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| Port of Call - Buenos Aires |
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| Graffiti-covered buildings and landmarks throughout
the central business district of Buenos Aires are a common sight |
Argentina has been in the international news headlines
a great deal over the last year. But unfortunately, not for peaceful
or positive reasons. Since suffering from its worst year of recession
since the 1930s, the resultant political chaos and social repercussions
of high unemployment and widespread poverty have changed the face
of this formerly proud, and well-to-do Latin American nation. As Global
University (GU) students discovered, when walking through the financial
district along 'Avenida Florida', the middle classes have vented their
anger at losing their life savings by banging kitchen pots against
the walls and doors of the city's banks. 'Churros' (robbers), 'Ladr'
(thieves) and a swather of damning graffiti cursing politicians and
financial institutions alike, vividly mark the public space. Watching
heavily armed police marching sternly in the plaza alongside shoppers
and business people caused us some alarm, although probably not so
for the people of Buenos Aires who have continued to receive heavy
handed official treatment since the violent December 2001 protests
against the financial crisis. |
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| GU students visit one of the homes where the
'piqueteros', including the 'Movimiento Teresa Rodriguez' are
working hard in the face of Argentina's crisis |
Volunteers from public policy development NGO,
'CIPPEC', described to GU students
the economic hardship that has forced the middle classes to join the
impoverished in the unemployed and disaffected ranks of society. Evidently,
the sense of distrust with which Argentines have come to view the
government, and general political instability, is made clear by the
swearing in of five Presidents within a two-week period in 2002. Neighbourhood
committees, or 'assemblias', have mushroomed all over the country,
as civilian groups band together to provide necessary services, including
health care and micro-credit schemes, to fill the void that the incompetent
government has left open. The opportunity to hear these local people's
testimonies, while sitting near the Plaza San Mart, in downtown Buenos
Aires, personalised the issues and made real the possibility that
such loss and devastation could happen to any of us, even in the so-called
'developed world'. What hit home most, is the need to cooperate within
a community and be resourceful when confronted with systemic problems
of dysfunction and maladministration. Visiting the homes of 'piqueteros',
or impoverished people who form road pickets to attract public attention
to their destitution and social paralysis, showed us the strength
and determination of people who will struggle together to use whatever
basic means they have to improve their dire circumstances. Ilma, a
mother who has left her children under the care of relatives in a
rural town in order to be part of the 'piqueteros' movement in the
city, conveyed the difficulty of being confronted each day with the
burden of having to search for food and basic supplies. |
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| Breathtaking Iguaz Falls on the Brazil - Argentina
- Paraguay border |
Approximately 70 Peace Boat participants were able
to spend most of their time in awe of the region's natural beauty,
during an overland trip to the Iguaz
National Park, home of the world's largest waterfalls, Iguaz・Falls.
Here the borders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay are marked by the
confluence of the Iguaz・and the Paran・Rivers. The National Park and
the Waterfalls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, were
declared by UNESCO in 1986 to be a Natural Heritage of Humanity. The
group flew to Iguaz・ almost equidistant between Rio de Janeiro and
Buenos Aires, to enjoy five days staying in accommodation within the
subtropical rainforest. Comprising a million square kilometres in
the northeast of Argentina bordering the south of Brazil, the National
Park holds the largest biological diversity in Argentina. It is estimated
to host 2000 plant species, 450 bird species (almost a half of the
total number in Argentina), more than 80 mammal species and countless
insects, many of them still unidentified. It is also one of the last
reserves of the five per cent of the original Atlantic Forest that
still remains. The 275 falls are 65 metres high, reach 2.7 kilometres
in width, and have an average flow of 1500 cubic metres of water per
second. Participants learnt about the cultural evolution of the region
and the actions developed for environmental protection. For example,
vehicles run on electricity rather than petroleum are used as much
as possible within the national park to minimise the amount of pollution
created. The highlight of this tour for some participants, was feeling
so close to nature during the heart-racing white-water rafting safari,
where not only could they see the exotic wealth of flora and fauna
indigenous to the surroundings but also hear the roar of the flowing
world of water around them. |
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| Seductive moves at one of Buenos Aires' famed
tango shows |
Some Argentines say that 'tango has become the
international identity card of Buenos Aires.' In the evening, many
participants dressed up to the nines and were treated to a sizzling
hot Tango performance. In the district of San Telmo, in the old part
of Buenos Aires where tango is said to have originated, is 'El Viejo
Viejo AlmacEn', one of the many tango houses where Argentine cultural
splendour is showcased. Not only is the tango exciting to watch, the
atmosphere created by the music and visual expression evokes that
inner 'passiones' from the audience too. The sequined black dress
with a thigh-high split flashes those famous dancing legs; a sense
of urgency and seduction is displayed knowingly with each dramatic
move. It is through the theatrical spectacle of the movements of the
dance tango, together with the powerful orchestral accompaniment and
colourful singers that we can feel inspired with that world-famed
Latino passion. |
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| Buenos Aires born children of Japanese immigrants
play soccer with Peace Ball members |
Peace Boat's soccer player-diplomats, also known
as 'Peace Ball', rallied together a group of about 25 male and female
participants, ranging from age 16 to early 30s, to spend the day in
Buenos Aires with a team of Argentine soccer players. The eight Latino
locals were actually the grandchildren of Japanese immigrants to Argentina.
So, although they resembled the Japanese Peace Ball team physically,
communication was a mixture of Spanish first, then English, and occasionally
a few phrases of Japanese. In true Peace Ball style however, the aim
of the day was to use the universal game of soccer to form bridges
of communication and friendship, rather than meet in a serious and
competitive spirit. For a couple of hours, the two sides played each
other in a rules-oriented game, followed by a more light hearted series
of shorter, half-field games with mixed teams. Following an hearty
meal of 'asado' or Argentine-style steak at a nearby restaurant managed
by the family of one of the players, the sweaty bunch of soccer stars
toured around the world class 'Boca Stadium', home of the famed soccer
champion, Maradona, and home ground of Argentina's national team.
Checking out the pro-players' locker rooms, taking a seat in the pressroom
and running around on the official field was an exhilarating experience
for everyone involved. Peace Ball Coordinator, Satoshi Takeuchi remarked,
'We all imagined how wonderful it would be if we could have come to
watch a professional game together・aybe next time! Our Argentine friends
helped us choose which Argentine teams' soccer shirts to buy, and
then joined us back on the ship for dinner where we chatted more about
the World Cup, soccer clubs and players in Japan and South Aamerica.'
Overall, it was a great way to get to make new friends in a big city!
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| Peace Boat's
40th Voyage index |
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PEACE BOAT is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. |
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