The Colombian Embassy in London says it expects over 42,000 people to attend “Colombianamente,” a celebration of the country’s bicentennial taking place in the U.K. capital on Sunday July 25.
Colombianamente will take place at the Coin Street Festival venue on the South Bank and aims to give Londoners and Colombians living in the United Kingdom the chance to explore Colombian culture.
According to official figures the number of Colombians living permanently in the UK is 28,900.
There have been a wide variety of activities organized throughout the year, including artistic exhibitions, concerts, conferences and debates, all offering an insight into various aspects of Colombian life.
On July 20, the same day Colombia declared its independence in 1810, Colombia Fest will take place at the Vinopolis venue (nearest tube London Bridge).
Throughout the day there will be a cocktail reception, Colombian food tasting, coffee tasting and a traditional Colombian dance presentation. The night’s celebrations will kick off with a live performance from Latin Grammy award winners Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto at 9PM.
Jonathan Giraldo, founder of UKolombia, said the commemoration marks “a celebration of 200 years of everything Colombian, but also being aware of elements that need to be addressed in the future.”
The week long festivities will also see performances from some of Colombia’s top musicians, including Latin Grammy winner Fonseca (July 24 at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire) and Toto La Momposina (July 25 at the Barbican Hall).
Colombia’s ambassador to the UK and Northern Ireland, Mauricio Rodriguez Munera, said that the celebrations were a way of thanking “our founding fathers and all those extraordinary men and women who over the past two centuries have contributed to the progress of our beloved homeland.”