Hinojosa To Participate in Special Events at UTPA's Festival of International Books and Arts (FESTIBA)

Press Release

Hinojosa To Participate in Special Events at UTPA's Festival of International Books and Arts (FESTIBA)

This weekend, Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (D-Mercedes), will participate in special events during UTPA's third annual Festival of International Books & Arts (FESTIBA) to be held March 22-28. With a theme of "Connecting Culture To Literacy through the Arts and Media," FESTIBA celebrates the arts and humanities, encourages literacy and broadens cultural awareness through a number of innovative programs and performances including lectures, musical concerts, and art exhibits.

Dahlia Guerra, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at UTPA says "FESTIBA will provide opportunities for university faculty and students to participate in the exchange of arts, research, and ideas as well as engage the community through interactive exhibits, storytelling, panel discussions, creative writing, movies with commentary, music workshops and competitions."

The first event Congressman Hinojosa will participate in is a Congressional Roundtable will be one of the main events for FESTIBA. The theme of the discussion is ‘Stimulating Engagement in Literacy through Cultural Expressions in the Arts and Media.' The panel will consist of 10 speakers and the audience will consist of public and school librarians, school administrators, community leaders and university students.

Congressman Hinojosa stated "One of the goals of the Congressional Roundtable is to draw more attention to the importance of literacy in the community. We must do something about increasing literacy not only in schools but at home as well. That is why I have made it one of the highest priorities in Congress."

This event begins at 10 am this Friday March 27th at the University of Texas - Pan American Student Union Theatre. Congressman Hinojosa will be joined by Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) Program Administrator Mia Buentello, Reading is Fundamental President Carol Rasco, Texas Book Festival Literacy Director Clay Smith, Writer/Producer David Carren, Meadows Foundation Program Officer Mike McCoy, Texas State Library and Archives Commission Director Peggy Rudd, UTPA Professor Steven Schneider, and UTPA Student Union Theatre Movie Director Juan Carlos Frey.

Immediately following the roundtable discussion, Congressman Hinojosa will participate in an awards ceremony honoring different community leaders and organizations. The 2009 South Texas Literacy Coalition Advancement of Literacy Award will be presented by the Congressman to the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District in recognition of their achievements towards advancing literacy. District Clerk Laura Hinojosa, who serves as President of the South Texas Literacy Coalition, will present the My Librarian Rocks Award to two deserving librarians selected by a selection committee. Lastly, Congressman Hinojosa will present the Community Based Organization Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition to the Dustin Sekula Memorial Library of Edinburg in recognition of outstanding and invaluable service to the community.

On Saturday, Congressman Hinojosa will participate in a literacy event by reading to children while accompanied by the popular children's' book characters Maya and Miguel. This event is part of FESTIBA's Community Day and is sponsored by the groups Reading is Fundamental (RIF) and Scholastic Books. The reading will take place at 3 p.m. at the South Texas Literacy Coalition Tent on the UTPA campus.

"I am, once again, proud to support FESTIBA as it continues to provide our community with a special opportunity to enhance the lives of our students and spark a love for the arts and humanities that will last a lifetime," said Hinojosa. "Dhalia Guerra and her team have done a tremendous job putting this event together. This year's program includes several exciting activities that encourage literacy and broaden the cultural horizons of our talented students through books, lectures, musical concerts, artistic exhibits, and much more."

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