Luanda — The Angolan Embassy in Spain hosted the IV International Congress of the International Chamber of Writers and Artists (CIESART) in Madrid at the weekend, with conferences and communications centred on peace and the empowerment of women.
The event was marked by the presentation of the new CIESART anthology dedicated entirely to women and their struggles for respect and equality, with a foreword written by Ramon Nunez Duval.
The programme also included the presentation of prizes and swearing in of new Dr Honoris Causa in Literature and Philosophy, which is considered to be one of the most solemn moments of the day.
Speaking at the event, Press Counsellor Marlene Gomes spoke about the strength of African women, especially Angolan women, noting the actions taken for gender equality and universal peace.
Marlene Gomes pointed to the political commitment to gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls and the encouragement of cultural exchange.
She highlighted the promotion and defence of equality, emancipation, the social and economic process and the eradication of violence through peace and democracy as priorities for the Angolan government and the United Nations Common Agenda.
The event was attended by some of the authors of the anthology, namely the Global President, Lily Baylon, the President of CIESART Spain, Ana Benegas, the President of CIESART Portugal, Isilda Nunes, and the author of the painting that serves as the anthology's cover.
CIESART aims to contribute to the integration of international organisations and individuals, through global agreements to achieve peace with innovative proposals and elements that promote cultural policies in the world.
The organisation is present in 80 countries, with more than 17,000 members and three official headquarters in Spain, Switzerland and Peru.
Its members are writers, artists, cultural promoters and personalities who carry out activities for these purposes and are called to achieve unity.
The organisation acknowledges the rewarding of talent and perseverance through the annual recognition of the "Mar de Cristal International Award" in different categories.
CIESART is a welfare and non-profit organisation, with projects aimed at projecting shared responsibilities in social welfare.
VM/MRA/jmc
