“Early childhood development is the best way to build our future”: Juliana Awada
On the margins of the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, the partners of the G20 leaders visited the Latin American Art Museum (MALBA). After touring the museum’s permanent collection, they took part in the official presentation of a project to foster artistic creativity in children.
“Early childhood development is the best way to build our future, because today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders. We must guarantee that they are able to fulfil their potential,” Argentine First Lady Juliana Awada said.
She also mentioned that during Mauricio Macri’s administration as Mayor of Buenos Aires, he had promoted the creation of a network of early childhood centres to see to the needs of children from the city’s most vulnerable neighbourhoods. In December 2015, when he became president, he implemented the programme at the national level.
According to the Argentine First Lady, the main goal of the initiative is “for all children in Argentina to have equal opportunities, regardless of where they are born or the circumstances they live in.”
Awada thanked all the G20 countries for the support they provided so that early childhood was included as one of the three working areas of the G20 Development Working Group, and invited partners to double their efforts in the area.
The Argentine First Lady also presented her initiative to carry out artistic activities in early childhood centres across the country. The goal is to promote learning, imagination and creativity among children in a period of their lives critical for their development.
As part of the project, artists working with different mediums will organize workshops, produce murals and intervene pieces of furniture, such as desks, tables, chairs, playground equipment and tools. They will also create abstract or figurative works of art to decorate classrooms and playgrounds.
Among the event’s participants were 10 of the artists participating in the project, including Marta Minujín, Andrés Paredes and Inés Raiteri.
Once the project is over, the works of art will remain at the centres.
After the presentation, the G20 partners enjoyed a special lunch prepared by chefs Fernando Trocca, Guido Tassi and Javier Rodríguez.
