Casa de la India in Spain
Casa de la India in Spain was established in Valladolid on 17 March 2003 as a cultural foundation, with three founding patrons: the Republic of India, through the Indian Embassy in Madrid; Valladolid City Council; and the University of Valladolid, which were joined in 2014 by the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations of the Government of India).
Casa de la India is the third Indian cultural centre to be opened in Europe under the auspices of the Government of India, after the Nehru Centre in London and the Tagore Zentrum in Berlin, although under a different legal formula. As a pioneering cultural foundation that brings together the Government of India, local partners and an extensive network of public and private collaborating entities, Casa de la India has established itself as a model for India’s cultural diplomacy abroad.
Casa de la India is headquartered in an early 20th-century building located at Calle Puente Colgante No. 13 in Valladolid, inaugurated on 11 November 2006, from where it carries out most of its activities as a centre for the dissemination of Indian culture in Spain, as well as a platform for bi-lateral relations and cooperation between the two countries in various areas of activity.
Objectives
The programming of Casa de la India responds to the cultural, social, academic, institutional and economic needs of the 21st century in the relations between India and Spain. It contributes to raising awareness in Spain of the great economic, scientific- technological and cultural potential of India today, facilitating greater exchange and also promoting actions that increase Spain’s presence in India.
Casa de la India, established as a cultural foundation, has the general purpose of creating a centre for the promotion and dissemination of Indian culture from Valladolid, as well as promoting cultural, institutional and educational activities planned for this purpose.
The objectives of Casa de la India cover three main areas:
Cultural field
- Regular programme of various traditional and contemporary Indian artistic expressions, dance, theatre, music, literature, photography, visual arts, architecture, cinema, video documentaries, etc.
- Workshops and courses
- Artists exchanges and residencies
Academic and educational field
- Library
- Academic courses in collaboration with the University of ValladolidCursos académicos en colaboración con la Universidad de Valladolid
- Seminars and lectures
- Academic meetings
- Inter-university collaboration
- Intercultural education programme Escuela de la India ( School of India)
- LAB INDIA Performing Arts Laboratory
- Kalasangam Music and Performing Arts Courses
- Scholarships, lectureships and grants
- Publications
Cooperation between civil society and business
- Delegations and visits by experts and representatives from various sectors of civil society, NGOs, economic agents, chambers of commerce, universities and research centres in Valladolid, Spain, Europe and India
- Training and outreach programmes for cooperation with India through social initiatives
- Activities to promote business relations: business conferences, business courses, working meetings, etc.
- Academic cooperation
- Cooperation in the sectors of tourism, cinema, heritage, the publishing industry and other priority areas
- Cooperation between cities