ICF DONATES SCULPTURE TO LA PAZ

On December 2, 2002 the International Community Foundation donated the sculpture “La Reina de Los Mares” (The Queen of the Seas) to the city of La Paz to be placed on the boardwalk of this seaside coastal community. The donation of the statue was made possible through an anonymous donor.

Artist Rocío Sánchez was commissioned to design the eight-foot tall and 1100 lbs. bronze statue. Rocío Sánchez is a prominent Mexican artist who studied painting and drawing at the San Miguel de Allende Fine Art School and sculpting at the University of Guanajuato. Rocío’s painting and sculptures can be found in various gallerias throughout Mexico, including Mexico City, Zacatecas, Morelia, and Puerto Vallarta.

ICF is excited to be part of this effort to beautify the port of La Paz. We hope that this statue is the first of many community beautification projects for the City of La Paz. “La Reina de Los Mares” symbolizes the importance of environmental stewardship for all that live along the Sea of Cortez.

In addition to the statue dedication, ICF along with Proyecto Bio-regional de Educación Ambiental (PROBEA) in La Paz will initiate an environmental conservation poster/poetry contest in local schools in La Paz. Students from fourth to ninth grade will create posters or poems with the theme, “A Clean Planet for Everyone.” Winners will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2003. The students along with their parents will receive an excursion to the Sea of Cortez sponsored by Baja Expeditions. The winning posters and poems will also be displayed at a museum in La Paz. For additional details on the contest.

The contest as well as the sculpture is a vehicle to raise environmental awareness and interest in the conservation of La Paz and the Sea of Cortez.