The municipal secretary of Culture and Tourism of Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Sarita Mansilla, and Peruvian designer Musi Indacochea, director of STUDMYLAN, got to know, last week, the work carried out by the Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano (South American Moinho Cultural Institute), on the border between Brazil and Bolivia. The international visitors were brought by businesswoman and CEO of Iaçaré, Sarah Gutierrez, a partner of the institution.
Sarah Gutierrez was responsible for donating the rebranding work for the OCAMP (Orquestra de Câmara do Pantanal, the Pantanal Chamber Orchestra) and Cia de Dança do Pantanal (Pantanal Dance Company) brands. The logos were launched in April of last year.
“Little by little, I feel I am becoming part of this great movement. And that is my intention. I keep saying that I am willing to support them, to give them strength and encouragement. Let’s go together for the same cause. We want to take the Pantanal to the world,” the businesswoman highlighted.
One of the initiatives that stood out during the visit was Moinho Cultural’s Sala de Práticas Linguísticas (Language Practice Room), a space dedicated to learning and valuing the various languages and cultures present in the local community, involving Brazilian and Bolivian children. The room is a place where diversity is celebrated and where language barriers are overcome through dialogue and mutual understanding.
For the municipal secretary of Culture and Tourism of Santa Cruz, Sarita Mansilla, the work carried out by Moinho Cultural “is wonderful” and the dedication of the teachers and of the institution itself to guarantee a well-rounded education for children is a differentiator.
“(Moinho Cultural) is an example for many people and, at some point, we can join forces and do something special for the children of Brazil and Bolivia,” she said, right after the visit, which included a tour of the institution’s facilities, as well as watching musical and dance performances. Sarita Mansilla also offered to help arrange exchanges, particularly between Moinho’s musicians and those from Bolivia.
Moved, the director of STUDMYLAN, Musi Indacochea, saw up close some artistic work by Moinho participants and recommended fields of study and professionals as inspiration. One of the possibilities is securing scholarships for them. STUDMYLAN works with educational consultants who help young people apply for careers, courses or master’s degrees in the fields of Fashion, Art and Design.
“We are sisters in our missions (STUDMYLAN and Moinho Cultural), because all the arts are connected. Seeing this project, the passion of the people here, moves me,” said Musi.
Founded 20 years ago, in Corumbá, Moinho Cultural has already served more than 23 thousand children and adolescents and, last year, was recognized as one of the 100 best NGOs in Brazil and, for the second consecutive time, the best NGO in Mato Grosso do Sul.
For Moinho Cultural’s executive director, Márcia Rolon, the visit was an opportunity to share the institution’s initiatives and values. “Welcoming people with a global outlook strengthens our work of transformation through art; our cultural wealth needs to be shared with other continents. It is also necessary to positively impact the entire Brazilian border. Partnerships with countries in our South America are our challenge,” she believes.
