· June, 2011

Stories about Arts & Culture from June, 2011

Puerto Rico: Surviving the Puerto Rican Parade

  21 June 2011

Actor and writer Mikephillippe Oliveros shares his reflections on attending the famous Puerto Rican Parade [es] in New York City: “It was evident that the relationship they have with the island is totally different from mine, either because they have spent too much time away, or I have spent too much time living in Puerto Rico.”

Thailand: Pub Peab and Planking Craze

  21 June 2011

First there was planking or the lying down game which became an instant hit in Thailand. But cultural authorities are not happy with it. Then the Pub Peab craze which involves sitting in a kneeling position seems to be more popular now among Thai netizens.

Bolivia: The ‘Gran Poder’ Festival in Photos

  21 June 2011

Pablo Andrés Rivero writes [es] about the ‘Gran Poder‘ festival in La Paz. Pablo describes the music, dances and colorful clothing worn during the parades. He also links to his set of photos of the event on Flickr under a Creative Commons license.

Vietnam: Poetry Bordello event in Hanoi

  21 June 2011

Andy Engelson blogs about a Poetry Bordello event in Hanoi, Vietnam which was held to promote the value of poetry and to support the work of the Center for Women and Development’s Peace House, the only shelter for victims of domestic violence in Hanoi.

South Korea: Actress-Activist Spearheads Protests with Social Media

  20 June 2011

In South Korea, entertainers are changing the political landscape by spearheading protests in social media. Among several influential comedians and actors, actress-activist Kim Yeo-jin, has been the most controversial figures for several weeks now for her active on and offline political engagement.

Bulgaria: Soviet Army Monument “Keeps Pace With Time”

Bulgarian blogger Peio Popov posted photos [bg] of the Soviet Army monument in Sofia, parts of which have been “updated” by unknown street artists to resemble heroes of American comic books, as well as Santa Claus and Ronald McDonald. Bulgarian newspaper Sega (“Now”) reports [bg] that Sofia city authorities are...

E Day: Discovering Celebrities’ Favorite Words

  18 June 2011

What do singer Shakira, actor Gael Garcia Bernal, chef Ferran Adria and writer Mario Vargas Llosa have in common? They are all part of the group of 30 celebrities who have shared through video their favorite word in Spanish as part of the celebrations for E Day by the Cervantes Institute.

Colombia: Dissatisfaction With TEDx Event in Medellín

  17 June 2011

Juan David Escobar [es] writes about his experience [es] with TEDx Medellín, which he could not enter because, according to what he narrates, he was not part of any of the companies sponsoring the event –but he did have a ticket. He links to an article in GeekPlanet [es] which...

Africa: Bloggers Remember the International Day of the African Child

  16 June 2011

June 16 marks the International Day of the African Child. The day was initiated by the Organisation of African Unity on June 16, 1991. The day honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day and raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of quality of life for African children. Bloggers remember...

China: Leftover women, do not get married!

  16 June 2011

Jing Gao from Ministry of Tofu translates an article on feminist debate about a Beijing erotica artist set of painting on “Leftover women, do not get married! Let’s enjoy ruining men!”

Lebanon: Lady Gaga's Latest Album Sparks A Rumor

Lady Gaga's latest album, Born This Way, stirred a small storm on Lebanese social networks. An article published by the Sun on June 4th, 2011, and commented by one of the Los Angeles Time blogs , stated that Lebanese authorities had banned the album. Lebanese fans immediately mobilized against this decision forcing the Sûrete Générale in Lebanon to deny the ban.

Lebanon: Raving about Goran Bregovic's concert

  15 June 2011

Famous Serbo-Croatian musician and composer Goran Bregovic performed in Lebanon on June 12 during the Beirut Music & Art Festival  – BMAF. His performance is hailed by his Lebanese fans as “unbelievable” and “amazing”.