The Training Center of the Spanish Cooperation in Antigua Guatemala, (CFCE) for its acronym in Spanish, is one of four overseas units of the Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID), in charge of coordinating and implementing cooperation activities in the specific area of training.

This Training Center of Antigua Guatemala, along with the other three that the AECID has in the region: Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia), Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) y Montevideo (Uruguay), is developing the Iberoamerican Program of Specialized Technical Training, (PIFTE) for its acronym in Spanish. This program aims at strengthening the institutional capacities for development, and focuses on the training of human resources in public institutions, civil society, organizations, private companies and other public-oriented entities, seeking the exchange of experiences and the consolidation of sectorial networks.

Besides, the Center also has a regional specialization with the purpose of promoting the exchange and approach between Central American public administrations, and as such it serves as the headquarter of the training program Fondo España-SICA with special attention to the axes of Institutional Strengthening, Democratic Security, and Economic Integration.

Also, training activities at national level hold an important place in the Center’s agenda, contributing to strengthening Guatemalan institutions, always in collaboration with the efforts of bilateral cooperation, in order to continue forming an open space for discussion, proposals of plurality, diversity and commitment to other governmental and non-governmental sectors of Guatemala.

Simultaneously, the CFCE is performing a series of cultural activities with the aim of promoting the social participation of the Antigua community.

This Center has cultural spaces open to learning, enjoyment, and dialogue through different artistic expressions, such as: performing art shows, contemporary art exhibitions, films, workshops, a child’s cultural space, and training projects that provide a feedback to the country’s cultural movement.

Cultural projects supported by espacioce! are part of the scope of activities from the Spanish Cooperation, promoting the participation of the entire society to ensure plurality and diversity. Due to its extensive cultural program, the CFCE already has a definite identity and is established as a meeting and dialogue space at the national and departmental level.

All our activities are free and suited for all kinds of public.

espacioce!

proyectos culturales del centro de formación de la cooperación española en La Antigua Guatemala

As a complement to the training activities of the CFCE, Biblioce! was created in 1999.

Biblioce! is a space dedicated to strengthening and deploying the Iberoamerican Program of Specialized Technical Training (PIFTE) which over the years has acquired its own identity, becoming a local referent with its specialized book collections, its activities and services to the community.

Actually, it hosts a wide library collection specializing in development cooperation and social sciences, which is complemented by documents generated under the program PIFTE, and with the addition of a wide array of Spanish cultural magazines, and other materials in micro-format.

As part of its diffusion strategy, colloquiums, book presentations and other cultural activities are organized. A significant number of participants interested in learning about the national and regional reality are assiduously coming to these activities.

Biblioce!

biblioteca del centro de formación de la cooperación española en La Antigua Guatemala

The Training Center of the Spanish Cooperation in Antigua Guatemala

6ª. Avenida Norte, between 3ª. y 4ª. Calle Poniente,

Antiguo Colegio de la Compañía de Jesús,

(Old School of the Society of Jesus)

La Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez

Telephone: (502) 7932-3838

conocimiento.antigua@aecid.es

www.aecid-cf.org.gt

Antiguo Colegio de la Compañía de Jesús

-Old School of the Society of Jesus-

The Training Center of the Spanish Cooperation in Antigua Guatemala, (CFCE) for its acronym in Spanish, is located in the Old School of the Society of Jesus, founded in 1582.   This Jesuit compound included three cloisters and a temple, and it was home of twelve Jesuit priests. The main purpose of the old school was education and as such it had large meeting rooms, a library, classrooms, and bedrooms. During all the years that remained open, it became a very important cultural and educational center. Philology, philosophy, and rhetoric were taught here.

After 1767-when all Jesuits were expelled from Spanish territory- the school remained unoccupied, and throughout the time several earthquakes destroyed its structure. For years, what little remained standing up, was used as textile factory, school, market, etc. In May 1992, Spain and Guatemala signed an agreement to develop a restoration project through the Preservation Program of the Iberoamerican Cultural Heritage of the Spanish Agency for International Development, with the approval of the National Council for the Protection of Antigua Guatemala (CNPAG).

In 1994, the AECID signed an agreement with the Municipality of Antigua, which owns the building. In that agreement the Municipality handed over the use of the building to the AECID for their establishment of an Iberoamerican oriented International Center for Development Training.

In August 1996, a fast restoration process allowed the formerly abandoned spaces to return to life, invigorating the social and cultural activity in the city and expanding its scope of action to the entire Latin American region.

The ruins of this old school were refurbished, as shown:

Cloisters

Corridors on the upper floor		Gardens on the ground floor

Corridors on the ground floor

The official inauguration by HM Queen Sofia took place en October 1997.

 Fuente:

Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española (CFCE) en La Antigua Guatemala.