Dear Friends, Welcome To Festiba 2009!
Connecting Culture to Literacy Through the Arts and Media
FESTIBA 2009 (Festival of International Books and Arts) will take place March 22 through 28, 2009 at the University of Texas-Pan American. The overarching mission of the festival is to celebrate Arts and Humanities, encourage literacy, and broaden cultural awareness through books, poetry, drama, lectures, musical concerts, artistic exhibits, presentations in design, dance, theatre, digital lighting, and films, and more!
FESTIBA 2009 will be a regional event with the participation and support of Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Congressman Salomon Ortiz. On March 27th, a Congressional Roundtable will discuss the topic "Connecting Culture to Literacy through the Arts and Media." The panel will include several distinguished speakers, including Congressman Ruben Hinojosa, and Sandra Cisneros, Latina author and poet.
We are very happy to welcome the return of our partners, the Texas Book Festival. This year the presence of the Texas Book Festival will be seen at FESTIBA 2009 through the “Reading Rock Stars” program with visiting children’s authors and book distributions at South Texas public schools. FESTIBA 2009 will be enhanced by the participation of UTPA and Region One GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) and two important educational organizations, the Region One Education Service Center and Reading Is Fundamental, Inc.
Over 300,000 books were distributed to children across the Rio Grande Valley last year during FESTIBA 2008, and we hope to match and possibly exceed this year!
Join us for Community Day, which will include a unique variety of educational, artistic, and cultural events and a spectacular lineup of entertainment, including renowned Dance Artists Angeles Luna, Ernesto Luna, and Leo Luna from Jalapa, Veracruz, Mexico; world famous Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán; and Grammy Award-Winning Ozomatli.
Experience this great event and unique cultural opportunity for South Texas!
