1997: 30 years from Ernesto Che Guevara's assassination

Che, not because you fell your light is less strong

 

VALLEGRANDE CHE FESTIVAL PAGE

 


Versión en español

On October 9, 1967, Ernesto Guevara, better known as El Che, was killed shot by Bolivian soldiers and a North American CIA agent. Today, thirty years later, he is admired worldwide by people of different ages and ideologies because of what he did while he was alive.

Born in Argentina, he was perhaps the second most important man in Cuban revolution. After the revolution he played very important roles in Cuban reconstruction, as president of the Cuban Central Bank and as Ministry of Industry.

Having everything a man could need in Cuba, a family, friends, love from the people, El Che was such an idealist that gave up it all and went to Bolivia, to build a revolution there, and prepared to lose his life fighting for his dream: To make Latin America a better place, with equity and justice.

A festival to honour him will take place in different cities around the planet, the first two weeks of October, being the most important Rosario, Argentina (where he was born), La Habana, Cuba and La Higuera and Vallegrande, Bolivia (where he was killed and his rests were found).

People from all around the World will visit these cities on October, including famous politicians, writers, and musicians.

In these page you will find information about the part of the festival to be held in Bolivia

 

Vallegrande Che Festival

 

World Encounter for Solidarity, Freedom and Justice

 

Vallegrande - Bolivia

October 5 - 11, 1997

 

Calling

 

Men and women from all latitudes, old and young, any skin colour, any creed, have decided to join in Vallegrande, Bolivia, to leave testimony of our worries, think over about the destiny of human kind and proclaim our hopes.

When we are getting to the end of the millennium, human kind has been able to develop a civilisation with technology could benefit and get peace for everyone. However, by now there is evidence of unevenness among countries and regions: among those who have everything and those who have nothing, among those powerful who decide and those who pay the consequences of that decisions.

Even more, the civilisation with its extremes of waste and privation is breaking the natural equilibrium of life and is making real the most awful nightmares about the possibility of the destruction of the planet.

Is there any hope?

The people who adhere to this calling think that there is hope. We think values such as solidarity, freedom and justice can still fit into most of the people's minds and hearts. While such values still subsist, we can envision a better future for persons, people and nations toward the third millennium. The best utopias, those that were designed by the most lucid minds, those that pure men and women died for, still have a place on Earth and can help to change the ways that things are going.

To examine those issues, we convoke you to join together in Vallegrande. There, where three decades ago ended the deed of a little group of Dreamers that died searching for liberation and change. There, where Ernesto "Che" Guevara signed with his blood the utopia of the New Man.

For Solidarity, Liberty and Justice!

 

Activities

 

Artistic - Cultural

 

Musical Concert: Artists such as

 

Movies about El Che

Books about El Che

Painting and sculpture

Theatre

 

 

Meetings

 

The political thinking of 60s and 70s. Their impact now.

Social actors of change toward the third millennium.

Latin America: Globalisation and Liberation.

 

 

Visits

 

El Che route

Historical places

The place where his rests were found

 

 

How is Vallegrande like?

 

Vallegrande is located 300 km southwest Santa Cruz. Is 2000 meters above the level of the sea, and in October has an average temperature of 20 degrees C during the day and 10 degrees C during the night.

You can get there by aeroplane or by car. There will be daily flies from Santa Cruz during the festival.

There are 5 hotels, and people of the place will rent rooms for visitors. There will also be a camping place with all basic services.

For more information:

P.O. Box 3822 - Santa Cruz - Bolivia

Phone (fax): (591) - 3 - 429257

E-mail me so I can keep you informed about the festival and this page. Also if you want to discuss about El Che or have any comments or suggestions.  

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