Campaign: What are you going to do for your nation?

The youth who have already begun to build a better country

Instalación del cartel del nudo vial 25 At a central station in Córdoba Mitten in Córdoba
Colectivo Bus Busse fahren die Frage durch die Stadt
En medio de carteles... Between ads... Zwischen Werbeplakaten...
En la noche... At night In der Nacht
Parada At a bus stop Haltestelle Fotos: Leticia Bello © 2009

ARGENTINA, Florencia Aliaga. The city of Córdoba, capital of the province with the same name, has historically been one of the centers and ideological powerhouses in the history of Argentina. In this geographic place, many ideas and dreams were developed that later led to our nation obtaining its freedom, and the struggle to conquer other areas of progress and liberties. On May 25th, the 199th anniversary of our first National Government, Córdoba will again be a protagonist and witness to a new revolution of youth with ideals who seek to begin to return the direction of the country and of the Argentinean people toward the road of values, freedom, and of excellence.

About 200 youth of the our Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement proudly signed this initiative led by Father Marcelo Gallardo, they decided to mobilize themselves as a concrete response to all the problems of society. They united with a group of young professional laypeople, Foundation 180, that works on non- profit projects and which has the objective of offering support and generating programs, projects, and activities that will promote and facilitate formal and/or informal education for the change and progress of all sectors of society.

At a time when the youth are tired of so many inconsistent proposals and of empty politics and who have decided to turn their backs on civil militancy, it is hard to fathom how nearly 200 youth have committed to the campaign: What are you going to do for your nation? Although if we pry into the engine of the cause, it is easy to understand why these youth joined this cause freely and with commitment. "Even though the campaign is entirely a civil one, and it seeks to promote very concrete responses to elevate the moral quality of the attitudes that every person has in society, it is very clear that the one promoting this campaign is the Blessed Mother. Because of the love that we have for Mary we have committed to work for Her and ignite the entire world to her service," says Leticia Bello, one of the young girls of our Youth, who recently received a Degree in International Relations, and who decided to dedicate herself fully to the cause.

So the people will find the sure road toward the Nation

However in the beginning, there were few encouraging voices; this group of people who are striving and committed did not give up before adversity. "When we dream about the project, and we share the proposals with people in the media, in politics, and even with our friends and families, their recommendation, although it may be well intentioned, is to stop the project or to postpone it and to make it less pretentious. Fortunately, in difficult times we doubled our action as a team, we doubled the sacrifices, doubled the prayers, we doubled everything. Everything for God and the Nation," shared Andrés Tey, one of the key leaders of What are you going to do for your Nation?

"In the beginning, the more that we considered that all our strength would be invested in this dream and thinking about the campaign becoming a reality seemed like something impossible. Now, looking back, we realize that only the strong conviction that the Blessed Mother wanted this campaign is what helped us to continue, and this conviction ignited other hearts, and the project began to flow and to take a shape of its own. She opened doors for us, which seemed inaccessible to us," confessed Javier Lozada of Foundation 180 referring to the many institutions, businesses, and media who decided to join the campaign by contributing ideas, providing public spaces, and institutional support.

"Foundation 180 wanted to call on all of society to reflect, and we saw that this was the appropriate time, not only because we will begin the countdown for the bicentennial celebration of the first government of Argentina on May 25th; rather, we are also one month away from the national election for deputies and senators. We are convinced that precisely at times like this, it is necessary for all of us to recall that all of us together make up the nation; be it by voting our conscience or in stopping the complaining and by changing this inactivity into doing something for the country," says Juan Diego Colomé, one of the initiators of Founders 180.

The Campaign

"What are you going to do for your nation?" is a campaign for citizens, which does not take sides; its objective is to make the Argentinean society of Córdoba aware about citizenship and being active members of society. It invites each person in Córdoba to celebrate the anniversary of the first national government, through a committed and positive participation in our society.

"The week before May 25th, the question, What are you going to do for your nation?, will be placed in strategic places throughout the city to call all the people from Córdoba to reflect, so they may ask themselves in what original way can each one contribute to the country. There will be posters on the public streets, a page on the Internet, a space on Facebook, and on Twitter, which will deal exclusively with the cause, according to Eugenio Mendez, a leader of the Boys’ Youth, "Furthermore," – adds Santiago Cofre, who is in charge of logistics – "there will be different activities such as distributing 5,000 decals, 5.000 brochures, and ribbons or banners at different locations in the city."

"Close to 100 public transportation buses will have posters about the campaign. A massive amount of e-mails will be sent. We were even able to take the proposal to some of the most popular bowling alleys of the city. Thanks to the media, we have public service announcements and news reports on Station 3 and Voice of the Interior, the radio station and newspaper respectively with the greatest audience in the region, [and] among other media outlets that reach certain regions," explains, Soledad Flores, another organizer.

The week after May 25^th will be the time for effective responses to our question, and it will also be carried out on public streets and different media outlets, graphically, on the radio and TV. Some of the responses are: "I am for my nation," "I do not litter my city," " I do not copy," "I vote my conscious," "I do not cross at a red light," "I forgive," etc. These will be presented as proposals or suggestions of the many little things that can be done to begin the change that Argentina needs.

The continuity of the project is guaranteed by the web page, www.portupatria.org.ar, which will concentrate on the different NGOs, foundations and other spaces, where people can take action for their nation. "The idea is for people to enter our web page and for each one to relate the personal and original manner in which they are contributing to the nation," said Tomás Auchterlonie and Federico Falavigna, who are in charge of the website and other spaces on the internet.

Nothing without you, nothing without us

The campaign is already on the streets and not just for the young; rather, all of Córdoba is expectant at what can emerge from this first step in building an Argentina that is more just, more equal, more human, and more of our Mother.

I can vouch that we have done everything humanly possible so that "What are you going to do for your nation?" will touch the hearts of each person in Cordoba. "Now it is time to have confidence, abandoning ourselves in her will and to ask the Blessed Mother to make the campaign her own. Our Queen, glorify yourself," Father Marcelo concludes.

• Note: On May 25, Argentina’s National Day, Father Angel Strada will celebrate a Holy Mass in the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt, at 10.00 AM (local time), with all the Argentineans present in Schoenstatt. The logo of the Initiative will be placed on the altar. The Holy Mass will be live transmitted on Internet: www.schoenstatt-tv.de (go to "livestream").

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA/amj