MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
The Herald celebrates 130 years ?on a mission'
It's good to be alive after 130 years ? and the Buenos Aires Herald can tell you so.
Last night, Argentina's fourth oldest newspaper celebrated its 130th anniversary with the best, the brightest, politicians and old friends.
Hundreds of guests gathered to bid the newspaper, founded by Scotsman William Cathcart almost at the same time that Alexander Graham Bell was patenting the telephone, all their best as it moved into its 131st year.
Renowned humourist Landrú (Juan Carlos Colombres) got the evening rolling with a comment viva voce about Pluto being a dwarf planet "on its mother's side," in response to an ongoing speech by Herald president Gabriel Mysler. Landrú's intervention in the celebration at the Alvear Palace Hotel led to an audience-wide chuckle.
Mysler's speech was followed by the handing out of the Herald Awards for Journalism to outstanding media personalities.
Vice-President Daniel Scioli, who attended the celebration at the Alvear Palace Hotel on behalf of President Néstor Kirchner, commended the Herald's "courage, resolve, objectivity and titanic defence of freedom of speech."
The newspaper is today printing a special 130th-anniversary supplement called "Presidents A to K" in which the Kirchner administration is publishing a full-page advertisement that reads, "When some said, 'don't say anything'... you said everything."
During the 1976-83 military dictatorship, the Herald was outstanding among the Argentine media for its defence of human rights. Mysler promised to continue with the newspapers's "mission." He also said that the Herald has always been a "critical" newspaper, "but has never been in opposition."
Among the guests who attended were former presidents Raúl Alfonsín and Fernando de la Rúa. Former president Eduardo Duhalde and former first lady, Senator Hilda González de Duhalde sent their congratulations, and excused their absence as they had a new grandchild.
De la Rúa told the Herald, "I have come to renew my respect for the Herald's example of free journalism that contributes to the defence of the republic."
Among those present were a kaleidoscope of personalities, such as Justice Elena Highton de Nolasco, former justice Gustavo Bossert, Estela Barnes de Carlotto, who heads the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo human rights group, anti-crime crusader Juan Carlos Blumberg, and lawyer Ricardo Monner Sans.
Also present were the ambassadors from Britain, John Hughes; Russia, Yuri Korchagin; Lebanon, Hicham Hamdan; and Sweden, Arne Rodin; as well as Argentine Ambassador Fernando Petrella, among others.
Federal Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral, Morón Prosecutor General Federico Nieva Woodgate, and Judge Miguel Angel Caminos, who heads the Magistrates' Association, shared a lively chat with Guillermo Yanco, husband of former Labour minister Patricia Bullrich, who was also present.
There were also representatives from the media, the armed and security forces and the federal police. Other guests included a staunch supporter of the Herald, Patricio Campbell and many other friends from the shipping sector who have been regulars for many years. Also present were economists Daniel Marx and Pablo Rojo.
The evening was enriched with entertainment provided by Guillermo Háskel Jr. on guitar, and later by a tango dancing couple. Landrú, a crack dancer, also engaged in a tango. He contributed a special cartoon for the Herald's supplement. The Gardelian Association also took advantage of the event to present an award to the Herald. Guests were given an advance glimpse of a series of a Herald advertisements that will run this summer in city cinemas.
The Herald was founded in 1876, and is the country's fourth oldest newspaper after La Capital from Rosario, La Prensa, and La Nación.
By Guillermo Háskel - Herald staff
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