Hear
The comings and goings between the national government and the El Libro Foundation, which marked the agenda and the atmosphere of the last edition of the Buenos Aires Book Fair, continue to generate shocks. One month after the start of the children’s fair, announced by the organizers for July 8 at the CCK (which would be renamed Palacio Libertad), confusion and uncertainty reign among the exhibitors because There is no official confirmation that it can be held in the old post office building where it took place for the last six years.
In a kind of “big hat” game, those responsible for the CCK (from the director, Valeria Ambrosio, to the Secretary of Culture, Leonardo Cifelli, to whom the cultural center depends) do not know/do not answer if the space will actually be transferred for the fair. According to what different editors told LA NACION strictly offboth Ambrosio and Cifelli say that they are not authorized to confirm the request, which they had already assured the organizers in April, before the start of the large Fair and the meeting between Alejandro Vaccaro, director of the Foundation, and president Javier Milei for the frustrated presentation of his new book at Rural.
“Until before the Fair, children’s events were held at the CCK. Later, they told us no and they no longer answered our calls and requests for confirmation,” said a source close to the organization. The level of uncertainty is such that alternative places were evaluated, but none so far meet, as they understand, the safety requirements to receive thousands of children during the winter holidays.
According to LA NACION, this issue was on the agenda of a work meeting of Secretary Cifelli in Sandra Pettovello’s Ministry of Human Capital; between today and Monday there could be a definition.
Many exhibitors want to continue in the CCK – or “exCCK”, as spokesperson Manuel Adorni said more than a month ago when announcing that, with the name change, it would be called Palacio Libertad, a decision that has not become effective until today. They are even considering offering a rental, if that were a possibility. As an example, they mention that, since the assumption of this management, they put a price on different spaces in Tecnópolis for holding private events. But, of course, the CCK is a cultural center, not a fairground.
While they wait for an official response (which should be directly authorized by the leadership of the Ministry of Human Capital), the El Libro Foundation sent a message to the editors.
“The El Libro Foundation has been working intensely for months to confirm the location where the next Children’s and Youth Book Fair will take place. The priority has been placed on maintaining the same place as in the last six editions, the CCK. Meanwhile, several meetings have also been held with the new authorities of the GCBA Ministry of Culture in the search for alternatives. Even with the change of different government administrations, all the authorities on which the CCK has depended have always maintained confidence in our institution and in the benefits – above all and mainly for the public that it convenes – of holding the FLIJ there. This time has not been the exception either, as we have been told repeatedly by both the CCK leadership and the National Secretariat of Culture. Despite this, and as is publicly known, the political context exceeds this decision-making, so to date it has been impossible to obtain express confirmation for the use of the property. We hope to have your understanding. We will keep you up to date with the news as soon as we receive confirmation from the Ministry of Culture of the Nation.”
With the letterhead and signature of the El Libro Foundation, the note was sent yesterday at noon.
If the national government finally decided not to provide the CCK, It would be the first time in six consecutive years that the Children’s and Youth Fair is held at another venue.. And if the use of the space were finalized, but with an amount instead of a loan (as happened during the governments of Mauricio Macri and Alberto Fernández), it would be the first time that the old central post office building is put up for rent.
