Masonic symbols, a single girl and a flock, three different stands to visit

At the 49th Book Fair there are all kinds of books of any genre at the stands. There are also curiosities, activities everywhere, and "other herbs": those eccentricities that many visitors notice as they pass by, but when they stop, they are in for more than one surprise . Sometimes, it might be something supposed to be secret; other times, a solitary sculpture; and there might also be birds, lots of birds. Clarín identified three special corners . Where are they and what do they offer the public at La Rural?

Stand 317 (Blue Pavilion) draws attention for its imposing aesthetic: two gigantic golden columns, an Argentine flag, a set square, the Argentine flag, a mate, the famous set square, the compass, and a stone, among other elements and symbols, and a black and white floor, reminiscent of a chessboard. However, the most striking feature are its books . There are around thirty copies by different authors, all belonging to the same organization.

In its second consecutive participation after a hiatus of around 20 years, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Argentina is attracting curious visitors, attracting its members, and adding new followers due to its appeal. Above all, it attracts a young audience who come to the stand to learn about aspects of Freemasonry in Argentina.

"Freemasonry is a philosophical, philanthropic, progressive, secular, and initiatory institution. It is initiatory because one enters through an initiation ceremony, and the various successive degrees are obtained through a ceremony," Gustavo Mollo , the institution's treasurer or, symbolically, the "Grand Treasurer," explains to Clarín.

"This ceremony emulates and simulates the ancient initiation ceremonies of the world's earliest societies. The Egyptian schools: the ancient initiation schools, among others. The value of symbolism and allegory is given ," he adds.

" Our intention is to open ourselves to the public, to be able to get to know us, to be able to answer the questions we receive, and to disseminate Masonic culture and doctrine through our bibliography. We want to make ourselves known and, above all, to demystify certain issues related to the occult, which doesn't exist . Our institution opens its doors every year for meetings open to the public, so that they can see our facilities," Gallo summarizes.

There are around 10,000 Freemasons in Argentina. The number continues to grow, as in recent years there has been a growing interest among young people in Freemasonry . “It is well known that there are older people in Freemasonry. Now, quite the opposite, in the last 10 years, Freemasonry has managed to lower the average age from 75 to 35 and now hovers between 35 and 40. We have done a great job,” explains the Grand Treasurer.

There are people looking to get involved in the world of Freemasonry. That's why the stand features books for beginners . People are looking for the history of Freemasonry, how this lodge, which has been in Argentina for over 300 years, began, how it has developed and expanded globally, its philosophical doctrine, its philanthropic doctrine, among other things.

Prices range from $20,000 to $25,000 pesos for entry-level models. There are also more specific models for a more avid audience, priced at around $30,000.

Some titles include: The Invention of Freemasonry (by Devrig Mollés), The Origin of Freemasonry (written by the Order's former president, the Right Worshipful Grand Master Alejo Neyeloff); Freemasonry 300 Years (Pablo Mateo Tesija), and The Square and Compass between Diagonals (Martín Epeloa), which addresses the expansion of Freemasonry in the City of La Plata since its founding.

“Every time they hear about Freemasonry , people approach the stand saying it's occult. Some have labeled us as sects. Nothing of the sort : we are not a sect, nor a religion, but rather a free-thinking institution that invites people to be free rather than enslaved by dogma. We can coexist as we do, regardless of our differences, and seek common ground. When we practice within a lodge or a workshop, what we do and realize is that a different country and a different society can be achieved,” Mallo emphasized.

It's worth noting that General Don José de San Martín and Manuel Belgrano, two great national heroes, were members of the Freemasonry, as were almost all the members of the First Junta. More recently, Adrián Otero, the former leader and singer of the group Memphis La Blusera , was a member of the Lodge. Despite his death in a car accident in 2012, he is still fondly remembered.

At the Fair, there were four talks on Freemasonry to a packed house . Now they're aiming for more with the next event, which will take place on August 9th at the headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Argentina (Perón 1242, Buenos Aires City), featuring wine tasting and a wealth of Freemasonry. More information at: www.masoneria–argentina.org.ar.

This is the name of booth 1705 , located in the Yellow Pavilion at the Book Fair. There's only a statue of a seated Korean girl posing with a bird on her shoulder. Beside her, an empty chair is part of the same sculpture. Numerous flowers on the blue carpet decorate the scene around this unique work.

