Dr Hooker: "It's a pride to have 88 young people who are going to share their ideas and who are going to build new ideas for the Caribbean Coast."

This morning, the URACCAN authorities officially opened the 2020 Latin American Innovation Rally, greeting and motivating the 88 students who will proudly represent this intercultural higher education institution from its four campuses: Las Minas, Bluefields, Bilwi and New Guinea.

The activity was moderated by the director of the Institute of Intercultural Communication (ICI), MSc. Yulmar Montoya, who emphasized that the participation of students is due to the unconditional support of URACCAN rector Dr. Alta Hooker, with institutional funds and ongoing accompaniment from her institutes and research and communication centers.  

Montoya further recalled that this important innovation and technology event is sponsored by the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Programme (CARCIP), implemented by Telcor, with funding from the World Bank, and by the Norwegian International Student and Academic Assistance Fund (SAIH).

The first greeting, energetic and emotional, was led by the rector Alta Hooker, who on behalf of URACCAN wanted the best from all students. "You have been preparing for this moment. Our facilitators have been by your side, they have been preparing them on different topics, so that they have no doubt what they want to do. We are proud to have 88 young people who are going to share their ideas and who are going to build new ideas for the Caribbean Coast," Dr Hooker said.

In this sense, URACCAN's deputy general vice-chancellor, MSc. Yuri Zapata emphasized that this "university innovates so that our peoples can live well".

For her part, the director of the Center for Multi-Ethnic Women's Studies and Information (CEIMM) told young people: "Our hallmark is the intercultural gender perspective, from where our analyses come from, our ideas, our proposals, from the feeling, thinking, living of the men and women of our peoples, from their individual and collective lives."

Message from the New Guinea precinct

From the New Guinea campus, its vice-chancellor, Dr. Eugenio López Mairena, recognized the work of coordination and support from mentors, tutors in the preparation of students who are representing URACCAN, in whom we "place our hope and pride".

Also, the academic director of this study house, MSc. Letisia Castillo, invited them to trust themselves. "You are the face of the university and we rely on your skills and abilities," he said, addressing enthusiastic young people. From New Guinea also greeted the mayor of the municipality, teacher Claribel Castillo, who said she was proud of the representation of URACCAN in this international event, ensuring that "our Caribbean Coast, our country, our municipality, need young entrepreneurs, innovators who can contribute to the economic development of our country", he said.

Message from The Authorities of the Bilwi Precinct

16 young people from the Bilwi campus, made up of 4 teams, are being accompanied and encouraged by their authorities: coordination of the Slilma Center for Intercultural Community Innovation, support teams formed by the Institute of Intercultural Communication, the System of Information Technology and Institutional Communication and the Center for Multi-Ethnic Women's Studies. Expectations are huge have been expressed by participants, who remain focused on learning and new knowledge of this new academic experience.

Your vice-chancellor, the PhD. Enrique cordón, in addition to motivating the university students, called them to have fun, because only through a cheerful and vigorous attitude, the capacity to respond is more effective and pressing.

Words of the authorities from the Las Minas compound

La PhD. Angelica Leonor Ruiz Calderón, vice-chancellor of Las Minas, urged the 32 students of this campus to make every effort to develop and create solutions relevant to the region. "We know that they are very well prepared to face these challenges. From now on, each of you is a winner. We wish you all the best at this Latin American innovation party," she said.

This was reinforced by the PhD. Jacoba Dávila, COORDINATOR of CEIMM at the venue, expressing to students that they have all the tools to solve all the challenges. In addition, he reminded them that we are supporting them from the CIS, motivating them to incorporate the intercultural gender perspective, which will make a difference in their proposals.

From Bluefields: A Warm Message

For the vice-chancellor of the Bluefields compound, MSc. Diala López, "This event represents a great opportunity for the university and for our students. From each of the multidisciplinary teams they will contribute with innovative ideas. That their participation is very productive and results in meaningful experiences."

Throughout the opening ceremony, students remained attentive to every intervention by the authorities of this study house, who encouraged them through warm messages, wishing them great success on this day of 28 hours of running that they must work. At the end of the act, unanimous in one voice, the young men shouted, "URACCAN, URACCAN, we're going to win!"