On the final weekend of September 2013, our Community Radio Program team worked with ally organizations ADECCAP, Africa 70, and Tumul K’in Centre for Learning to organize the First International Central American Youth Conference in Sonsonate, El Salvador. The conference was aimed at improving integration and participation for Indigenous Central American Youth, through the use of community radio, as well as other forms of communication and expression. It was the first of its kind, and included the participation of close to 80 youth from Guatemala, Belize and El Salvador. From the Cultural Survival network, 10 youth participants from 5 community radios around Guatemala attended the event.
After a long day of travelling (two days for the Belizean and El Estorian participants), we arrived in Sonsonate to an extremely warm welcome from the El Salvadorian youth. We learned how they traditionally greet one another, with an embrace where the hearts of both people touch, and started off the event with around 80 hugs per person.
The next morning, the two-day event began with a Mayan Ceremony, to remind all the participants of their shared history, and to start to erase the arbitrary borders and difference that have been created for the participants from the different countries. Both days of the encounter were filled from the early morning to the late night Intercultural Nights, where youth from each country shared their talents, traditional dances, songs, and stories.
[[{"fid":"62013","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_copyright[und][0][value]":"","taxonomy_vocabulary_16[und]":"_none","field_folder[und]":"_none","field_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]
Some youth participants from Belize just before they performed a traditional dance during the second Intercultural Night.
During the packed two-days, the youth participated in a number of events and activities. There was a forum that covered topics such as the importance of community radio and Indigenous community organizing, where youth representatives from each country were elected to question the presenters on each of their topics. The youth participated in group work that included theme-based dialogue followed by group presentations. We visited Izalco, an Indigenous community that experienced the largest massacre in El Salvadorian history. Youth from Radio Sensunat, the local community radio station conducted live radio interviews with participants from all countries, discussing the event and possible ways of following up. Finally, a youth theatre group from El Salvador performed two socially conscious plays for the participants, which were received with praise and, in many cases, tears from the youth from the other countries.
[[{"fid":"62014","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","taxonomy_vocabulary_8[und][]":"2676","taxonomy_vocabulary_14[und][]":"2878","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_copyright[und][0][value]":"","taxonomy_vocabulary_16[und]":"_none","field_media_page[und]":"1","field_folder[und]":"3046","field_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]
Two youth from the theatre group performing a play tackling current social issues in El Salvador.
One of the most common reactions to the event was that the youth were inspired from their fellow youth. A Belizean participant made a statement about how the social consciousness and determination of her El Salvadorian and Guatemalan counterparts had inspired her to want to become more involved in her community. New friendships were made, and some very determined youth even started their own Central American Youth group, where they will stay in contact and make plans of their own, outside of the network that our organizations are creating. The positive energy and enthusiasm of this event is fueling our planning for the next youth exchange that we are organizing for this November, here in Guatemala. Stay tuned for news and updates on the next event.
[[{"fid":"62015","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","taxonomy_vocabulary_8[und][]":"2676","taxonomy_vocabulary_14[und][]":"2878","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_copyright[und][0][value]":"","taxonomy_vocabulary_16[und]":"_none","field_media_page[und]":"1","field_folder[und]":"3046","field_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]
