On Wednesday, April 23, the Southern Cone Culture: Traditions, Changes, and Identities seminar began at Universidad de Montevideo. Organized by the Department of International Relations and led by Prof. Cristina Chiusano, the seminar is aimed at international students spending their semester at the university.

In the opening session, participants explored key aspects of Río de la Plata culture, focusing on language use and regional expressions. The class also featured a brief overview of cultural icons from the Southern Cone. It concluded with a hands-on activity inviting students to learn how to prepare mate, one of Uruguay’s most emblematic traditions.

How to prepare mate: step by step

Two Uruguayan students from the International Business program actively participated by guiding their peers through the traditional process of preparing mate, offering an authentic cultural exchange.

The session also welcomed a visiting professor from Croatia, currently on an Erasmus+ exchange at UM, adding a further international dimension to the experience.

The seminar, which will run throughout the semester, aims to foster intercultural competence and promote a deeper understanding of Southern Cone identities in an increasingly interconnected and plural world. The opening session fully embodied this goal by creating a space for meaningful dialogue and cultural engagement among students and faculty from diverse backgrounds.