On her birthday, Mafalda, Argentine’s beloved comic strip character, fulfills a lifelong dream. The dream: Becoming a UN interpreter, bringing with her messages of peace, education, freedom, and sanity to a rather senseless world.
A figurine of the eternal six-year-old Argentine cartoon character, Mafalda, sculpted by Argentine artist Pablo Irrgang, stepped into the interpreters’ booth in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber at the UN headquarters.
This initiative, sponsored by the Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, her hometown, helped fulfill a long-held dream of learning different languages to become a UN interpreter and help people understand each other.
Mafalda, the prized creation of late humorist Joaquín Salvador Lavado Tejón, better known as Quino, has inspired readers globally for six decades. Her visit to the UN brought her ideals of peace, education, and understanding to the forefront, making her dream of becoming a UN interpreter a symbolic reality.
“It is not by chance that she wants to be an interpreter at the UN because the values that Mafalda always promulgated were the values of peace over war, justice, education, and, above all, freedom,” stated Gabriela Ricardes, Minister of Culture of Buenos Aires, in an interview with UN News:
Confronting Injustice and Championing Equality
Mafalda’s popularity and fame go past Latin America and Spain; her fanbase spans as far as Japan and China. Consequently, as a well-recognized public figure, her stance on injustice and inequality is well-known across the Argentine borders.
During her visit, Mafalda posed by the iconic Non-Violence sculpture—a knotted gun by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd—symbolizing her enduring commitment to peace. Guillermo Lavado, Quino’s nephew and a member of the tour crew, shared how Mafalda’s dream to become a UN interpreter reflected her hope to harmonize global leaders’ ideas, promoting peace and reducing conflicts.
Despite it being six decades after her debut, Mafalda’s values remain relevant. Though idealistic, her vision remains a profound reminder of the power of communication in resolving disputes.
Pablo Irrgang noted her advocacy for peace, feminism, equity, and care for the planet is urgently needed today. Despite changing geopolitical landscapes, Mafalda’s message resonates, especially during enduring conflicts in regions like the Middle East.
Her journey through the UN culminated in the ECOSOC Chamber, where interpreters, including an Argentine colleague, celebrated her presence. Mafalda’s visit was more than symbolic; it left behind a renewed sense of hope and a timeless call for peace and understanding.