WIPR TV, the Association of Ibero-American Educational Television Stations, Channel 44 from Guadalajara, and the Caguas Center for Fine Arts sign a collaboration agreement
From left to right, the honorable Juan Manuel Calderón Jaimes, Consul General of Mexico in Puerto Rico; Dr. Gabriel Torres Espinosa, President of the Association of Ibero-American Educational Television Stations; Eric Delgado, President of the Puerto Rico Public Broadcasting Corporation; and Ivonne Class, Executive Director of the Caguas Center for Fine Arts. (Photo by Edgar Torres for the National Foundation for Popular Culture)
By Edgar Torres
For Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular
WIPR TV has announced an extraordinary partnership with the Association of Ibero-American Educational Television Stations (ATEI) and Channel 44 from Guadalajara, Mexico, for the local transmission of three socially, culturally, and economically relevant series during the first quarter of 2024. Additionally, they have joined forces with the Caguas Center for Fine Arts, which is organizing the Second International Writers Congress to be held in April.
Eric Delgado, President of the Puerto Rico Public Broadcasting Corporation, made the announcement during a press conference on the morning of October 26 at the cultural and entertainment venue celebrating its 20th anniversary. The series presented include "Ni una menos, ni una sola," "Café Chéjov," and "Vidas y bebidas."
"Ni una menos, ni una sola" addresses the issue of femicide and its social repercussions. It combines reenactments of scenes with narratives and analyses by leading mental health experts available in Mexico. The series offers potential solutions and analyses that are not commonly discussed in Puerto Rico, shedding light on the issue of harassment against women, which is a daily reality. (The 13-episode series, set in no specific country, was developed in collaboration with the Latin American Council for the Defense of Women's Rights. The production team was entirely composed of women, and extensive research was conducted in multiple countries. It is set to air in March).
"Vidas y bebidas," comprising 23 documentary-style episodes (originally 45), delves into the origins of various iconic beverages associated with religious and cultural themes and their development. It involves coproduction partners from Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Spain. Each episode aims to reveal the culture that has developed around these representative drinks, including one episode produced in Puerto Rico that narrates the history of Ron El Barrilito and Ron Pepón in collaboration with WIPR.
Delgado further explained that "Café Chéjov" is based on the short story genre and demonstrates how it impacts storytelling. This series is highly relevant to the Second International Writers Congress. Delgado noted that this allows Puerto Rican students to gain firsthand insight into what the writers wanted to convey, making their educational analysis more straightforward. WIPR acquired 65 half-hour episodes with many animations, set to be aired in April 2024. The series has already been presented in Brazil, Argentina, Spain, and Mexico.
Delgado also shared information about the Second International Writers Congress, which represents a unique opportunity to document and share the content of various talks and masterclasses by distinguished writers, making this content accessible to all of Latin America. Authors from Spain, France, Nicaragua, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina, and Puerto Rico have already confirmed their participation.
Mayor William Miranda Torres, who is also the Chairman of the Board of the Caguas Center for Fine Arts, highlighted the opportunity for collaboration with the Association of Ibero-American Educational Television Stations for the Second International Writers Congress and WIPR. He emphasized the importance of literature and writers in preserving and disseminating cultural heritage.
Dr. Gabriel Torres Espinosa, President of the Association of Ibero-American Educational Television Stations and General Director of Channel 44 in Guadalajara, provided a detailed explanation of each series to be broadcast on WIPR TV. He also expressed interest in hosting a meeting of the ATEI Board of Directors in Caguas in the coming year.
Dr. Torres Espinosa, who is also a professor at the University of Guadalajara, emphasized the importance of sharing experiences and expertise related to funding, production models, and co-productions that impact content quality and budgets. ATEI, founded in Spain, aims to promote education, science, and Ibero-American culture through television and information and communication technologies.
The Caguas Center for Fine Arts is preparing for its major event with international writers. Ivonne Class, the director of Bellas Artes de Caguas and the International Writers Congress, announced that the event will take place from April 10 to April 13, 2024, featuring distinguished guests who have received major international awards.
Class emphasized the importance of the collaborative partnership with WIPR TV, the Association of Ibero-American Educational Television Stations, and Channel 44 from Guadalajara. She highlighted the opportunity to share the content from the Second International Writers Congress on the platform for all Ibero-American educational channels participating in ATEI.
She also mentioned that the Cervantes Institute will once again sponsor the event, and the material collected by WIPR TV will be available in over 80 electronic libraries in cities worldwide, even where Spanish is not the primary language.
Juan Manuel Calderón Jaimes, Consul General of Mexico in Puerto Rico, who is an ally of Caguas and the mentioned cultural and entertainment venue in the central eastern region of the country, also attended the press conference.