Conference: Thinking About Spanish in the United States May 24, 2010

Monday, May 24, 6:00–7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 25, 5:30–8:15 p.m.
Wednesday, May 26, 5:30–8:15 p.m.

Free and open to the public

The Instituto Cervantes of Chicago and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México en Chicago (UNAM) present a conference that will explore the current state of the Spanish language in 21st-century United States. The conference speakers and roundtables will address how Spanish has evolved into a language as equally used and relevant as English in relation to industry, communications, and new information technologies. Roundtable discussions are designed to bring together leaders in Spanish-speaking organizations, universities, the community, and Spain’s Royal Academy of the Spanish Language. Discussions will also address contemporary usage and saturation of Spanish in the U.S. as well as attempt to predict and define its future demographic impact in metropolitan, suburban, and rural areas across the country.
Other subjects include the preservation and integration of Hispanic language and identity; the exponential growth of Spanish as a language of choice on television, radio, in theater, and on the Internet; and how Spanish grammar functions as a powerful engine in today’s economy. The conference features speakers such as Mr. Rogelio Blanco of Spain’s Ministry of Culture; Francisco Moreno Fernández, academic director at the Instituto Cervantes, Spain; Ignacio Díaz Ruiz, professor and researcher at UNAM, Mexico; Fernando Díaz, director of Hoy Online; Pepe Vargas, director of the Latino Cultural Center; Kim Potowski, director of Spanish for Heritage Speakers at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and Irene Lozano, writer and columnist for Spain’s ABC newspaper.
Thinking about Spanish in the U.S.A./Pensar en Español en los EE.UU. is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Spain and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago and UNAM Chicago.

CEU’s are available for teachers who attend the conference through the Illinois Board of Education. One CEU may be earned for each day of attendance at the conference. 

This entire conference will be conducted in Spanish, with no simultaneous translation.

The Instituto Cervantes is a public, not-for-profit institution founded by the government of Spain in 1991 to promote Spanish language teaching and the knowledge of cultures in Spanish-speaking countries throughout the world. The Instituto Cervantes of Chicago was established in 1996. For a current schedule of events, please call (312) 335-1996 or visit http://chicago.cervantes.es