Mundo Diners: 500 editions of one of the longest-running cultural magazines in Latin America

With more than 40 years of history, the magazine Dinners World launches its 500th edition, making it the oldest cultural publication in Ecuador, as editor Juana Ordóñez shares.

According to his researches In Latin America, there is an older cultural magazine in Cuba. “There are important efforts in the region, but Dinners World is in second place and that makes us very proud.” Ordóñez explains that in this issue he discusses the characters and events that have marked forty years of art, literature, technology and politics.

As for his publishing career, he considers it a milestone. “It is a work that has been sustained for 44 years, with great perseverance and with the contribution of the most important companies in Ecuador: Jorge Enrique Adoum, Pedro Jorge Vera, Jorge Carrera Andrade, Alejandro Carrion They were the first employees, and later so were we Jorge Ortiz, Pablo Cuvi, Juan Fernando Andrade, Monica Ojeda, Maria Fernanda Heredia, Maria Fernanda Ampuero…”.

Another goal is to bring together voices from all political movements and from different countries. “We have absolutely no restrictions; “We are very open to disruptive thoughts, and our goal is to raise concern and allow for a diverse analysis of the facts”.

Culture, the editor believes, is transversal for all activities. “It’s how we talk, think, paint, eat. It is not an elitist, isolated issue; It is the way we express ourselves every day.” Each edition therefore aims to be a window on the performing arts, visual arts, visual arts and literature. “But it also includes the work of Ecuadorian society and the world; We have chronicles about the environment, technology, science, gender, where we try to bring together the interests and dreams of our readers.

Thus, in issue 500 there are articles by specialized writers, such as Mónica Almeida, Milagros Aguirre, Angela Meléndez, Carla Vera, Mariuxi León, Damián de la Torre and Isabel Alarcón, and in caricature it is Bonil, for an analysis of 40 years of evolution. “That’s why the edition is called The big changes”.

Among these pauses are the following questions: What was trending in 1980 when it started? Dinners World? What was the transition like for more women writers, for the loss of the hegemony of the political theme, for the integration of literary commentary?

“If we have the opportunity to understand where we come from, what we are, where we come from, what unites us, what duties we have as a society, we could take positive steps, and that happens through knowledge of the history of the country, the borders, the benefits. We believe that the magazine can contribute so that Ecuadorians understand that we must unite to find a way out.”

Ordóñez emphasizes that Dinners World It is a collective work, to achieve the highest possible narrative quality. She has been present at the major changes, such as the switch from a small format to a larger format in 1999, the increase in the number of sections, the interest in trends, lifestyle. She served as general producer until 2022, when she was named editor. “It is a great team effort, which now also involves new generations. We are in an aggressive digitalization process and we are not only creating a monthly print magazine, but we have become a daily cultural news program”.

They add the second half of the reflection to this permanent reporting, to contribute to the understanding and deepening of the facts with a more in-depth analysis. “That is the job of the magazine: a very sincere, very testimonial story about a specific situation. We want it to move, surprise, influence and delight you.”

It is possible to subscribe to the magazine without being a member of Diners, both in the physical and digital version. It is also possible to enter and view quite a number of articles until the subscription decision is made. Those who participate in the special edition can see topics such as Four decades in the age of the donkey, Gastronomy in 4 times, Everything changed since 1980 And The eternal two: film and television.