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Mexico City, June 13, 2005 – “Entrepreneurs want to make their ideas work. Social entrepreneurs share the same drive, and their ideas may create new paradigms for society,” said U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza during a visit today to the Centro de Arte y Cultura Circo Volador.
"Ashoka: Innovators for the Public" is a global association of leading social entrepreneurs—men and women who introduce new solutions to societal problems. Supporting more than 1,500 fellows in over 53 countries, Ashoka funds these individuals allowing them to pursue their visions for change, whether it focuses on an environmental project, an educational problem or an urgent social issue.
Since 1987, over 119 Ashoka fellowships have been awarded in Mexico. This morning Ambassador Garza visited Circo Volador in Colonia Jamaica where he witnessed first hand the vision of Ashoka fellow Hector Castillo Berthier. A social researcher, Castillo Berthier believed that providing a safe and creative environment for disadvantaged youth and gang members would promote communication and expression leading to better understanding.
“What I’ve seen today at Circo Volador makes me believe that a visionary idea can become a new pattern for society,” said Ambassador Garza.
Circo Volador is a non-profit organization that has provided cultural and educational activities for neighborhood youth since 1994. Housed in an old cinema, the Circo promotes understanding and communication among youth by breaking down social barriers that previously contributed to violence in the neighborhood.
Following his visit to the center, Ambassador Garza hosted several Ashoka Fellows, representatives of Ashoka’s international board, along with leading members of the Mexican business community at a reception. “Linking social entrepreneurs with dynamic business minds, creates a synergy and opportunities that may result in sustained change for society,” said Ambassador Garza.
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