Vitrina de Valonia Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

The dream of Eusebio Leal Spengler, the late Historian of Havana, first realized on February 15, 2006, has now marked its twentieth anniversary. The Vitrina de Valonia, located in Plaza Vieja in the historic center of the capital, commemorated the milestone with the opening of the exhibition 20 años en 20 viñetas, bringing together twenty artists trained in the institution’s workshops.

Created through a cooperation agreement with the Office of the Historian of Havana, the center is far more than a cultural venue. As a statement published on its Facebook page notes, it is “tangible proof that Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels-Capital coexist within a shared project alongside Cuban culture.”

Bearing the name of a European region, the Vitrina de Valonia has, over two decades of work, become the “home of Belgium in Cuba.” It opened its doors on February 15, 2006, in the restored Casa del Conde Cañongo, in the heart of Old Havana.

It has served as a central hub for Belgian Culture Weeks and has evolved into a genuine training laboratory for Cuban youth. At the same time, as a comics center that safeguards the heritage and culture of graphic storytelling, the institution offers an extensive program of educational activities, including reading sessions, theater performances, dance workshops, drawing contests, educational games, and film screenings.

All these initiatives are specifically directed at children and adolescents from the Historic Center of Havana, allowing it to become “a key actor in grassroots education and neighborhood cultural integration.”

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez

Photo taken from Vitrina de Wallonia on Facebook