Mexico's 43rd International Cervantino Festival gets underway

The 43rd International Cervantino Festival (FIC), considered as Latin America's most important cultural gathering, began on Wednesday in the central Mexican city of Guanajuato, according to festival director Jorge Volpi.

"The way to obtain peace and equality in a country can be found in science and culture," said Volpi, who is also a writer, during the festival's opening ceremony.

More than 3,000 artists from 34 countries will participate this year in the "cultural party", which will have two central themes: "Transitions" and "The Science of Art."

"Transitions" explores the accelerating movements that transcend times and that spread across borders.

"The Science of Art" analyzes the link between performing arts and scientific knowledge despite the belief that the two are from completely separate universes.

A country that cannot guarantee cultural quality and development will be led to social and moral failure, Volpi warned.

This year's event will include over 450 activities converging science and art. Among the highlights is a concert with images from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) projected on a giant screen.

Over the past four decades, the FIC has developed into one of the most well-known cultural gatherings in the world, with its diverse art genres and styles, including music, dance, theater, visual arts, cinema and literature. Endi