Instituto Cervantes contributes to the Heritage Month with an invitation to Rediscover and protect San Nicolas District

Wazzup Pilipinas!?




On Tuesday, May 16th at 2PM, Instituto Cervantes is presenting a lecture on the historical value of San Nicolas, and an exhibit by the Urban Sketchers depicting the neighborhood today. Scheduled during the Heritage Month, the said events will be held at Instituto Cervantes’ center in Intramuros (Calle Real, Plaza San Luis, Intramuros).

The district of San Nicolas, an area of Manila’s Historic Chinatown, was where the confluence of Spanish and Chinese interaction in the Philippines largely took place, a process that to a high degree contributes to the Filipino identity. Historically, its relevance is in its role in the Philippine revolution. Architecturally, its 19th-century buildings and its streets are evidences of this interaction and are the last vestiges of a bygone era. Regretfully however, the district has decayed.

The good news is that there is a growing awareness of the value of the said district. Instituto Cervantes is organizing the said lecture and exhibit in order to generate interest in the preservation of the heritage of the area and encourage activity there in order to bring it back to the dynamic place it was before, thereby increasing the value of the zone.

The conference is titled “Trade and Revolution: Historical notes on the Jeopardized District of San Nicolas in Manila”, and the exhibit is titled “San Nicolas through the eyes of the Urban Sketchers.” The San Nicolas heritage community was first chosen as Urban Sketchers Manila’s sketchwalk location back in 2022. Advocates then shared with participating artists their hope for this place to continue to hold the memory of old Manila that generations after can appreciate. The exhibit, which consists of some 50 artworks, will be available for viewing everyday, including Sundays, from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM until July 31st.

Admission is FREE and open for all on a first come, first served basis. For more information, please visit our website at http://manila.cervantes.es or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila. You may also contact Instituto Cervantes at 8526-1482 or at cenmni@cervantes.es.