Entering town, one could admire the different visiting country’s flags that were adorning the lodging sites. “This site won’t change for a few days” a local expressed, since this event won’t be over until July 2nd.
The town’s residents seem happy “it’s an immense joy for the locals”, says a villager. “It’s an opportunity to be seen by the whole world and for them to get to know our culture and traditions”, another one expressed.
A Visit Around Town
The day before the parade, we visited around town to get the locals point of view. Mrs. Elena Barahona, in charge of the ‘Petra Antonia Díaz de Moscoso’ Library, tells us that the town is very excited about this parade and that through meetings in the Library, with the corresponding authorities, they have agreed to dress in traditional clothes.
We also spoke with Mrs. Yira Jiménez, she makes ‘tembleques’ (tremblings, name given to traditional hair accessories because of their movement) and says that this parade “is something unique which everybody is awaiting”. “The town of Pedasí doesn’t talk about anything else, this is a very happy moment”, she expresses. Traditional food will be sold and it was agreed with the restaurants that they do likewise.
”All of this activity will benefit the town’s economy”, she assured.
Later on, in the entrance to the Hotel Casa de Campo (where the press conference was held) we met with Mrs. Neri Moscoso and Mrs. Marila Moscoso, both in charge of an exhibition of traditional skirts, tembleques (traditional hair accessories) and textile art designs to make skirts with, among other beautiful traditional objects of Panama. They express their joy about all these activities, and “to be able to show our tradition to the worldwide media as well as to the visitors”.
In the press conference Tutti de León, Organizer, assured and clearly stated that all the investment and installation of optical fiber to provide internet for the event will be kept by this town for its use
NATIONS PARADE AND CEREMONY OF THE SANDS
The parade started at four thirty in the afternoon with the musical band of the school of Pedasí and after them came each of the different countries sports delegations with their flags, accompanied by children dressed in typical attire. Between every third sports delegation, something typical from the area (like skirts, traditional “tamborito” dance and devil dances) paraded by.
The “Ceremony of the Sands” took place in the main platform, which consisted of each of the delegations bringing a little bit of sand from their beaches and placing it in a common container, in this way signifying “world union through surf”. Panama brought sand from Venao Beach, the place where this tournament is being held.
The Minister of tourism, Salomón Shamah, gave a worldwide welcome. “Welcome! Look atwhat the waves have broughtt us today. A wave is the most powerful thing in the world, this is what I have been seeing and learning in the last two years, how surf brings wonderful things, just with one wave of the ocean. Nothing else is needed, just the salt water’s strength creating a wave, to create a sport, to create an investment, to create tourism, to create wealth and above everything to create world union. All of this is created by only one wave, so I would like to give an applause to all the waves in the world, that have brought all of you here today”, Shamah said.
A principios del 2010, Bob Mignogna asumió como director general y mano derecha del presidente de la Asociación Internacional de Surf, (ISA, por sus siglas en inglés), cargo que le cayó como anillo al dedo, ya que lleva vinculado a este deporte más de treinta años.
Para este asiduo surfista, el llevar a cabo eventos de la magnitud del Billabong ISA World Surfing Games trae beneficios importantes en los países donde se desarrollan.
“He podido constatar en los últimos cuatro años el impacto económico que ha tenido el desarrollo de los eventos de la ISA en los países latinoamericanos. También he notado que han habido cambios sociales en los lugares donde poco a poco el surf ha ganado respeto y donde los gobiernos nacionales han brindado su apoyo. Tal es el caso de Perú, que el año pasado albergó el Mundial Open, en el cual se llevó el oro. De allí han salido varios campeones”, afirmó el estadounidense.
Por otra parte, Mignogna cree firmemente en la promoción de esta disciplina desde edades tempranas.
“A través de la ISA nosotros motivamos a las naciones a que alberguen torneos en la categoría Junior, que son eventos para sufistas menores de 18 años, quienes pueden demostrar su talento y defender los colores de sus países”, añadió el director.
El surf ha formado parte de la vida del nativo de California desde su adolescencia, cuando un amigo suyo, que iba diariamente a la playa, le dijo que por que no lo acompañaba, ya que se iba a encontrar con lindas chicas.
Bob siguió su consejo y decidió tomar seriamente el deporte de tablas.
“Empecé en el surf cuando tenía quince años, motivado por un amigo con el tiempo decidí practicarlo a conciencia y dedicarle mi vida al mismo. A tal punto, que desarrollé una carrera profesional con el surf”, explicó el directivo, quien año tras año ha publicado, editado y revisado la revista “Surfing Magazine”, la cual con el tiempo se ha convertido en la “publicación a seguir” en cuanto a materia de deporte del surf se refiere.
Fuente: PAdigital.com.pa
Autor: Ruth Dominguez S.
