April 9, 2010 Words of the Week
Words of the Week from Valley Wide Health Systems in Partnership with Marillac Clinic, funded by the Colorado Trust
Words of the Week - Palabras de la Semana
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you | Gracias | Grah-see-ahs |
| Tattoo | Tatuaje | Tah-toowah-heh |
| Contact lens | Lente de contacto | Len-teh deh cohn-tahc-toh |
Cultural Note - Nota cultural
Next week is Pan American Week and April 14 is Pan American Day, recognized throughout the Americas since 1931.
Simón Bolívar convened the first Pan American Congress in Panama to which only 4 nations attended. Nearly 60 years later 13 countries came to Washington DC by invitation from the United States, and they disagreed and distrusted each other over many matters. But today there are 21 nations actively participating in the Organization of American States(OAS).
Simón Bolívar dreamed in 1826 of a “congress of the American states.” He died before he ever saw his vision come to life in the OAS, but he dared to dream of a United America.
Many in the United States of America share a common dream of Health Care for All in the USA. Much as the nations of the Americas disagreed and didn’t trust one another, certain sects of our society are still fighting endlessly over health care reform. If Bolivar’s dream could grow from 4 nations to 21, perhaps our dream of Equality in Health Care for ALL in America will one day become a reality as well.
Dare to dream!
Pan American Day Día de las Americas
Sent from:
Joshua Phifer
Health Educator
Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc.
128 Market St.,Alamosa,CO 81101
