picture of a united Europe. Such an endeavour brings with it a new promise of progress and understanding between the old continent and Latin America.
Latin America’s cultural identity is made up of an archipelago of local ideas – some more nationalistic than others – that are still subject to the hegemony of global influences. The idea of multiculturalism as a vision for Latin America as a whole barely exists. There is a sense of national pride in all of our countries, a pride which was unfortunately stirred up by the experiences of war. Each country’s sense of identity was forged during the struggles for independence against the major European powers. In some countries, such as those that had stable pre-Columbian civilisations (Aztec, Inca and Maya) there tends to be an even stronger sense of national feeling. This is due to what might be termed cultural syncretism, a mixture of beliefs that resulted from the clashing and combining of European and local cultures. In other parts of the continent, those that were more sparsely populated and where the people were less advanced, the imported culture generally prevailed and many native peoples disappeared – and with them, their languages and customs.
We need to develop a more cosmopolitan vision, one that takes the world and humanity as a whole into consideration. We also need to retain our pride in our own culture, but with a more global perspective.
I believe that Latin America urgently needs some new forms of cultural expression that acknowledge our past history while looking very much to the future. We need to develop a more cosmopolitan vision, one that takes the world and humanity as a whole into consideration. We also need to retain our pride in our own culture, but with a more global perspective. There are many types of cultural initiatives – especially in the formal education sector – which could be expanded beyond Europe to include Latin America. I believe the main prerequisite is that these initiatives should be seen as partnerships of equals. The countries on this side of the Atlantic must be treated as mature states in their own right and the old paternalism of Europe’s colonial past must not be allowed to raise its ugly head. Cultural and educational diplomacy could be an ideal way to help develop closer ties between Europe and Latin America.
Artistic exchange still tends to follow the same old route: from Europe to Latin America. It is important that we make every effort to encourage exchange in the opposite direction. In Latin America we have orchestras, music groups, sculptors and writers of the highest quality, who remain unknown in Europe. EUNIC could organise concert tours for these bands or exhibitions for the sculptors. They could also arrange for Spanish and Portuguese works to be translated into other European languages and promote their circulation. The same goes for translations from European languages into the Spanish and Portuguese spoken in Latin America, as opposed to that spoken in Spain and Portugal.
More resources are needed for the development of regular exchange within the formal education sector. There are already a number of scholarships available to Latin American students to study in Europe, but there could be more. Also, few Europeans seem keen to study in Latin America. Professors and postgraduate students come here to do research into what is happening in the region or to delve into our history, but not to get an education at one of our universities. In spite of some major shortcomings, our larger institutions have a great deal to offer at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and not just in terms of learning languages and studying anthropology. We want to be seen as partners, not inferiors.
I suspect it may be difficult for some European countries, especially those with a significant history of colonialism, to easily rid themselves of certain traditions, including paternalistic attitudes and the acceptance of long-standing social structures. At the same time, it is also likely to be difficult for many countries on this side of the Atlantic to move away from a tendency towards nationalism, as it has become so entrenched over the years. Nevertheless, our history is challenging us to change our ways and to forge a different future.
In the main, it has been the national cultural institutes and certain European governmental authorities that have until now been responsible for organising exchange and cooperation programmes with Latin American countries. This has generated a wealth of experience which could be built upon and provide the basis for future cooperation at EU level. But it is worth repeating: if the aim is to create trust and open doors, then the traditional, paternalistic approach will be a major obstacle to progress. Cooperation between European and Latin American cultural institutions is one way to help create trust, build bridges and overcome language barriers. The internet offers a great opportunity to make learning European languages more affordable.
The number of routes in Latin America for culture tourists could be expanded to help ensure that visitors from Europe have the opportunity to get to know and better understand our cultural heritage, our pre-Columbian roots and our potential for integration into today’s ever-changing world order.
Very little of our popular culture manages to transcend our borders, and when it does, it rarely spreads beyond the USA’s Mexican and Latin American population.
Messages of peace, democracy, mutual trust and mutual cooperation could prove to be the keys to open all these doors, without any nationalistic border controls standing in the way.
Mexico has so much to offer the world, but our current approach to cultural activities tends to be too parochial. Very few of our writers, composers and sculptors have become well-known beyond our borders. We have a rich cultural history: our pre-Columbian heritage is there for all to see in the restored ruins; the work of great twentieth-century mural painters adorns the walls of prestigious public buildings and while Mexican symphony music is of the very highest standard, it is little known outside Mexico. Meanwhile, very little of our popular culture manages to transcend our borders, and when it does, it rarely spreads beyond the USA’s Mexican and Latin American population.
Over recent decades, the tendency to isolate Mexico has been declining. However, even though there has been some evidence of the country opening up at cultural level (such as through translations of classic, mostly European books; the import of musical and artistic forms of cultural expression; and the influence of European architecture), the country’s closed economy still presents a serious obstacle to more significant exchange. Mexico’s membership of GATT (the equivalent of today’s World Trade Organisation) in 1986 and the start of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, saw some of these barriers start to come down. There has, however, been a substantial time-lag between these economic changes and improvements in the level of cultural exchange.
Mexico is a country with many different cultures and living languages, yet it does not practice multiculturalism and has no recognisable intercultural policies. The cultural persistence of the regime of the Mexican Revolution – which some people called revolutionary nationalism – is clear to see in Mexico’s officially-promoted culture, but is particularly weak within popular culture. As in Europe, the US tends to dominate in this area and it is spreading rapidly with the advent of modern information and communications technology. US influence on the education sector is also growing steadily, especially in the university sector, even though many Mexicans would actually prefer to study in Europe, particularly in Spain.
I foresee many challenges facing education and the development of a cosmopolitan culture in Europe, because these tend to be of a predominantly national nature. It will fall to the more liberal-minded sectors of society to support these particular types of culture. But they will not be able to achieve this alone and this is where EUNIC can bring its intellectual resources and experience to the table.
Europe can make a significant contribution to building trust between the cultural communities on both sides of the Atlantic through cooperation and exchange. With the creation of EUNIC, it is now time to start thinking about some more far-reaching initiatives. Should there be investment in a more ambitious form of cultural diplomacy at EU level, for example, rather than focusing efforts at individual nation state level? Exchange programmes like ALFA and EURIAS or projects such as the Comenius or Erasmus Mundus programmes could be strengthened and expanded.
European culture continues to dominate in the West, even if US American culture is clearly dominates popular culture. People’s cultural awareness has very deep roots that go far beyond what can be seen on TV, the cinema, or disseminated by modern technology. The search for these roots and their connection with universal cultural values could be the starting point for a new, more substantial cosmopolitan culture – one that will have a much greater reach than simple multiculturalism and that will encompass not just individual peoples but mankind as a whole.
Perhaps the most important thing that Europe can do is to work together with Latin America’s cultural institutes to help sow the seeds for such long-term development. Peaceful coexistence is the objective and cultural exchange the means by which peace can be achieved and democracy can be spread through-out the world. This, at least, is my expectation.
Culture has a strategic role to play in the process of European unification. What about cultural relations within Europe? How can cultural policy contribute to a European identity? In the Culture Report Progress Europe, international authors seek answers to these questions. Since 2021, the Culture Report is published exclusively online.
