The festival “Yaiza Simply Love” kicked off this Tuesday, May 17, coinciding with the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, with a parade in the central area of Playa Blanca, enlivened by the troupes Los Cumbancheros and Los Timanfeiros. After that, the manifesto was read by the gymnast Cristofer Benítez from Tenerife, who has been championing the defense of people's rights for more than 15 years from his platform as a prominent athlete.
“Yaiza has become a national benchmark town for pluralism and respect, and although we still have a long way to go, we are proud that it welcomes this great celebration of diversity, coexistence, inclusion and love with open arms,” said the gymnast.
Surrounded by neighbors and tourists, Cristofer Benítez proceeded to read the manifesto in the presence of municipal authorities and the councilor of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Carmen Guadalupe. From the Consistory they point out that the island Corporation “has been linked to the third edition of Yaiza Simply Love”.
“During the year we develop coexistence and prevention programs in educational centers, and many other activities outside the classroom with the participation of the municipality's families, all complementary efforts aimed at favoring the construction of a society of coexistence and mutual respect,” said the mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda.
For his part, the Councilor for Culture, Youth and Equality, Daniel Medina, reiterates the invitation to the people of Yaiza and Lanzarote to participate in Simply Love. “It is a program full of workshops, full of meetings, dialogue tables, music, with the contribution of guests such as Damián Rodríguez, Cisco Ruz, Eduardo Casanova, Ruth Lorenzo, Manuel Zamorano, Oswaldo Machín and Eduardo Navarrete, among many other artists and people from the group,” details the mayor.
“The guests will make this festival continue to consolidate as the benchmark in equality policies for the entire province of Las Palmas,” adds the Councilor for Culture. The complete program, from May 17 to 21, is published for consultation at www.yaiza.es.
“Our municipality is committed to equality”
From the Consistory they point out that the municipality's position of energetic condemnation of any form of discrimination “cannot be clearer”.
“Our municipality is unequivocally committed to equality, we are strongly committed to diversity and our renewed commitment is to ensure the rights and defense of the LGBTI community, here or wherever necessary, and we say it loudly and in capital letters,” remarked Óscar Noda.
The Yaiza City Council recalls that 32 years ago the World Health Organization (WHO) removed female and male homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses. “But there is still a long way to go and rights to conquer, so the 'Yaiza Simply Love' and all the proposals for debate, reflection and awareness are supremely valid”, they add from the Consistory.
“For us it is important to continue claiming values that identify the society in which we live, that identify the deepest part of being Yaicero, values that have placed us at the forefront in Lanzarote in the defense of the values of the LGBTI community. Proof of this is this festival, where we have criticism, debate and where proposals will emerge to continue improving in order to achieve totally egalitarian societies,” concluded the councilor, Daniel Medina.