I would like to express in the name of the municipal government, and of all the inhabitants of the municipality of Benito Juarez, Cancún, Mexico, and also on my own behalf and that of my family, our great pleasure because Cancún has been distinguished by the presence of the members of the humanitarian Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association.
Mariana Tosca (vegan): We would now like to introduce you to the co-organizer of this event, the Honorable Jaime Hernández Zaragoza, the mayor of this most beautiful and welcoming city of Cancún. A firm believer in the importance of cooperation, Mr. Zaragoza stated when he recently assumed his position, “I want to send a clear signal of unity, peace and harmony.” So please, please join me again in welcoming his distinguished, Mayor, Jaime Hernandez Zaragoza and his wife, Lady Mayoress Ms. Paty Meneses de Hernández.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): First Lady of Cancún! People say there’s always a great woman behind a great man. So, we welcome her and honor her as well. This is a beautiful couple.
Jaime Hernandez Zaragoza: It’s really an honor to be in this place. Apart from what this piece of Heaven that God has given us represents, we are able to share this place with every one of you. When one first hears about global warming, there is a great concern and a feeling of loneliness that invades our heart. However, getting to know you all, listening to you, and to know that more people are working to reverse this effect, that brings peace. But it also increases the commitment, the responsibility to take action. Recently, in the city of Mexico City in the Federal District, we had a gathering, a summit of local and regional mayors where we were able to come to an agreement on 13 points. But the main plan, the main focus was the commitment: to stop being observers and to become actors. Altruism, generosity and solidarity are values that represent lights of hope in the middle of the incomprehensible darkness of greed, which envelops humanity and our planet. There are many of us who realize that an upside down world is not an option. However, sometimes it is not easy to find each other, get united, organized, to fight, to disseminate, to straighten out the twisted paths that lead only to chaos.
This night is an exceptional night, a night of lights, a night in which Supreme Master Ching Hai, enlightens us with Her presence and motivates us with Her wisdom. It is for me, truly, a very special honor, to give the utmost welcome to this woman, Who has managed to gather a large amount of hearts and minds looking to stop climate change. And She also works tirelessly to bring help to those who are already suffering the consequences of this terrible phenomenon, which threatens our planet and all its inhabitants. I would like to express in the name of the municipal government, and of all the inhabitants of the municipality of Benito Juarez, Cancún, Mexico, and also on my own behalf and that of my family, our great pleasure because Cancún has been distinguished by the presence of the members of the humanitarian Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association.
In the context of this international summit on climate change, we hope that each and every one of you can enjoy the natural beauty which characterizes our municipality, the quality of our facilities, but above all, the quality of our people. We, the people from Benito Juarez (Cancún), are hardworking and friendly, who have learned to serve. Today we have in mind a phrase that my wife often says, “Those who do not live to serve, serve little purpose.” And I add to that, “The one who doesn’t serve, is of little service.” We work hard to take care of you and offer you the necessary conditions, so that the goals of your visit are met and exceeded and to make a memorable experience of your time in Cancún. In this municipality, this city, we are working to transform history. We cannot go on blaming whoever has left us what we are experiencing today, because, today, we are all responsible.
In this city, we are opening spaces, sports fields and parks, for interaction and family integration. We are reforesting our city, our parks, and the goal this year is to plant one million trees. We are cleaning our beaches, and today, we do not limit ourselves to cleaning, but also disinfecting the beaches. We are restoring our springs, these places of pure water which circulate in the inner channels of our planet. We are working to make Cancún an example of safekeeping of the planet. But we consider that among everything that there is on the planet and in the universe, the key element is the human being. And we are aware that this piece of paradise that God gave us does not make us owners, but managers. And we are also aware that we must take in account what we do or not do in this place. I would like to say many words, but I am overwhelmed by the emotion of having you in my home. Cancún is your home, and I wish that in this place, there will be an agreement among all the representatives of the 194 countries and groups and associations that participate in an open way. And that these commitments, these proposals, be not only policies but rather realities.
On occasion, I have commented that when we were kids, we had dreams. But we couldn’t transform into reality because we were not the right age, nor did we have the conditions nor the power or authority to execute them. The problem is that today, we are old enough, we are adults, the conditions exist, and we have the power and authority to generate actions, but we have lost the dreams. Let’s recover our dreams, let’s be kids again, take care of our planet. There is no other place for human life. The commitment is not only by the leaders, although I accept my responsibility as such. I believe that we have to make changes in the minds of leaders. And I will start with myself. I’m joining in this project. I will disseminate what is agreed on here, what is proposed here, and all the solutions that are put on the table and in this organization. I shall make them as my own, with my family and with all the inhabitants of the municipality.
I’m very sorry for having gone on but you must know this: Never put a microphone in the hands of a politician! Truly, thank you so much. Welcome to you all! Cancún is your home! And we are your family!
I would like… to take a bit more time and share this space with my wife, because there is something special, my wife doesn’t speak with the mouth, she speaks with her heart. And I would also like her to give us a message.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): And she is beautiful also. Beautiful.
Paty Meneses de Hernández: Thank you. We see beautiful faces, but we are not so different. We have at least one thing in common. We are very concerned about our tomorrows. And tonight, it’s a really special night for us. And we want to give to all of you the very welcome to Cancún, to the Riviera Maya, to Mexico.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): That was a couple!
Mariana Tosca (vegan): Thank you so much for joining us here this evening, Mayor. We’re honored to have you here.
Jaime Hernandez Zaragoza: I am ready, and willing to do it with a big commitment for this to happen, the change has to be made, and I will lead that change. Welcome to Vegetarian Cancún. You are welcomed, this is the home of veganism.
Raquel Rodriguez: I must tell you that tonight, with these wonderful people who are extending an invitation for solidarity between humans, for friendship and affection, it’s, for me, an excellent example of how awesome we humans could be if we had other kinds of doctrines, if we had another kind of system so different to what we currently experience, which is a system of competition and selfishness. It’s an example, of how human beings can have brotherhood and how we can be brotherly.
