Stratford-Suchitoto Partnership
CUSO-VSO is supporting a youth cultural, social and economic initiative between the municipality of Stratford in Ontario, and the town of Suchitoto in El Salvador.
Stratford
Fifty years ago, Stratford was an economically depressed rural municipality in Ontario. In an act of faith, community leader Tom Patterson gathered together a sum of $225 to initiate what would become the Stratford Theatre Festival. The Festival gave its first performance in a 150-foot tent in July of 1953. Now, the annual budget of the Festival is over $50 million, it sustains directly and indirectly more than 3,000 jobs, and injects more than $145 million into the local economy.
Suchitoto
Suchitoto, a small municipality in El Salvador greatly damaged by 30 years of civil war, is also trying to improve its economic situation. Suchitoto wants to use the same strategy that Stratford used 50 years ago: leveraging economic development through arts and culture. Suchitoto wants to tap into the potential of its two major assets: youth and the richness of its culture.
The Partnership
Stratford and Suchitoto are now developing an exchange between the two communities. For example, in the area of skills development, Suchitoto and Stratford have agreed to support the development of an Arts and Theatre program. It will be part of the Escuela-Taller, a technical school that Suchitoto is developing to provide education and employment opportunities to its youth.
You can make a special gift to this project by donating online here.
