The Major Graterón partners with The Art of LIving Foundation to promote peace in Caracas, Venezuela
Chacao, Sept. 29: With the objective of reducing the levels of stress and violence in the population, Emilio Graterón, mayor of Chacao, signed a decree declaring the district of Chacao as "District of Peace" and sealed an alliance with The Art of Living Foundation. To build a more peaceful and less violent society, this program will offer free public breathing classes to reduce stress, aggressiveness and negative emotions.
The mayor said: “Peace in Venezuela starts with ourselves. This is a very powerful statement that describes what we are doing in our district, an effort to transform our country in a space of peace. This is an historic step because Chacao is the first district that declares itself as a territory of peace and is taking concrete measures to achieve it.”
“The Art of Living Foundation shows its solidarity with all the neighbors of Chacao and with all the citizens of Caracas, the most violent city in South America that has broken the record of murders during weekends. Nevertheless, we are fighting against the violence offering spaces of peaceful coexistence, harmony and peace, so we can build the city we want, we dream of and we need,” Graterón indicated.
Francisco Moreno Ocampo, Director of the International Foundation in Venezuela expressed his satisfaction to subscribe this alliance with the municipal government of Chacao. “We all want to be happy and to achieve it, we need peace. Peace is not living in a place without conflicts, peace is related to the state of our mind. Every human being can learn to have peace and be happy regardless of the external circumstances. We will have a more peaceful society if more people learn to manage their own negative emotions and live without stress.”
In the framework of this alliance, the District of Chacao and The Art of Living Foundation will offer public breathing seminars for stress reduction every week, breathing courses for employees of the municipality and the police department.
The Art of Living" is present in more than 151 countries around the world and is dedicated to improve the quality of life of human beings teaching pacific resolution of conflicts and breathing techniques to reduce stress. It’s a non profit foundation with no political nor religious affiliation. It’s recognized by the World Health Organization and its programs have benefited more than 300 million people around the world.
For more information please contact the Communication Department of Chacao.
Telephone +582129057888 or www.chacao.gov.ve