The Embassy of Colombia organised a Colombian musical concert on the 23rd of July. The concert was performed by Ms. Diana Burco, an accordionist, singer, and composer of Colombian vallenato and cumbia. A charismatic rising star, Diana Burco is a young, talented, and enthusiastic singer and songwriter from a land which is called as the ‘cradle of cumbia music’. The Ambassador of Colombia to India, H.E. Dr. Victor Hugo Echeverri Jaramillo commenced the session with his opening remarks on the rich culture of Colombia and how they aspire for it to be a catalyst for ‘peace with nature’ which is also the motto of the COP16 Convention Biological Diversity, which will meet in Cali from October 21st to 1st November 2024. The concert highlighted the women in the musical industry and their contribution to the culture of Colombia.
Ms Diana Burco founded a strong musical connection in the accordion which she believes is a treasure to her country. The event was graced by her contemporary Colombian music which carried deep meaning and wisdom. With her iconic singing, she paid tribute to the rich culture of Colombia. Diana Burco conveyed the message that singing is an art straight out of the heart and that love is a powerful uniting force that connects us with everything. Ms Burco has truly established the connection between the feminine energy and La Cumbia music. In 2018, Diana’s sophomore album was nominated for a Latin Grammy, making her the first woman musician of Colombia’s leading cumbia and vallenato music. The concert marked the role of women in fabricating the culture as vibrant and spirited with their passion and grace, and also in being powerful change makers in shifting the social narrative towards gender-sensitive inclusivity for fulfilling cultural and human rights. Her second album, Rio Abajo was nominated for Best Contemporary Tropical Album at the 2021 Latin Grammy Awards. In 2023, she released her third album “KARMA” with the Colombian record label Codiscos, produced by Georgy Parra. H.E. Dr. Victor gave a vote of thanks where he expressed how women have kick-started their emergence in the musical industry despite its being gender specific to males for a long time. He stated that its time for us as a community to reverse the cultural narrative from gender biasness to an all-inclusive gender parity. The art of culture can play a constructive role in this transformation.
