Peace Award in Presidential
Palace
Guatemala .
Heart
for the Nations Receives Award for Work in Guatemala among the Poor.
An award for their humanitarian efforts was given
to Heart for the Nations in February 2010 during a ceremony at the
Presidential Palace in Guatemala City.
In the Reception
Hall, called La Sala de Recepcion,
The Ambassadors for HEART for the Nations were received by Eduardo Prado, the
Commendadore of Antigua, Guatemala. For the past several years, once a day
a special honor is given to a prominent person or organization in Guatemala in
recognition of their work in the country. On February 5, 2010 this honor
was given to HEART for the Nations. Michelle White, International Director of
HEART for the Nations was presented with a white rose and a formal peace
document called "Acto Protocolario del Cambio de la Rosa Recihe este Honor"
Since 2002,
Heart for the Nations has been giving
humanitarian aid to the people of Guatemala specifically addressing the water
pollution problem. John and Michelle White founded Heart for the Nations
to address that issue.
Sra.
Selfa
Amarilis Munguia, Assistant Minister of
Culture,
received HEART for the Nations in the Presidential Palace.
She is one of the most prominent Maya indigenous
women to hold such a position in the government of Guatemala. The Maya people
have been excluded from holding any public office until the current President of
Guatemala, Alvaro Colom Caballeros. President Colom gained office in January 14,
2008, of the National Unity of Hope party.
Pictured above are John White, Director HEART for
the Nations, Michelle White, International Director HEART for the Nations,
Selfa Amarilis Munguia, Assistant Minister of Culture, and two HEART
Ambassadors, Jean Schlegel and Joann Rivera.
The palace exterior can appear green in color
because the government maintenance workers apply an oil-based paint to the
building that lets them easily remove the graffiti of government protesters.
Inside, La Sala is decorated with quetzals (the national bird of Guatemala, and
the name of the currency) in brass and gold. The stained glass windows chronicle
the pre-Columbian and colonial history of Guatemala. The floor in La Sala is
made of cherry and walnut and when you stand in the middle of the hall your
voice will carry without any artificial amplification.
As you go upstairs to the Presidential Balcony you can look out onto the Plaza
Mayor and the surrounding buildings. You'll get an idea of what daily life is
like from this view, watching people going to work, having lunch, and just
living their lives.
Look south from the Presidential Balcony and you'll see the Miguel Asturias
Cultural Center. Miguel Asturias is considered Guatemala's most prominent
writer. He's the 1967 Noble prizewinner for literature and author of Men of
Maize, a book about the conflict between European and Native ways of life
through poetry. The cultural center, which looks a bit like a cruise ship on
land, houses the National Theater and hosts many of the large concerts in the
city. To find a listing of events, just pick up a Friday copy of the newspaper,
La Prensa Libre (The Free Press). Most shows are rather inexpensive.
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