View source for Third International Congress of the Spanish Language

{{no footnotes|date=July 2019}}
The '''Third International Congress of the Spanish Language''' (''Tercer Congreso Internacional de la Lengua Española'') was a cultural event that took place in [[Rosario]], [[Argentina]], on November 17-19, 2004.

The main topics of the Congress were three: ideological and sociological aspects of linguistic identity; identity and language in literary creation; and the internationalization of Spanish.

It was the first time this Congress was celebrated in [[South America]]; the previous ones were held in [[Zacatecas]] ([[Mexico]]) and [[Valladolid]] ([[Spain]]). Given its importance, the governor of [[Santa Fe Province|Santa Fe]], [[Jorge Obeid]], decreed a public holiday for the opening day.

The main base of the activities of the Congress was [[El Círculo Theater]], especially restored for the occasion. It started with a welcome session presented by heads of State and writers. The Congress itself comprised a series of lectures and parallel cultural activities. It included a homage to the Argentine writer [[Ernesto Sábato]]. A dictionary of linguistic doubts (''Diccionario Panhispánico de Dudas'') was introduced, and the Cervantes Institute presented a new linguistic competence certificate for Spanish as a foreign language.

Commemorating the fourth centennial of the first publishing of ''[[Don Quixote]]'', a brand-new special edition was released by the [[Real Academia Española]] and Editorial Santillana, with the support of the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language. Its 12,000 copies were reported sold out in less than a month.

==Guests and lecturers==

Representing [[Spain]], the Congress was attended by the [[Kings of Spain|King]] [[Juan Carlos I of Spain|Juan Carlos I]] and the Queen [[Queen Sofía of Spain|Sofía]]; Argentine [[President of Argentina|President]] [[Néstor Kirchner]] represented the national government. The presidents of [[Colombia]] and [[Mexico]], as well as other important representatives of Spanish-speaking countries, were also present.

As guest lecturers there were the writers [[Carlos Fuentes]], [[Nobel Prize]] winner [[José Saramago]], [[Ernesto Cardenal]], and [[Ernesto Sábato]]. The Rosario-born novelist, comics artist and humorist [[Roberto Fontanarrosa]] broke the ice in a debate about the importance of insults in interpersonal communication.

==Criticism==
{{See also|Black legend (Spain)}}[[Image:Against_the_Third_International_Congress_of_the_Spanish_Language_(1).jpg|thumb|right|150px|A demonstration protesting the cultural and linguistic dominance legacy of the Spanish conquest.]]

The Congress met opposition on the part of [[activism|activist]] groups representing some linguistic and ethnic minorities, and became a focus for the confluence of many movements related to the [[left-wing politics|left]], from [[anti-globalization]] sympathizers to revisionists of the historic role of Spain and the [[Roman Catholic Church|Church]] in the colonization of the [[Americas]] (and the ensuing decline of native languages and cultures). The beginning of the Congress was protested by a large [[Demonstration (people)|demonstration]].

In line with these protests, there was another gathering, the ''[[Congreso de laS LenguaS]]'', to discuss linguistic and cultural diversity in the region. It was presided by [[Nobel Peace Prize]] [[Adolfo Pérez Esquivel]].

==Sources==
''In Spanish unless otherwise noted:''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041204044034/http://weblog.educ.ar/congreso-lengua/ Educ.ar] – Educational portal of the Argentine State.
* [http://www.liceus.com/cgi-bin/ac/age/3238.asp Congreso Internacional de la Lengua Española] in the website of Liceus.com.
* [http://www.diariohoy.net/v5/verNoticia.phtml/html/147912/ Diario Hoy], [[La Plata]], Argentina, 18 December 2004.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928004326/http://www.rosarionet.com.ar/rnet/congresodelalengua/notas.vsp?nid=17411 Rosario en el éxito soñado], RosarioNet, 21 November 2004.
* [http://www.sinmordaza.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=18927 Por el Congreso de la Lengua, habrá asueto administrativo.] SinMordaza.com, 12 November 2004.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051031050733/http://www.laslenguas.org.ar/ Congreso de laS LenguaS].

[[Category:Culture in Rosario, Santa Fe]]
[[Category:Culture of Argentina]]