There are few tools of cultural diplomacy quite like tango. Originating in the poorer districts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo along the Río de la Plata basin, the music, dance, and poetry of tango are now listed on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a nomination put forth by both Argentina and Uruguay. The origins of tango were heavily influenced by Candombe, another honoree on the UNESCO list, which originated in Uruguay by the descendants of enslaved Africans, more than 200,000 of whom arrived in the twin ports of Buenos Aires and Montevideo between the 16th and 19th centuries. Meetings of the community were known as "tangos." Along with local Indigenous influences, as well as later contributions by immigrants from Europe, these cultures merged to create a distinctive, new, cultural identity.
Tango at embassies isn't a new concept; although for many years, the Argentina embassy and its gorgeous historic ballroom have cornered the market. But the Embassy of Uruguay has as much claim as its neighbor on wide-eyed students envisioning themselves moving gracefully in one of the world's most sophisticate dances.
And the embassies of the two countries that share claim to tango share something else - an enigmatic instructor.
Read Born in a River on Diplomatica Global.
Did you know? When the UK left the European Union, the European Parliament's Liaison Office in London had to find a new remit. Check out London's Liaison Office in Transition in the latest issue of Parliament Magazine.
Huge thanks to Miguel Albero and the entire team at the Embassy of Spain's Cultural Office for providing Diplomatica readers a private tour of the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain, and everyone who attended.
We've been busy preparing for our fall issues of diplomatic properties throughout Washington. Thanks to the Embassies of Canada, Algeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Uruguay, Germany, Netherlands, and everyone who provided research, tours, interviews or other helpful information to the Diplomatica team!
Special thanks to the DC Public Library and the Library of Congress for their research help. We couldn't put out an issue without them.
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Looking for something fun to do this weekend, next week, or this month? We are too! It's mostly crickets in August but here are a few suggestions on how to get your public diplomacy fix.
Explore Mexican coffee with 1790 Coffeeand the Mexican Cultural Institute on Saturday, July 30 at Franklin Park.
Tango lessons begin at the Embassy of Uruguay on August 2 for four consecutive Tuesdays.
Check out a Cultural Tourism DC Heritage Trail self-guided walking tour. There are sixteen to choose from but we particularly enjoy the Adams Morgan Cultural Heritage Trail Guide, which includes 16th Street NW, and the Mexican Cultural Center, the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain, the Polish Embassy, the Lithuania Embassy, the Cuban Embassy, and more. Bring plenty of water and wear comfortable shoes!
View the photography exhibit, A Changing Amazon, at the Embassy of Peru.
Visit the Old Korean Legation on Logan Circle and explore US-Korean bilateral relations.
Explore the Around Pollinators exhibit at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain.
Check out the Little Free Libraries at the Embassy of Latvia (with information on the country) and the Embassy of Finland (with Finnish language fiction and non-fiction books) or build one of your own!
Are you organizing an event our readers would enjoy? Let us know and we'll include it in the next issue.
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The Little Free Library outside the Embassy of Finland, and accessible via the sidewalk, offers books in the Finnish language.