"Enlazados": an alliance for life is born
In order to build a common agenda towards a new humanity, to protect Mother Earth and ensure the present and future health and sustainability of our common home, the People's Health Movement (PHM) and the Agroecological Movement of Latin America and the Caribbean (MAELA) launch "Enlazados", a collaborative alliance to weave, exchange experiences and articulate actions in common spaces and stakes, as well as in the active presence of both movements in territories with diverse populations; community work, health centers, organizations, family agriculture, peasants and indigenous peoples, among others. Both the PHM and MAELA share strategic axes in key to the vision of Good Living, that holistic view of life in harmony with Mother Earth.
"The challenges of the health of the planet and of our peoples and the unjust inequalities in health challenge the social movements of the region with whom we work together to face these challenges we face. One of these challenges is the progressive destruction and pollution of nature to the point of threatening not only health, but the extinction of life itself. MAELA and the PHM have understood the scope of the problem and the challenges and have decided to work together to overcome these challenges, organizing ourselves from the grassroots, not only to exchange our experiences, but to mobilize our society, in order to neutralize and defeat the destructive influence on our health and our lives of forces that are terribly powerful and act in unison. Together, united and organized we are more." Roman Vega, PHM Global Coordinator said of the importance and scope of this alliance.
"For the People's Health Movement in Mexico, this alliance is important for the recent conformation of the circle in our country and in its strengthening because we can work weaving networks of solidarity, sisterhood and articulation, concepts that we work in our country. We have learned from the successful experiences of other movements and also from the lessons learned from those in which we have not been able to achieve the expected objectives for the health of our peoples, because we can articulate them in this same sense with these brotherly peoples in Mother Earth from other perspectives from other ways of being and Mexico at this time is key because of the role it is playing in Latin America." Sagrario Lobato, Circle Coordinator of MSP Mexico.
""Enlazados", this alliance between MAELA and PHM is a natural and necessary step and how good that it is becoming a reality. I think it means the possibility of erasing the limits that hinder the path to better worlds, I think it is the possibility that our proposals, our actions, our community and organizational processes follow the course of its horizon, that is, the construction of this new paradigm focused on the life of transcendence, the possibility of overcoming this civilizational model of death and return us to life and the connection with biocentrism, with belonging to Mother Earth. I believe that "Enlazados" allows us to do that because when we unite as movements we have as our main objective, not the limits of our themes, of our objectives or of our names, but we have as our main objective that common purpose of having a better world for all of us, I believe that "Enlazarnos" allows us to remember the purpose of what we do, the reason why, that is essential to walk in this moment of our history. I believe that 'Enlazarnos' makes our actions more effective, that our purposes are fulfilled promptly, which is what we need". Sandra Payán Working Group of Ancestral and Popular Knowledge Latam of the PHM.
"Both the PHM and MAELA have the same cause and the same purposes and even the same community, social and popular actions to change small territories, small communities in such a way that the cause for the common good, the cause for the planet, for the rights of humanity and ecosystems. A social, community economy in its link with ecology and primary health care are key elements, vital for a better world, for the "Buen Vivir", to assert our rights in the communities in the neighborhoods in our municipalities." Enrique Picado, from PHM Nicaragua.
"An alliance between the PHM and MAELA is a sum of wills, it is necessary and timely. Both movements work for the health of the planet. The care of all life. For the respect of biodiversity. The two movements are one in defense of life and "Buen Vivir"." Fermína García, PHM Dominican Republic.
"For the Agroecological Movement of Latin America and the Caribbean (MAELA), it has been fundamental to promote food sovereignty and the "Good Living" of the peoples in the sense of conserving natural resources and the cultural and natural heritage of the peoples, in addition to promoting the "Good Living" in them. What does this mean? That we seek health in ecosystems, in agricultural production and human health, which leads to seek alliances with other organizations and other movements that promote these same principles of care and health. Therefore, for MAELA it is important to coincide in actions with the MSP to favor and promote our principles." Rocio Romero, MAELA Continental Political Council.