UTPA unveils fifth annual literacy and arts festival

EDINBURG — The University of Texas-Pan American is launching a revolution — with the help of the community.

Starting March 22, the university is hosting its weeklong Festival of International Books and Arts, which promotes literacy and celebrates the arts through various events and activities.

This year’s FESTIBA theme is “Reading Revolution,” partly to commemorate the bicentennial of Mexico’s independence from Spain and the centennial of the Mexican Revolution, but also to restore people’s love of reading.

The university and the Dustin Sekula Memorial Library are partnering again to organize the Big Read, a program funded through the National Endowment for the Arts, in which members of the community read the same book and participate in group discussions and other activities related to it. This year’s Big Read selection is Sun, Stone, and Shadows, a collection of short stories from Mexico from the 20th century.

“We’re facing, really, a national crisis … of literacy,” said Steven Schneider, director of new programs and special projects with the university’s College of Arts and Humanities. “And the consequences of this are quite serious.”

In a videotaped statement, U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, said there are about 3.3 million people in Texas who are considered functionally illiterate.

Throughout the week, the university will host a variety of events, starting March 22 with a roundtable discussion on literacy led by Hinojosa.

On March 23, the university will host author Luis Alberto Urrea as part of its 2009-10 Distinguished Speakers Series.

Other events and attractions include panel discussions on the impact of the Mexican Revolution, mariachi competitions and a touring museum exhibit titled “Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats,” which is on display at the university’s visitors center.

The Texas Book Festival is also bringing six authors to area elementary schools so they can read their works to children.

FESTIBA culminates with a community day March 27 that will include a question-and-answer session with actress Eva Longoria Parker, as well as music from Alacranes Musical and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán.