{"id":12199,"date":"2024-07-13T20:34:39","date_gmt":"2024-07-14T04:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/?p=12199"},"modified":"2024-07-13T20:34:39","modified_gmt":"2024-07-14T04:34:39","slug":"intercultural-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/culture\/intercultural-park\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Intercultural Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY VALERIA LEIVA \/ TRANSLATED BY SOPHIA OCA\u00d1A<\/p>\n

An urban park for the strengthening of cultures, the promotion of sports, the encouragement of arts, creative industries, and the dignification of historical memory. Following a deep reflection with artists, architects, and professionals regarding the different needs of the municipality, especially the lack of green areas and public spaces for intercultural encounters and dialogue. Named Intercultural Park, it aims to be an accessible space for the community\u2014inclusive, diverse, public, and a future green lung for Quetzaltenango\u2014that improves quality of life by offering ecosystem and cultural services. This vision of the current administration, led by Donald Urizar, president of the board, Berenice Cit\u00e1 as executive director, and Branly L\u00f3pez as cultural director, has the potential to become a national model project, integrating art, culture, technology, science, and worldviews.<\/p>\n

Historical Layers<\/strong><\/p>\n

The area housing the buildings that form the Intercultural Park once contained the pre-Hispanic hill \u201cChom Juyup\u201d (Cerro Gordo), which held ceremonial sites of the Mayan worldview according to oral accounts.
\nThe Los Altos Railway Station is a building constructed in the La Democracia neighborhood in zone three of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. An electric railway was made possible by the construction of the Santa Mar\u00eda Hydroelectric Plant and a dam on the Samal\u00e1 River. The railway route connected Quetzaltenango with San Felipe, Retalhuleu, covering a distance of 44 km. Construction of the Los Altos Railway Station began on September 25, 1924, and it was inaugurated on March 30, 1930. The project cost the Guatemalan government 8.5 million US dollars. For the inauguration, a marimba melody was composed, and the Guatemala Post Office issued three stamps featuring the Los Altos Railway. The railway project only operated for three years and was closed during Jorge Ubico\u2019s government.<\/p>\n

The building complex, originally constructed as the Los Altos Railway terminal, underwent its first transformation when the lobby was equipped with components and mechanisms from the \u201cLos Altos\u201d wheat mill, which operated for only four years and left some remnants in the building.<\/p>\n

In 1945, it became the headquarters of Military Zone 17-15 and later the Manuel Lisandro Barillas Military Brigade. The Military Brigade was closed in 2004 by President \u00d3scar Berger, following the 1996 Peace Accords. The architectural complex was under military control for almost sixty years. Military Zone 17-15 was a significant counterinsurgency bastion in Quetzaltenango, a center of torture and forced disappearances<\/p>\n

Starting with Berger\u2019s government, through Government Agreement 577-2007, the administration of the site was granted to the Quetzaltenango Intercultural and Sports Development Council Association. Through the Second Property Registry, the General Attorney\u2019s Office, and the Government Notary, the association has maintained administration of the space since then, with a usufruct for fifty years until 2065. The Quetzaltenango Intercultural and Sports Development Council Association is a non-profit civil association, and the current administration of the space is autonomous and self-managed, meaning it does not receive municipal or government funding.<\/p>\n

To position the cultural park within the city\u2019s subjective landscape, the proposed brand identity focuses on preserving and refreshing the site\u2019s existing image as a physical place, currently represented by its recognizable facade. However, the redesign aims to reflect not just a physical space, but a sense of place and a meaningful location where cultures, initiatives, and worldviews converge, while expressing the commitment of a professional, transparent, and avant-garde institution.<\/p>\n

Therefore, the proposal retains the structure of the current logo but incorporates design elements to express a living space that brings together and energizes cultures. At the same time, it seeks a contemporary, clean, and clear design that adapts elegantly to CIDEQ\u2019s future materials and initiatives.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Pilot Projects<\/em><\/p>\n

Railway Museum. This project aims to restore the Los Altos Railway Museum in an immersive format, developed by Gallery 01320 and resident artist Bryan Castro with support from the Sona Encendida artists\u2019 block.<\/p>\n

Memory Museum<\/em><\/p>\n

The building\u2019s basement was opened for the first time on Friday, February 23, with the virtual exhibition \u201cInhabiting the Archives: A Journey through Memory, Truth, and Justice in Guatemala.\u201d This is a step towards recovering historical memory and dignifying those who disappeared when this space was used as a torture center and military zone during Guatemala\u2019s internal war years.<\/p>\n

Community of Ajq\u2019ijab\u2019 of Xelajuj No\u2019j<\/em><\/p>\n

This community of Ajq\u2019ijab\u2019 seeks to reclaim the original ceremonial sites still present on the land, sacred to the Mayan K\u2019iche\u2019 ancestors. The Intercultural Park currently has the altars: Oxlajuj Noj, Oxlajuj Iq\u2019, Oxlajuj Aq\u2019ab\u2019al, Oxlajuj Imox, Oxljuj Kan, Oxlajuj E, Oxlajuj Kyej, and Oxlajuj Tz\u2019ikin.<\/p>\n

Intercultural Library<\/em><\/p>\n

The Intercultural Library, a reading space with over 2,000 books available, has been operating since September 2023. It features study areas and is currently directed by librarian Ana Boj, who conducts various activities to promote reading. The library is open from Monday to Sunday, 9 am to 7 pm.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sona Encendida<\/em><\/p>\n

