Minister Cortes’ speech at the Literature Week Dinner
Here’s the full text of Minister John Cortes’ speech at the Literature Week dinner:
Your Excellency, Lord Archer, Minister, Your Worship, Distinguished guests, friends all.
It’s a particular pleasure for me to stand in for the Chief Minister today. Literature and indeed drama are very precious to me and perhaps what I have missed most as political life swallows so much of my time.
The words we say really do count and I was conscious as I prepared these’ of the fact that we live at a time when younger generations in particular push us hard to rethink on critical issues such as climate change, diversity, discrimination and gender. Having been a child in the sixties and like a little brother admired my older siblings’ vision of the world in those days, I am of course not at all fazed by this.
But it is true that in such a world we are forced to consider the use of words and expressions I have long taken for granted, for fear of unknowingly causing offence or worse. We are having, rightly, to learn to think things through and consider the real – or at least the current – implications of all that we say and write.
Even how we greet each other and how we talk about each other is very much part of a debate in the fore. Do authors now think ever more carefully of how they form the characters in their writing?
I have described myself several times recently as a writer with no time to write, which of course is almost a definition of what a writer is NOT - but in the writing that I do have to do – in drafting speeches or press statements, I do have to be particularly careful. Politics after all are inconsiderate and unforgiving and political writing is subject to remorseless, often dishonest scrutiny.
I will of course not even dare to suggest that political speeches form part of our Literature, given the recent heated, and I must say most stimulating debate on what is Gibraltarian Literature, but hey, why not?
A lot of my politics in the past two years has of course, been related to Covid-19.
The pandemic, the continuing pandemic, is a terrible episode for humanity. But it has also changed the way many people look both at themselves and at the world around them. This has had its impact on literature which will be visible particularly when we look back on what writers and readers have been doing in this strange and challenging period which has included both anxiety and deep reflection for many. And of course, as is so often the case-in-unusual-situations, opportunity.
The pandemic did something that many did not expect. As people and governments reacted to situations and tensions unseen in modern times, there were those who questioned the relevance of Culture, who saw it as an opportunity to redeploy resources away from the Arts. But as Culture does, it proved that it is the Essence of Community, the Heart of Wellbeing, and it hit back. Empty theatres and concert halls, closed art galleries and museums were not going to define Culture.
The story of how Culture in Gibraltar withstood the threat of Covid, and emerged stronger, revitalised, has been already been told in exhibitions, articles, TV programmes, and yes, in political speeches.
And, I have no doubt, there is more brewing, and I expect that significant contributions to Gibraltar literature are about to emerge. The Gibraltar Literature Week will celebrate this in years to come.
Now in its second year, it does not replace the Gibraltar Literary Festival, which has sadly not been held over the past two years due to Covid travel restrictions. It complements it and retains its relevance in how it is focusing attention on Gibraltarian writers and writers on Gibraltar, while being inspired, catalysed and, if I may use a botanical term, given my proximity right now to my beloved Alameda Gardens, cross pollinated, with the contributions of our esteemed guests from abroad.
I wanted to be brief but there are two points I would highlight about Literature Week:
Firstly, unlike some of the other festivals where writers turn up for their slot and then return home, many of our participants have commented on the fact that participating in our event has allowed them to interact with their colleagues and feel that they are part of a bigger project.
Significantly, that project, and this is my second point, is stimulating and bringing together our indigenous creative forces. Local identity, local writers are at the heart and soul of this event. And of course, if it attracts visitors and tourists which is part of the objective, this also allows us to share our culture with a broad audience.
Local, Gibraltarian literature is flourishing as never before, building on the not insignificant foundations of all that has gone before, and that is hugely important to us as a people.
Our ‘An Audience With’ series was very well subscribed, the new pop-up book shop has been extremely well received and we will continue to develop this for the future. I am determined that Gibraltar will have a bookshop once more.
Of course, politics, as I said earlier dominates my life and it has been a particular roller- coaster these last few years. I am delighted therefore to warmly welcome the champion of creative storytelling which as many of you know is packed with political and criminal themes.
Lord Jeffrey Archer, we are delighted to have you here on our Rock and your presence here is a great boost for our event. The packed auditorium today showed the level of interest in your work and in your personality.
Can I comment that there is also some comfort in being able to say that at least some political intrigue is fiction!
Lord Archer is a prolific writer and master storyteller with avid readers around the globe. He is, if I may say, himself a colourful and dynamic character.
He is the only author ever to have been a #1 bestseller in fiction, short stories and non- fiction. So as readers we will always be wondering how much of his material is fiction and how much thinly veiled stories he has experienced himself!
We heard today that Jeffrey wrote his way through much of the pandemic and his recent novel Over My Dead Body has created much excitement. So, it really is a great privilege to have you here with us.
I was of course disappointed that Alan Titchmarsh could not join us for private reasons that we fully understand. As most of you know I am myself partial to a bit of gardening! Hopefully we will have that pleasure next year.
Christopher Lloyd is always popular at our Literature events, and I think probably already qualifies as an honorary Gibraltarian. He is a great communicator and always warmly received by our schools and other local audiences. Thanks, Christopher, for your energy and support and, as Minister for Education, particularly for your work with schools.
I can’t mention everyone but a heartfelt thanks to all who have helped keep make this programme and keep it alive.
And my particular congratulations to the organisers of this tremendously successful week. To Seamus Byrne and the whole of his incredible team at Gibraltar Cultural Services always working hard on behalf of my small but crisp team at the Ministry for Culture. There is no task too complex, no challenge too great for GCS.
And so what of the future?
As we keep Covid and Brexit inevitably in the background still, as backdrops I am sure for great writing, I think we need to spare a thought for the reach of Gibraltarian Culture.
Yesterday Gibraltarian Nico Fitzgerald was on BBC’s masterchef – the culinary is no doubt part of our cultural identity. Need I mention Christian Hook in the world of the visual arts, the music of Albert Hammond, Julian Felice as an international playwright, at least three of our dancers performing probably as I speak on stages in the West End, and don’t forget we have had several world champions in Dance, the international success of our youth choirs, I could go on.
I see great, and new things on the horizon. Already the film making industry is beginning to develop in Gibraltar, we are looking seriously at plans for a Gibraltar Film Festival.
I can foresee good things coming and a growing international recognition of Gibraltar’s literature, and Gibraltarian Culture as a whole.
But we must do more to support and promote it.
Gibraltar needs workshops and studios and badly needs a new, proper theatre, capable of seating hundreds and of staging full professional Theatre. Together with the concomitant development, already being planned, of a Faculty of Performing Arts at the University of Gibraltar, The Gibraltar National Theatre and Cultural Hub will be transformational and cannot happen soon enough. The work of the National Theatre
Foundation and its ability to secure the funding are critical and challenging at the same time, but I am determined that we will achieve our aim.
With that, the sky, quite literally will be the limit.
There was a time when Gibraltar was known to the world for its monkeys. Perhaps also for its history, and its strategic military role. Those aspects are of course still important, but they are accidents of history or geography, whereas our Culture is home grown, squeezed from the veins of our diverse people, the brew of the cauldron of our traditions, ours, unique, and raring to go, to be known.
Our Culture reaches out into the world from Rock hard foundations, from a community whose identity has never been stronger – is no longer in doubt – cemented by works of art and narrated by words of poetry and prose.
As we push our way out of the transformative chrysalis of Covid, and head towards the new normality we both yearn for and fear, let us spread our wings even wider, but let it be, always, with a Jeffery Archer book in our hands.
Thank you!
