Culture of peace: 4,000 students at the Youth Leaders Meeting

The Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP) through the "Youth Movement of the GEAP" Program, held the twenty-ninth (29) Meeting of Youth Leaders for Peace at the Multidisciplinary Gymnasium of the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas (UAT), where 4,000 students from different educational institutions attended.

The meeting was attended by distinguished personalities, who spoke on the importance of building a culture of peace in society. Students of secondary, preparatory and university academic level were also present; as well as government authorities and the general public.

Peace is a necessity

Carlos Peña, president of the DIF system in Reynosa, gave the opening remarks and commented: "Peace is a necessity and the entire state must participate in its daily construction."

For his part, Francisco Guerra, national coordinator of the GEAP in Mexico, said: "Society demands peace, and you young people have to be not only observers, but protagonists of the changes in this country, being activists and builders of peace actions."

Gerardo Peña, secretary of Social Welfare of the state of Tamaulipas, and Víctor Sainz, head of the office of Governor Francisco García, motivated the young people to become the generation that achieves a positive change in society.

Young people who change the world

To begin the keynote addresses, Andrea Chávez, representative of Mexico before the United Nations (UN), spoke on the theme "The construction of a Culture of Peace: commitment of the youth of the world."

Exhibitions were also developed under the following themes:

-   The Commitment of the Mexican Youth for a Sustainable Development and an Integral Education, in charge of Abner Mayorga.

-    Young Guardians for the Peace of Mother Earth, an exhibition presented by Oscar Vélez, general director of Revive México Consultoría Ambiental.

To close with the exhibitions, Marco Bracho, entrepreneur and lecturer from Tamaulipas, spoke on the topic: "Means for the prevention and peaceful solution of conflicts in youth", who told his personal story as an example that teaches to see the Negative circumstances such as life opportunities.

"I was quadriplegic 14 years ago and I am the first Tamaulipas with disabilities to be accepted at Harvard University, I wanted a miracle for me, but today I want to do the miracle for you, to influence you so that you dare to believe, to lead an extraordinary life," said Bracho.

Collaboration agreement

The event ended with the signing of a collaboration agreement between GEAP and Casa de la Tierra Reynosa Tamaulipas (CDTR) represented by Zacnité González; and José de Jesús Martínez, representing the Directorate of Youth Services also signed the Collaboration Agreement with GEAP.