Words About Things

Following the practice being banned in the northern region of Catalonia Spanish politicians have tried to protect the future of bull fighting in Spain. Members of the Partido Popular (People’s Party) have put forward a bill which if successful would overturn the ban and prevent further legislation. They claim that the practice should be protected as it is an important part of Spain’s national Culture. If it were considered a cultural event bull fighting may escape the nationwide ban that many see on the horizon. Spain’s ruling Partido Socialista Obrero Español (Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party) opposes the bill being put forward by the People’s Party.

Bull fighting has been banned in the Canary Islands since 1991 but is still popular in many other regions and with visiting tourists. Many believe that bull fighting is of vital importance to Spain’s national identity and should be protected as such. Tanya Case, a 41-year-old Spanish teacher from Vermont said “you cannot have Spain without bullfighting”. Some members of Spain’s royal family would seem to agree, they are often spotted at such events. Bull breeder Eduardo Martin-Penato unsurprisingly supports the bill saying “”Under the Constitution the government is obliged to protect culture.”

Others see bull fighting as nothing more than ritual torture and welcomed the ban in Catalonia. They see the practice as outdated and unnecessary – a show for the many tourists Spain attracts and nothing more. The fact that bull fighting is a long standing tradition has little impact of the thoughts of many in the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party who believe that it should have been banned long ago. Attendance at events has fallen in recent years in part due to economic troubles but some suggest the Spanish are no longer interested in Bull fighting. Mimi Bekhechi of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called the attempt to pass the bill “just a desperate attempt by a small minority of people to cling to this former tradition that most Spaniards have no interest in whatsoever”.

It is unlikely that the bill will be passed as law as long as the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party remains in power. The bill is only likely to succeed if the People’s Party win the next election although this looks increasingly likely.

Dubai continues its attempt to put itself on the cultural map by hosting an International Film Festival this week. Wednesday sees the launch of the 6th DIFF (Dubai International Film Festival) which aims to “Lead in building cultural understanding through creative achievement in film”. This years event will feature 168 films from 55 countries including 13 international premieres, It will be held at Madinat Arena at the Madinat Jumeirah resort.

Queen Noor of Jordan will be providing the Keynote Speech at this year’s festival which is being attended by a host of film stars such as Matt Dillon, George Clooney, Christina Ricci, Omar Sharif and Mandy Moore.

“We are honoured to have Her Majesty Queen Noor with us this year, and we look forward to a ‘full house’, given her status as an inspirational role model across the Arab world and globally admired as a humanitarian. We are also grateful to the three industry representatives, who will also provide a forum for lively discussion.”

An important part of the event is the Cultural Bridge programme which “explores ways to unite all nationalities, which is exemplified in the core slogan of the festival – ‘Bridging Cultures, Meeting Minds’”. Other satellite events include the Dubai film festival charity gala which will feature an auction to raise money and awareness for an HIV/Aids charity.

Despite the recent drops in share value Dubai continues to spend heavily in order to gain international attention. The Film Festival is just one of many events this year which aimed to portray Dubai as a main player in the international culture scene. Other events encouraging people to hop on flights to Dubai include the Dubai Sound City Festival and Art Dubai.

Saadiyat is a small island just off the coast at Abu Dhabi that until recently was mostly barren and uninhabited. Like the city opposite it Saadiyat is subject to ongoing development at an alarming pace. The UAE’s ecconomy shows no sign of slowing down and Abu Dhabi’s skyline is testament to the scale of its growth.

Next month a new bridge will be completeted which links Saadiyat with downtown Abu Dhabi. The bridge and the roads connecting it will be opened in time for the Formula One Grand Prix on the 1st November. The designer of the bridge, Frederic Turlier says that everything is right on schedule which suggests that no British builders were involved.

Abu Dhabi is aiming to become an international city of cultural importance, the Telegraph reports that:

By 2013, the capital of the United Arab Emirates will boast an offshoot of the Louvre, a new Guggenheim museum, a National Museum inspired by the British Museum, a performing arts centre designed by the British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, several art schools, and various pavilions and other cultural franchises that will be able to host temporary exhibitions from around the world.

The island of Saadiyat will be be home to many of the UAE’s cultural gems and those planning the development are keen to create a tourism friendly area. Flights to Abu Dhabi take around 7 hours from London and cost from around £230 upwards.