Sona Encendida is a collective of independent cultural initiatives currently operating in the Intercultural Park as a common convergence space. This project brings together artists and cultural actors to support the cultural revitalization of the Intercultural Park. It is named to give new meaning to the word \u201czone,\u201d imparting a dignified perspective and positioning the space as the focal point for contemporary art in Quetzaltenango.
\nThe Sona Encendida community currently includes several permanent resident artists such as Guillermo Santillana, who leads the Armadillo Puppet Theater project; Valeria Leiva, who directs the contemporary photography gallery Fotoma\u00edz and shares Gallery 01320, a space dedicated to contemporary art, graphic laboratory, printing studio, and design studio with artist Bryan Castro. Additionally, initiatives from itinerant artists such as Juan Esteban Calder\u00f3n, who inaugurated the Hangar in the back with a performance for memory dignification, Alberto Arz\u00fa, a literary artist who presented his latest book as part of the Sona Encendida project, and Ricardo Huertas, a Mexican artist who has been a resident at the park collaborating on various space recovery initiatives, continue to support the recovery and activation projects of the Intercultural Park with different artists joining the initiative.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY VALERIA LEIVA \/ TRANSLATED BY SOPHIA OCA\u00d1A An urban park for the strengthening of cultures, the promotion of sports, the encouragement of arts, creative industries, and the dignification of historical memory. Following a deep reflection with artists, architects, and professionals regarding the different needs of the municipality, especially the lack of green areas and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12170,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[409,453,435],"tags":[1363,4647,1013,1859,4741,2697,2348],"class_list":["post-12199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-frontpage-en","category-xela-en","tag-art","tag-cultures","tag-historical-memory","tag-history-of-xela","tag-intercultural-park","tag-los-altos-railway","tag-mayan-worldview"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/foto21-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1882&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7ljt7-3aL","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6369,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/xela-guide\/events\/cultural-activities-from-march-12th-to-march-15th\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":12199,"position":0},"title":"Cultural activities from march 12th to march 15th","author":"EntreMundos","date":"11 marzo, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Thrusday 12th: 17:30 hrs. Conference The Essence of Forgiveness, Casa No\u2019j. 18:45 hrs. Route on Wheels, Utz Ulew Mall basement 4, free entrance. Friday 13th: 10:00 a 11:00 hrs. Thermoformado course, Victoria Bookstore Xela, Paseo San Jos\u00e9. 19:00 hrs. Play \u201cReturn to the Desert\u201d Teatro Municipal de Quetgo. Saturday 14th:\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abEvents\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/xela-guide\/events\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6304,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/xela-guide\/cultural-activities-for-the-end-of-the-month\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":12199,"position":1},"title":"Cultural Activities for the end of the month","author":"EntreMundos","date":"26 febrero, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Thrusday, February 27th: 17:30 hrs. Cian Meetup, Casa No\u2019j, free entrance. 18:45 hrs. 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Bird Photography Contest Exhibit\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abThings to Do\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Things to Do","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/xela-guide\/things-to-do\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/teatro.jpg?fit=720%2C481&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/teatro.jpg?fit=720%2C481&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/teatro.jpg?fit=720%2C481&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/teatro.jpg?fit=720%2C481&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7631,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/culture\/supporting-the-indigenous-people-of-panama-in-the-struggle-against-covid-19\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":12199,"position":2},"title":"Supporting the Indigenous People of Panama in the Struggle Against COVID-19","author":"Majo Recinos","date":"9 octubre, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Por Teobaldo Hern\u00e1ndez Thompson The impact of COVID-19 is accentuating the inequalities that have already existed in countries like Panama.\u00a0 Therefore, and although this country is not yet experiencing the most extreme scenario of the emergency, it\u2019s necessary to broaden the view toward the indigenous world, emphasising those communities that\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abCulture\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/culture\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/received_2331842533777712.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/received_2331842533777712.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/received_2331842533777712.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/received_2331842533777712.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/received_2331842533777712.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9144,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/frontpage-en\/the-classes-in-my-language\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":12199,"position":3},"title":"The Classes in my Language","author":"EntreMundos","date":"30 septiembre, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"By Angie Lopez \"I hoped to be taught in my first language, in this case, K'iche (one of the Mayan languages of indigenous Guatemalans) because I am in the province\/department of K'iche\", explains Rosemary Dionisio, a Mayan university student from the K'iche sub-group in Guatemala.\u00a0 Rosemary is a 23 year\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abFrontPage\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"FrontPage","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/frontpage-en\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/8-rosemary-dionicio.jpg?fit=720%2C484&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/8-rosemary-dionicio.jpg?fit=720%2C484&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/8-rosemary-dionicio.jpg?fit=720%2C484&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/8-rosemary-dionicio.jpg?fit=720%2C484&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7298,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/culture\/in-the-same-territorial-space\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":12199,"position":4},"title":"In The Same Territorial Space","author":"EntreMundos","date":"14 septiembre, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Esmeralda Pe\u00f1a I walk on the sand and slow myself down.\u00a0 I take in the sun at its highest point. One tree humming to another accompanies my steps, softly like the sounds of the tongue's brief skipping from word to word.\u00a0 I recognize the phonemes because they are different,\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abCulture\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/culture\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/portada.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/portada.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/portada.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/portada.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/portada.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8180,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/culture\/los-altos-railway-the-altenses-dream-that-became-a-reality-3\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":12199,"position":5},"title":"\u201cLOS ALTOS RAILWAY\u201d The Altenses dream that became a reality","author":"Majo Recinos","date":"10 enero, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"For Christian D\u00edaz (Third Part) IV. 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