"The Girl of Peace" is the sculpture in question. It was brought by the Manyoung Foundation and the Civil Association of Koreans in Argentina, with the support and curatorship of the Argentine Association of Korean Studies.

What does the statue of the seated Korean girl mean? “It's a symbol, an icon of a girl that highlights the forced prostitution and sexual slavery of Korean women and women from other Southeast Asian nations by troops of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1932 onward ,” explained Luciano Bolinaga, director of the Center for Asian Studies and the Political Science Doctorate at the Universidad Austral and president of the Argentine Association of Korean Studies, an institution that promotes Korean studies.

The statue aims to raise awareness about the sexual exploitation of women —especially girls—in East Asia, something that could have occurred anywhere else on the planet. “We know everything that happened with Nazism and fascism in Europe; we should know what happened in this other part of the world ,” Bolinaga argued.

“The troops needed to satisfy their sexual appetite. There was a deliberate political decision on the part of the Empire of Japan to supply themselves, as they were supplying themselves with natural resources they had appropriated at the time for their economy. So, they decided to supply their troops with women ,” he added.

Her figure represents a typical 13-14-year-old Korean girl wearing the hanbok , the traditional Korean dress, her haircut, and the submission she was forced to accept at the time, sitting in a chair. "At the same time, it represents the emptiness that the girl was subjected to," said the head of the Argentine Association of Korean Studies.

“ More than 300,000 women had been sexually enslaved since the age of 13. In some cases, they were women who were lured with promises of other types of work. In other cases, they were women kidnapped in front of their families. Korean society remained silent until the early 1990s, when one of the victims decided to break the silence and began to tell her story ,” Bolinaga concluded.

The figure of the seated Korean girl commands respect, admiration, and also raises awareness about child sexual slavery in Asia, something that is replicated throughout the world.

Visitors approach and take photos of the statue, and they also pose next to the girl, as there is an empty chair to capture the encounter. Some left floral offerings, such as the Association of Koreans in Argentina and the Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.

There is a QR code at the booth for more information. It also serves as a way to participate in the literary contest "Talking to the Past: Letters to Girls from the Present," which closes on May 14 and features books by Han Kang, the first South Korean woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024. Her work is characterized by intense poetic prose that explores historical traumas and human fragility. To participate, you can also send an email to [email protected] or visit www.laninadelapaz.com.ar.

At booth 3232 (Ochre Pavilion), the curiosity of those present abounds with a collection of books focused on nature: flora, fauna, landscapes, and food, among other species, inspired by nature and sustainability.

The variety of titles (and topics) seems endless. "We have more than 500 titles at the stand. You can also buy books online, from the website, and pick them up here," explains Stefany Contreras, a member of the Press and Communications team at Aves Argentinas .

With over 10 years of experience at the Fair, Aves Argentinas offers a wide variety of titles about birds from all over the country . It also features all types of bird merchandise.

"We have an interesting range of books that were projects of naturalists, biologists, writers, and nature enthusiasts," Contreras explained, adding, " We seek to bring people closer to the world of conservation . You don't have to be an expert to read these books."

The Aves Argentinas stand also features illustrated stories, board games, card decks, and fun activities so children can identify with or connect with nature and learn about it while playing. The most popular items are the children's board games.

And the books? “One of the best-sellers is Birds of Buenos Aires , a new guide where we can see the birds we find in the city: there's the red-crested thrush that we hear singing every morning at five o'clock,” Contreras noted.

"There's also the hornero, our national bird, the Argentine parakeet, which we see in parks and squares. The green hummingbird, the benteveo, or the ugly bug as they call it in other provinces," he added.

There are more books about the condor in the Andes, the flamingo in Córdoba, or the ruddy-backed geese, which lives in Patagonia. Prices generally start at $10,000. There are also photography books that are more expensive because they are collector's items.

"There's also the Black-backed Grebe (an endangered bird that celebrated its 51st anniversary since its discovery), the Torrent Duck, and the penguins in the south. "Inland, you'll see the Black-backed Owl and the Roseate Spoonbill. Herons and the Ibis are very characteristic of Argentina," explained the stand manager. For more information, visit the Instagram accounts @avesargentinas and @ecotiendaslibrosdenaturaleza.

What do people say? “ One of the main questions is whether we're going to bring caged birds. It's not a bad question, but it's very special because it helps us give them the impetus to explain that we work with birds that are free-roaming here . The main goal of Aves Argentinas is to preserve them in the wild and in the environments they inhabit.”