Concordia is Carnival and it is lived all year round. A cultural expression that means teamwork, solidarity, companionship and that through the Pequeños Duendes represents inclusion and opportunities. With those premises, a new edition of the children's and neighborhood carnival festival is already beginning to be experienced. This Monday, in the Municipal Hall of Acts, materials and elements were delivered to the already registered troupes, and the Comprehensive Carnival Training Program was presented.
The Mayor Enrique Cresto, together with the Coordinator of Neighborhood Workshops and Cultural Events of the Municipality, Sonia Albornos, general coordinator of the Pequeños Duendes, and the president of the Carnival Entity Sebastian Cuberli and the 2018 Carnival Queen Agustina Barrio, delivered the elements to the 16 troupes that are already participating.
"A first contribution was made, each troupe chose the materials it needed and today we are delivering the elements and materials they chose, including instruments, fabrics, and accessories, among others," commented Albornos. "Today we have 16 troupes but registration remains open until September 28, so anyone who is interested is in time to register and start living the carnival with the children of the neighborhoods, as our Mayor wants every child to live the carnival and for the family to accompany, all together working for the joy of the children," she invited.
In addition, the Comprehensive Carnival Training Program was presented, which "we began this month of September for all the members of the Pequeños Duendes. There will be workshops on percussion, music, sewing, design, dance, they will be helped to work with the figures, and everything that has to do with the regulations, how they should handle themselves during the parades, why the ages, a comprehensive training, which will be taught by specialists and professionals," specified Sonia Albornos.
In charge of this training cycle will be Maxi González (Percussion), Olga Zarranz (Sewing), Fabián Rivero (Popular Festivals), Eduardo Ramírez (Floats and work with recycled or reusable material), Agustina Barrio (Training for dancers), Wally García (Music) and Ramón Ayala (Designs and Embroidery).
"I want to congratulate each of the troupes and the entire team of this social and cultural inclusion program," pointed out Mayor Cresto during the delivery ceremony of the elements. "Thanks to that decision that my father made when he was Mayor and my mother accompanying from the Conased Foundation, to promote the Pequeños Duendes Carnival, today we have the major Carnival, which is a cultural and tourist festival," he recalled, "for a long time there was only the Pequeños Duendes Carnival, and many of the figures of the major Carnival went through the Pequeños Duendes, that is why it is the nursery."
"This is very important for the children," highlighted the municipal president, accompanied by the Secretary of Government and Tourism Alfredo Francolini, the President of the Justicialist Councilors Bloc Alberto Armanazqui and the Undersecretary of Tourism Miguel Guitar. "For the children who parade in the Pequeños Duendes or for those who participate in social sports programs or neighborhood workshops. Where the State, in accompaniment with the parents, is making them live moments of happiness," he referred.
"Today we have to make the right decision about where the adjustment variable lies. It is impossible for Concordia to do well if the country does poorly. But we also know that when the adjustment comes, we must be very clear about what we are going to defend. So that the cuts never affect those who have the least, or this, which has to do with inclusion, with the promotion of rights, with access to culture, with more opportunities, with giving children the possibility of moments of happiness," expressed Cresto. And he highlighted that "being at the beginning of September and starting to travel this path, means that we are going to reach a good path, and have a great Pequeños Duendes Carnival in 2019," he predicted.