XIX PAN AMERICAN CHILD CONGRESS
|
XIX PAN AMERICAN CHILD CONGRESS |
|
|
THE FIRST LADY OF
MEXICO AND THE INTERIM SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE OAS
PARTICIPATE IN THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE XIX PAN AMERICAN
CHILD CONGRESS IN MEXICO CITY The
Opening Ceremony of the XIX Pan American Child Congress,
convened by the Inter-American Children's Institute (OAS) in
coordination with the Mexican government’s National System
for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF), was held
on Wednesday, October 27. Under
the theme “The Family: The Basis for the Integral
Development of Children and Adolescents,” more than 550
participants from the political, governmental, academic and
non-governmental spheres of the 34 OAS Member States
gathered at the headquarters of Mexico’s Foreign Affairs
Secretariat for the Opening Ceremony of the Congress (running
from October 27 to 29). Presiding
over the ceremony were the First Lady of Mexico, Marta Sahagún
de Fox; the Interim Secretary General of the OAS, Ambassador
Luigi Einaudi; the Representative of the IDB in Mexico,
Lawrence Harrington; the Canadian Senator Landon Pearson;
the incoming President of the IIN Directing Council and
Director of the DIF, Ana Teresa Aranda; the Director General
of the IIN, Lic. Alejandro Bonasso; and the outgoing
President and President of Honor of the IIN Directing
Council, Ambassador Carmen Bergés de Amaro. Ana
Teresa Aranda addressed the participants as host of the
Congress, noting that “economic
improvements are not enough to achieve development; it is
essential to seek comprehensive development. And it is
precisely here that we find the essential task of the family,
which is the meeting point for the different activities that
make up a person’s self.” The
Interim Secretary General of the OAS, Ambassador Luigi
Einaudi, called attention to the fact that the Congress
coincides with the current process of administrative renewal
being undertaken by the OAS and other inter-American
organizations. He highlighted cooperation and integration,
within a historical framework where the majority of the
countries have made progress towards the harmonization of
their national legislation with the Convention on the Rights
of the Child. Einaudi
stated: “We are now living at a moment in history where the consideration of
children and adolescents has gone beyond mere abstract and
theoretical recognition, to view them as subjects of rights
just like any adult. (…) To
put it very simply, we are not letting international
agreements just gather dust; rather, we are following up on
them. In all of the countries, we are striving to apply the
legal definitions provided by international agreements, in a
way that respects the laws of each nation.” He added: “We
have an obligation to respond, so that families may enjoy
the necessary conditions in which to fulfill their rights
and obligations, which will ultimately guarantee the scope
and exercise of the rights of children and adolescents.” The
First Lady of Mexico, Marta Sahagún de Fox, began her
address by citing UNESCO statistics, which indicate that 117
million people under the age of 20 in Latin America and the
Caribbean live in poverty, and the majority of the children
and adolescents of Latin America are concentrated in the
region’s poorest households. Formally
inaugurating the Pan American Child Congress, the First Lady
affirmed: “We have
an unavoidable calling. And fulfilling it is not just an act
of love for life – it is the historical responsibility of
our nations.” She added: “All
of us have an obligation to step up our efforts. We must
remember that time is a non-renewable resource. The future
demands that we act decisively, efficiently and promptly.
Fundamentally and in principle, the primary responsibility
for the protection, education and development of children
lies with the family. And this is why our States must
address the situation of the family as an issue that is
linked to child welfare.” Mexico’s President, Vicente Fox, is expected to attend the Closing Ceremony on Friday, October 29.
The
First Lady of Mexico, Marta Sahagún
de Fox, at the Opening Ceremony of
the XIX Pan American Child Congress
|
