Sports Meeting for Peace in Cayey, Puerto Rico
On Saturday, November 1st, 2008, International Day of Peace, AMISRAEL and the Cayey city hall joined forces with the great sports player leaders to carry out the first “Sports Meeting for Peace”, with the purpose of promoting a Culture of Peace and no violence through sports.
The 3 miles marathon for peace started at the Angel Luis Correa Park: all participants joined forces in this Internacional Day of Peace
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The meeting took place in Ángel Luís Correa Park, in Cayey, where several famous people from different sports fields participated: soccer, gymnastics and athletics. Some celebrities were present, such as José “Piculín” Ortiz, Enrique “Papolito” López, Ramón Vázquez, Eva Cruz, Fernando Camareno, Joe Rodríguez, José G. León, Jesús Feliciano Jr., Wilfredo “El Cano” Vélez, José Lorenzana, Humberto Mercado, the distinguished presence of Lucy Molinari, Sport and Recreation Secretary, and the president of the Olympic Committee from Puerto Rico, David Bernier.
Molinari expressed her support to the AMISRAEL initiative and encourage the sports players to practice fair play. Bernier stated: “Sport is a universal language; it can be used to spread a message of attitude and behavior change.”
Melvin Cotto, representative from La Fortaleza, seized the opportunity to become an AGENT OF PEACE, offering his support and desire to spread such values through this powerful tool that the sport is.
The meeting scheduled for the International Day of Peace, in Puerto Rico, resulted in an important document, the Declaration “Plant Sport, Harvest Peace”. Dr. Kélita Machado, Administrative Director of AMISRAEL, along with the Puerto Rican Delegate, Dr. Luis J. Rodríguez highlighted the importance of the proposal, once the sports are a mean of acquiring social and leadership skills, such as dialogue, cooperation, team work, understanding and respect for rules, organization, perseverance, problem solving and competence. Celebrities and invited personalities joined in, signing the declaration. This campaign aims to spread a Culture of Peace through sports and demand that government authorities integrate concrete actions into their plans to promote the development and professionalism in sports teaching.
Sports celebrities united in the initiative promoted by AMISRAEL, aiming to use t sport as a mean of solvong conflicts and developing peace
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A marathon was organized by William Vega, with competitors of all ages. It finished in the afore mentioned park and the runners were received with ovation and medals, for their accomplishments on the competition.
Once it’s election time and the closure of the campaign, political leaders such as the major of Cayey, Rolando Ortiz and the candidates Heric Colón from the Popular Democratic Party and Pedro “Banchi” Cintrón, from the New Progressive party also took part in the celebration, in an environment of solidarity and peace.
Text: AMISRAEL Puerto Rico
Photographs: Raquel Tilleria
Edition: Gabriela Lara
English Version: Patricia Mamede
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| José (Piculin) Ortiz, star olympic basketball player from NBA |
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| Wilfredo (Cano) Velez olympic baseball placer, one of the most renowned in this field, broadcasting for the sports radio show from Radio Isla 1080 |
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| Eva cruz, the star volleybal palyer from the Nacional Puerto Rican team gave his support and signed the declaration “Plant Sport, Harvest Peace”. |
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| Ramón Vazquez star major league baseball player, from the Texas Rangers, together with Alex G. Torres, and the professional baseball player from Santurce, Joe Rodriguez |
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| The young Alex Gabriel Torres Roldan has had his left foot amputated and still is a great player of the minor baseball leagues. He is here signing the declaration “Plant Sport, Harvest Peace”. |
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| Cayey’s Marching Band in an artistic presentation |
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| The Sates Sports and Recreation Secretary of Puerto Rico, Mrs. Luz M. Molinari showed her support to AMISRAEL for their iniciative of using sports as a means of developing peace |
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| The Internacional day of Peace also reminded us that the International Day of Tolerance is celebrated in November |
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| The honorable Mayor of Cayey, Rolando Ortiz was present at the event |
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| The boxer Alberto Mercado was the one to defy the boycott of the Olympic Games in 1980, in Moscow, after having won the gold medal in 1979 in the Panamerican Games. Here, besides the President of the Olympic Committee from Puerto Rico David Bernier |
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| The representative of the “Let’s Play in Peace” office at the Sports and Receration Department, the state Sports and Receration Secretary, othe Olympic Box Champion Alberto Mercado and the representative for religious affairs of La Fortaleza, Melvin Cotto. |
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