Casa de los Tres Mundos
Casa de los Tres Mundos (House of Three Worlds) is a cultural and development project founded in 1988/1989 by Ernesto Cardenal and Dietmar Schönherr as Fundación Casa de Los Tres Mundos , in Granada ( Nicaragua ) in the legal form of a foundation by Dieter Stadler is directed.
Goal and activities
According to its principles, the foundation supports "socially accentuated cultural projects in Nicaragua and Central America" and combines:
- an integrated art and music school
- an event center
- a seminar building
The declared aim of the founders was to support not only the economic development but by promoting initiatives in the cultural formation of the living conditions for sustained improvement of the people. It is an important concern of the foundation to promote the exchange between cultures. With this work the creative forces of Nicaragua are to be promoted and the buried cultural heritage to be rediscovered.
The foundation's projects include:
- Promotion of the artistic and musical development of children and young people with appropriate offers.
- Village development project in Malacatoya, a region in the municipality of Granada , initiated by Dieter Stadler after the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch .
- Fighting poverty through helping people to help themselves . 66 percent of the people of Nicaragua are unemployed and 34 percent are illiterate . 80 percent of Nicaraguan children live in absolute poverty. They are therefore sent to work instead of school by their parents.
- Organization of concerts, exhibitions, readings, lectures, theater and dance events.
- Implementation of language courses, international symposiums and festivals.
- Music and painting school with permanent Nicaraguan teachers. Children from all social classes are taught.
- The historical city archive of Granada is housed in the building of the foundation.
The foundation is supported by the non-profit association Pan y Arte , among others . Schönherr was chairman of the association until May 2006 and then remained associated with the association as honorary president. The former mayor of Bremen and President of the Senate Henning Scherf became chairman in 2006. His wife Luise had been a member of the board of the association for a long time and worked as a music teacher in Nicaragua for several years.
Young Austrians have been doing their foreign service in the Casa since 2001 . There is also an exchange of European musicians and ensembles in Nicaragua and, in return, Nicaraguan students in Europe.
The building
The foundation is based in a former colonial-style noble residence (Casa de los Leones), the history of which goes back to the 16th century . The extensive restoration lasted from 1988 to 1995. The aim was to restore the building using materials that are true to the original in the traditional construction.
As additional space became apparent in the mid-1990s, restoration of the former court building in Granada began in autumn 1995. This property is directly adjacent to the former Casa de los Leones. This part now houses the artist studios , a printing workshop and the art school.
The entire complex is now one of the architectural highlights of Granada.
Since 2004 attempts have been made to set up a music school in Pólvora (a former powder store) on the northwestern outskirts of the city . This failed so far due to official obstacles in the city administration, so that there are now considerations about the construction of a new building. Nevertheless, some of the drawing courses take place in the listed site.
In recognition of Schönherr's commitment, on the occasion of the celebration of his 80th birthday on May 17, 2006, the inner courtyard of the Casa was decorated with a mosaic of his portrait .
Movie
- Nicaragua's children - longing for culture , documentary, 40 min., Director: Carola Mair, Austria, Nicaragua, 2004
Awards
- 1994: Würth Prize from Jeunesses Musicales Germany for Casa de los Tres Mundos
- The training courses at the Casa de los Tres Mundos were selected by the German UNESCO Commission for 2001 as the official German contribution to the United Nations International Year "Dialogue between Cultures".
- In May 2005 Dietmar Schönherr received the " Change the World Award " from the Club of Budapest for Pan y Arte's work in Nicaragua .
- In 2010 Dietmar Schönherr received the Egon Ranshofen-Wertheimer Prize from the city of Braunau am Inn for his commitment in Nicaragua .
Web links
- Website of the Casa de los Tres Mundos Foundation (German, English and Spanish)
- Austrian social service in the Casa de los Tres Mundos
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- ↑ An Introduction to Casa de Los Tres Mundos - Granada. In: Nicaragua Community. June 13, 2019, accessed July 10, 2020 (American English).
- ^ "Dietmar Schönherr celebrates his 80th birthday" , Nicaraguaportal Dr. Horst Engler & Dr. Danica Krunic