(ANS – Port-au-Prince) – On Saturday 8 October, during her official visit to Haiti, Her Royal Highness Queen Sophia of Spain  paid a visit to the  educational centre which the Salesians have opened at Gressier, a few miles from the epi-centre of the 2010 earthquake. She was accompanied by Mrs Soraya Rodríguez Ramos, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and   Mr Manuel Hernández Ruigomez, Spanish Ambassador in Haiti.

On her arrival the Queen was welcomed by  Fr Agustín Pacheco, Director of the Salesian Missions in Madrid and by Fr Sylvain Ducange, Superior of the Salesian Province of Haiti. Going inside she was greeted by the 176 children who already attend the centre who sang “Ou nan lakay ou”, which means “here you are at home”. The Queen unveiled a plaque commemorating the visit and cut the ribbon, officially opening the centre.

The small pupils also danced and sang for Her Majesty : “Hallelujah Haiti” and “Give me life,” expressing the hopes of all the people of Haiti and which Fr Ducange had mentioned in his address of welcome: “In front of the buildings and houses in ruins, in a country without any solid foundations, as every visitor at once notices with so many children and young people from all part, Haiti is a nation which will never tire of shouting, and we with her: No to death! Yes to life!”

Queen Sophia wanted to be near the children and before being shown around the buildings of the primary and secondary schools she decided to meet every one of the little children who had welcomed her. During the ceremony the pupils offered the Queen a cup of coffee a small gesture intended to represent the hospitality of the people of Haiti, who always want to offer the best to the guests even in difficult times.

Before leaving  Queen Sophia also wanted to visit the two student hostels already built, since the rain had not allowed her to do so at the beginning as was on the programme. It was a very emotional visit since the 46 residents spontaneously decided to sing for the Queen “I want a million friends.”

Even after the official opening, the Gressier centre will not be fully complete. Still being built are a multi-purpose hall and an agricultural school which will also have four hostels for students who want to follow a vocational training course.

In conclusion Fr Ducange mentioned the important contribution to education in Haiti being made by Salesian Missions thanks to the generosity of the Spanish people. “If education is the foundation of development investing in education means working for a world that is more just and human. That is your conviction and it is also ours.”

Published 10/10/2011