Indigenous Maya K’iche’ & Indigenous Youth living in Canada to meet and discuss Health, Gender & Culture

PETERBOROUGH, ON, OCTOBER 23, 2019 – Horizons of Friendship (Horizons), the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), and Trent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Science (TRACKS) invite the public to a free and public panel discussion on Monday October 28 that will bring together Indigenous Maya K’Iche’ youth and Indigenous youth living in Canada for a discussion on health, gender, leadership and cultural practices. The event will take place at the Peterborough Lawn Bowling Club at 577 McDonnel Street, Peterborough, Ontario from 6:30p.m. to 8:00p.m, and is supported by the Trent Faculty Association.

Founded in 1973, Horizons is a Canadian international development organization committed to eliminating poverty and injustice in Central America and Mexico. Horizons partners with grassroots organizations in Mesoamerica that identify real issues in their communities. Through trusted partnerships, Horizons and its local partners are able to achieve significant changes in marginalized communities on issues such as health, migration, climate action, and violence against women.

The Indigenous Maya K’iche’ youth are part of Horizons’ $13.2 million Maternal, Newborn, and Child-Health project, which aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the province of Totonicapán, Guatemala. This Government of Canada-funded project is in the final stages of its execution and has made significant strides to improve the health and rights of the Indigenous Maya K’iche’ peoples of Totonicapán. Two young Maya K’iche’ leaders from Guatemala that will be featured on the panel include:

• Virginia Yojana del Transito Tacam Ramos – At only 23 years of age, Virginia is already an active Indigenous Maya K’iche’ leader in her community, having been involved with the Aq’Ab’Al Indigenous Women’s Network working to empower young Maya girls. She is currently studying at the Escuela Rural Normal de Occidente Guillermo Arriola to be an Intercultural Education teacher. Virginia was part of the MNCH project’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) component, geared towards providing Maya K’iche’ adolescents with comprehensive, cultural-relevant sexuality education. For Virginia, it is particularly important that Maya women and girls create their own life plan – not only to prevent teenage pregnancies, but also to grow into their roles as keepers of knowledge and champions in their communities.

• Juan Eduardo Lux Tzoy - Born in Santa Maria Chiquimula, Totonicapán, Guatemala, Juan is currently studying to be an Intercultural Education teacher at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala. Juan was part of the MNCH project’s SRHR component. The fifth of 14 children, Juan is committed to speaking with other Indigenous Maya K’iche’ youth like himself about the importance of family planning despite this being a difficult conversation to have in his community.

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For media or other inquiries, please contact:

Daniel Quesada, Community Outreach Officer, dquesada@horizons.ca or 905-372-5483 ext. 20

This program is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.