ARTICLE - CITE SOLEIL IS NOT RED

CITE SOLEIL IS NOT RED
(Haiti Libre) -

In the name of the people of Cite Soleil, the Konbit Soley Leve movement, Pax Christi-SAKALA Ayiti, HOCWOS and other community based organizations and individuals working together for positive change in Cite Soleil, we celebrate the decision of several members of the International Community to recognize our mutual success by reclassifying Cite Soleil as a "yellow zone".

This is a momentous step towards our common vision to see Cite Soleil change from a "red zone", cut off from the rest of Haiti because of security restrictions, to a "green zone" (an example of cooperation, innovation and sustainability for the rest of the country).

We have united across 34 neighborhoods to promote peace, clean our streets, plant trees and gardens, rally in remembrance of Haitian heroes and the earthquake anniversary, rescue neighborhoods in trouble, send young people to school, and hundreds of other positive actions that show the beautiful side of Cite Soleil.

Organizations such as Pax Christi-SAKALA Ayiti, La Difference, HOCWOS, KONOKS, and other community groups have led civic education events for children, peaceful parades, agroartisanal festivals, intra-city soccer matches, and dozens of other positive activities- all in the spirit of Konbit Soley Leve, the konbit of the rising sun, in the hopes that Cite Soleil would rise from its dark past into a brighter future.

We thank all of individuals and organizations, big and small, who have helped to make this positive change a reality. We thank those people from outside of Cite Soleil who never accepted it as simply "red". We thank them for financial support, but especially for visiting our community gardens, teaching English classes, attending community activities, or even joining a soccer game. You have inspired youth to work hard and make a difference, and to build a better future for Cite Soleil and for Haiti. The visits also helped make it clear that Cite Soleil is not "red".

Thank you to Cite Soleil’s police, community and religious leaders, school directors, children, young people, and everyone who made this transformation possible. Thank you to influential voices like Belo, Carel Pedre, Jean-Jean Roosevelt, Wanito and Wyclef for offering support, inspiration, and a shared wish that Cite Soleil take the path to peace.

This Monday, June 25th, 2012 at 4p.m at the Place Fièrte, the people of Cite Soleil will celebrate all that is positive. We invite all friends and supporters to share in this grand day of reflection, action, music and celebration of the "sunny side" of this City of Sun. Please join the community in wearing any item of green clothing to affirm our common vision of Cite Soleil to become a "green zone".