The city of Valparaiso should be the location for a new Chilean cultural institution to be created under government approval, Chilean Education Minister Sergio Bitar announced recently. Speaking at a recent press conference, Minister Bitar said that Valparaiso was an appropriate location for a new cultural centre ‘because it has a dimension and a projection that allows us as a country to reach the furthest corners of the world.’ The new centre will house 300 workers from the Education Ministry’s Cultural Division, as well as the Chilean Cultural Fund, Book Fund, Music Fund and Audiovisual Fund. As such, Minister Bitar argued that the location needed to guarantee the existence of infrastructure, and its ability to cater for specialist workers in the arts and cultural industries. Another point in favour of Valparaiso is fact that the Chilean port is due to be listed on the UNESCO heritage list this year. For more information in Spanish, CLICK HERE