On October 2, within the framework of Colombia’s Cultural Diplomacy Strategy (EDCC), the Embassy of Colombia in Azerbaijan and the Spanish Language Center of the Azerbaijan University of Languages (AUL) jointly organized a scientific and public event titled “Literature and Cultural Identity.”

In his opening speech, H.E. Luis Fernando Cuartas Ayala, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Colombia to Azerbaijan, expressed his gratitude to the university administration and the Spanish Language Center, sharing his views on literature:

“Literature serves as a bridge between nations, a vital means of preserving memory, and a key to intercultural dialogue.”

Three renowned Colombian writers also took part in the event. Andrea Salgado-Cardona discussed the metaphorical representation of the body, nature, and violence in contemporary Colombian literature; Mario Jursich Durán analyzed the role of essays and cultural criticism as tools for understanding history; and Omar Adolfo Arango emphasized the importance of rural and indigenous voices in literature as forms of cultural resistance and memory preservation.

The event aimed to explore themes of diversity, memory, and social transformation in Colombian literature while providing a platform for cultural dialogue among students and scholars. This initiative reflected the joint efforts of the Colombian Embassy in Azerbaijan and the AUL Spanish Language Center to strengthen cultural diplomacy through literature and foster friendship between the two countries.

The discussion, actively attended by students and faculty members, offered the audience an opportunity to discover the richness of Colombian literature from multiple perspectives.