In tribute, Tovar y de Teresa is praised as a great promoter of cultural institutions

For Rafael Tovar y de Teresa (1954-2016), “culture was not only a coherent system of symbols and meanings to explain the world, but the sphere of practical activity through which reality can be influenced and modified.

For him, culture strengthened the community, the sense of belonging, the pride of being Mexican.said his son Rafael Tovar y López-Portillo at the posthumous tribute paid to him by the National Center for the Arts (Cenart), an institution of which he was the main promoter as president of Conaculta, today the Ministry of Culture (SC) of Mexico.

The tribute took place on Saturday night, as part of the celebrations for the thirtieth anniversary of the cultural, artistic and educational complex, and consisted of a concert by the Carlos Chávez School Orchestra in the Blas Galindo auditorium, which was completely full, including family, friends and former collaborators of the diplomat, lawyer, writer and historian, as well as the general public.

Before the musical program, titled In Memorial and in which the Concerto for two pianos by Francis Poulenc and the cantata were performed Dreams, Arturo Márquez, a brief ceremony was held in which Rafael Tovar y de Teresa – who would have turned 70 on April 6 – was remembered with gratitude, admiration and affection, both for his human qualities and for his legacy as a public servant and the country’s first Secretary of Culture.

According to Tovar and López Portillo, the Cenart It was the institution of which he was most proud His father, although he assumed that the mission of his life was to have consolidated the Ministry of Culture of Mexico. For him, he said, it was always very important to consolidate and institutionalize ideas, considering that, if not, they run the risk of being diluted by mediocrity and short-sightedness, by ambition and ignorance.

He expressed his gratitude, Not only as a son, but as a Mexicanfor its capacity to forging institutions that, despite everything and despite many, still exist today, function and bear fruit. There are the Centro de la Imagen, Channel 22, the National System for Musical Promotion, the Program to Support the Infrastructure of the States, the Trust for the Museum of Popular Art, the National Program for Children’s Cultural Development Alas y Raíces, the Digital Agenda for Culture, the Cultural Program for Harmony, Cenart, and, of course, the Ministry of Culture..

Although she did not attend, the head of the Ministry of Culture, Alejandra Frausto Guerrero, sent a message in which she defined Tovar y de Teresa as an essential figure in the cultural and political panorama of Mexico. He stated that his life and work transcend the decades, leaving an indelible legacy in the cultural and heritage sphere of the nation.

His tenure as Mexico’s first Secretary of Culture was a fundamental milestone in the country’s history and cultural policies. During his tenure, he worked tirelessly to strengthen institutions, promote cultural diversity and safeguard our invaluable cultural heritage.said.

But beyond these institutional achievements, Rafael Tovar y de Teresa will always be remembered for his human qualities.

Also speaking were the director of Cenart, Antonio Zúñiga, and Roberto Rentería, coordinator of the National System for Musical Promotion, in addition to the director Eduardo García Barrios, who was in charge of the Carlos Chávez orchestra.