SCIC Welcome Party featuring Andino Suns

A part of the Sask-Salvadoran Solidarity & Stories Exchange, with events taking place Sept 19 - 25. To see all events, visit: http://earthbeat.sk.ca/2018/09/11/salvadoran-solidarity-stories-events/

Come give a warm reception to our international guests, be together in community, and share in delicious snacks and lively music from local favourites Andino Suns. César Antonio Hernandez Gamez and Brenda René Hubbard are sexual and reproductive health rights educators representing Commitee Against AIDS/Asociación Comité Contra El Sida Cabañas Asoc Cocosi, based in El Zapote, El Salvador.

This will be a casual evening featuring short remarks and stories from our El Salvadoran partners. Come learn about CoCoSI’s crucial grassroots level work in the rural Cabañas region of El Salvador in HIV/AIDS prevention and education, accompaniment and mitigation, and social and political advocacy. Learn how this connects to community challenges here in Saskatchewan, and most of all, come to celebrate our togetherness and show our guests a good time!

About CoCoSI:

Asociación Comité Contra El Sida Cabañas (CoCoSI) [Committee Against AIDS]

CoCoSI is a youth-run organization based in rural El Salvador working with parents, schools, prisons, health professionals, and the general public to deliver workshops and raise awareness of AIDS, prevent the spread of the disease, address gender-based violence, and support people living with AIDS in the region. Their work is rooted in a human-rights based approach, and is focused in three areas: prevention and education, accompaniment and mitigation, and social and political advocacy.

CoCoSI is the only group in the rural Cabañas region of El Salvador carrying out such work, In 2010, CoCoSI was one of 25 community-based groups from around the world recognized by the United Nations HIV/AIDS Program with the Red Ribbon Award for their work in HIV/AIDS education, prevention and advocacy. For more information about CoCoSI visit: http://cocosi.org

About Andino Suns:
“Regina-based Andino Suns’ culturally hyphenated music combines the sizzling Andean sun with the expanses of the Canadian prairies. Their genre-defying sound is steeped in their cherished Chilean heritage, combining Andean instrumentation with modern Latin grooves to produce an eclectic sound that’s identifiably their own.” www.facebook.com/AndinoSuns
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About the Sask-Salvadoran Solidarity & Stories Exchange

For one week this September, SCIC is thrilled to be hosting our Educators for Solidarity Initiative partners from El Salvador. César Antonio Hernandez Gamez and Brenda René Hubbard are sexual and reproductive health rights educators representing Commitee Against AIDS/Asociación Comité Contra El Sida Cabañas Asoc Cocosi, based in El Zapote, El Salvador.

Highlights of their visit include:

Facilitating sessions at SCIC’s Educating Global Citizens: Stories & Strategies conference Sept 22;
Speaking at the Talkin' About School & Society: Global Citizenship & Solidarity community forum Sept 21; and
Socials in both Regina (Sept 19) and Saskatoon (Sept 25) to welcome and get to know our special guests.

While in Saskatchewan, César and Brenda will also be meeting with and learning from local groups and organizations particularly around shared concerns and work in LGBTQ+ rights, HIV/AIDS advocacy, and learning about Indigenous perspectives and experiences here in the Treaty 4 & Treaty 6 area. César and Brenda are traveling to Canada for this special Saskatchewan learning tour before heading off to Toronto to present to our other program partners at the annual Primate's World Relief and Development Fund Conference.