ENGLISH CORNER, CON LINDA JIMÉNEZ – This week’s trivia question: What are three types of activities that take place in the amphitheater that is part of “¡Esta es una Plaza!”?

Lavapies is an old, traditional and very typical neighborhood in the center of Madrid. There are not many open spaces there, and several years ago, the local government gave an empty lot, located at Dr. Fourquet, 24, to its residents for public use. The result, called “¡Esta es una Plaza!”, is now a collectively managed space which is open to the general public and where neighbors of all ages enjoy a variety of activities throughout the year.

Sara Casado is a native of Madrid who lives in Lavapies and is very active in this project. She was recently invited to participate in a conference in Seoul, South Korea, representing “¡Esta es una Plaza!”. The conference was sponsored by the Korean organization Band of Nodeul as part of a program to develop Seoul’s Nodeul Island for use as a public space.

Watch the award-winning videos:

Huert Side Story (in Spanish with English subtitles)

Un domingo cualquiera («Any Given Sunday»—no dialogue) Winner of Humus Film Festival for best experimental film

Oh la la What a Mess! (in Spanish with English subtitles) Winner of Humus Film Festival for best comedy