Buenos Aires, Argentina—An event to raise awareness among youth about the importance of water took place on March 31, 2016 in honor of World Water Day1.
The program, which was held at the Central House of Popular Culture2, and was co-organized by the Central House; the Chacras Foundation and UPF-Argentina, was attended by students from different schools throughout Buenos Aires.
Water is not only essential to life, but also for our health and well-being; it is vital for supporting economic, social and human development. The theme for this year’s Day was “Water and Jobs,” and focuses on the fundamental role that water plays in creating good quality jobs.
The event began with the showing of two short videos: “Lamento del agua,” which highlights facts about pollution and the need to raise awareness of our responsibility for a sustainable future, and “Hidden Messages in Water,” which contains excerpts from the film, What The Bleep Do We Know!? The video describes research by Dr. Masaru Emoto of Japan, who sought to prove that human consciousness affects the molecular structure of water.
Later on, a number of students went on stage and watered an olive tree to symbolize their commitment to life and peace. Mr. Miguel Werner, secretary general of UPF-Argentina, asked the students to say some positive words before watering the tree, which everyone would repeat.
Mr. Omar Toro Musis donated a sculpture of a stork carrying a water container with its beak, made of recycled metal and other materials, called “Fuente de vida” (Source of life), that he had constructed, to the Central House. The artist creates artwork with the belief that “Nothing is lost, everything can be recycled,” which was reflected in the “Fuente de vida” piece.
The couple, Mr. José Robles and Ms. Florencia Romano, enlightened the event by performing the tangos, “Mariposa” and “Patético.” After their performance, they taught the students some steps.
The event closed with a raffle of an original team shirt donated by the Argentine sports club, Club Atlético Boca Juniors, and candies were given to the children.
1 The UN General Assembly adopted resolution 47/193 on December 22, 1992, by which March 22 of each year was declared World Water Day.
2 The Central House of Popular Culture is located in Villa 21-24 in Buenos Aires city. It is a member of Argentina’s Ministry of Culture and exhibits art; hosts lectures; and has a multimedia center for documents and a modern auditorium and stage.