Defending Natural Resources, Delegations, Rights for Youth and Women, Scholarships
International Sistering Exchange Delegation Options
As part of the International Sistering Exchange, there will be three simultaneous delegations in El Salvador from July 17-22 leading up to the international gathering. The delegations will provide an opportunity for those interested in international solidarity to meet several sistered communities in El Salvador as well as folks from different organizations. These delegations will also provide a general introduction to sistering, solidarity, and CRIPDES for people who are newer. While we know some may prefer to visit “their” sistered community when they come to El Salvador, the purpose of this delegation is to engage participants in the bigger picture of the work of the hundreds of CRIPDES communities throughout the country.
___ Water is Worth More than Gold in Chalatenango
Visit communities that have been at the forefront El Salvador´s popular resistance to mining. You will hike to the “Virgin of the Resistance” in San Jose Las Flores, stay with families that voted in their municipal referendum against mining, and take a dip in the rivers that are threatened by corporate greed for gold. You will also discover how the preservation of historic memory is a part of protecting future generations against the threats of damaging trade policies and irresponsible corporations.
___ Climate Change & Food Sovereignty on the Coast
Climate change is a fact of life for all Salvadorans, and especially for the farmers who make up 21% of the country’s labor force. Increasing natural disasters and unpredictable weather patterns coupled with damaging agricultural practices imposed by transnational corporations make El Salvador one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change. Meet with the farmers in the Bajo Lempa and La Libertad whose lives are being threatened by toxic agrochemicals used to grow sugar cane and other cash crops, and learn about the alternatives that are already being put in practice to prepare for climate change and challenge the destructive practices of global mega-capitalists like Monsanto.
___ Youth Initiative in the Suchitlan Area
Get inspired by the twenty-somethings of organized communities in Suchitoto and Cinquera who have their own ideas about confronting structural violence and sustainable development in their communities and country. Youth are the most vulnerable population to the delinquency that has become increasingly dangerous throughout El Salvador over the past 10 years, but they are also the ones who offer real solutions. See how scholarship programs, ecology projects, clown groups, and more can be part of the change!
- sistering2016@gmail.com •
- U.S.-El Salvador Sister Cities • SHARE Foundation • SalvAide •
- www.elsalvadorsolidarity.org• www.share-elsalvador.org • www.salvaide.ca •
