Saturday, April 22, 2017
** This English translation is provided as a courtesy. The original text was prepared and delivered in Spanish; only the original Spanish text should be considered authoritative. **
Honorable Mayor of Santa Tecla Roberto D’Aubuisson;
Glasswing International Vice president, Celina de Sola;
Colleagues of the Embassy ;
Friends of the press;
And, of course, a special greeting to all the children, youth and adult volunteers present here.
A city is measured by its public spaces. That is why it brings me so much joy see you all today, ready to participate in “Manos a la Obra (Putting Hands to Work)” to revitalize the Extreme Park in Santa Tecla.
“Manos a la Obra” is a regional project that also takes place in Guatemala and Honduras, and started last year with the “Festival Generation Now” under the motto “I Dare To.” On that occasion, more than 20,000 young people from all over the region gathered in San Salvador for a shared desire: to work together to build a more supportive community and a better country.
The recovery of public spaces is a fundamental element to achieve this goal. To all the young people who accompany us today I say: Reclaim your public spaces. Fight for them and take care of them. These are the houses that we share with our friends and neighbors. These are the places where a community becomes a family.
In the same way that organizations and companies work together on local projects, the U.S. Embassy is collaborating with different actors in El Salvador to address some of the country’s challenges, partners such as Glasswing encourage young people every day to be agents of change and constructively channel their energy to prevent violence and foster peaceful coexistence.
This morning I am also proud to announce the winners of the competition “I dare To,” an initiative for young people between 14 and 20 years old. The winning projects will receive funding so that their improvement projects to benefit their communities become a reality. There were 181 proposals, 59 in Guatemala, 46 in Honduras and 76 in El Salvador. This speaks highly of El Salvador and shows the commitment of young people in this country.
I know you are anxious to know the names of the winners, so without further ado, Celina and I will announce the winners:
Thrid place: from Ahuachapan: “ArteFactori: Professionally Fun”
Secong place: from Barrio San Esteban y Barrio Lourdes from the Historical Center, San Salvador: “Changing realities we change histories”
First place: de San Salvador: “Cultural Center Cristo Redentor”
Congratulations not only to the winners, but also to all the participants, because it is important to recognize the effort and interest that all the entrant showed in wanting to be part of the change.
It is my hope that these initiatives will continue to grow and expand, and that many more young people from all over the region will join in these efforts to bring about change in their own communities. Now is the time to launch your projects and make 2017 the year of positive action!
** This English translation is provided as a courtesy. The original text was prepared and delivered in Spanish; only the original Spanish text should be considered authoritative. **
