The messages were deposited in a time capsule in hopes that in fifty years, they will be read by the new generations in the city. The time capsule was buried next to the Immigrant Monument, inaugurated during the 150th anniversary festivities of Benito Juarez’s party. Referents of the Euskal Juarez Basque club were in attendance and promised that their descendants would be part of the capsule’s opening ceremony in 2067.
Benito Juarez, Argentina. The Benito Juarez County in Buenos Aires celebrated its 150th anniversary and did so with a program that included multiple activities with the public playing a central role. All in hopes of reminding everyone what the immigrants had done to construct the town.
The new Immigrant Monument is located in the Willer Cardoso Plaza between Ave. Libertad and Almafuerte Street. Currently it also includes two symbolic elements, the corner stone and a time capsule. As Maria Elena Haedo, member of Euskal Juarez, told Euskalkultura.com “it was an idea that came from the communities; everything was the fruit of team work with the support of the city. In the time capsule we include reminders and messages for future generations; our own grandchildren will be the ones who will open the chest in 50 years, in 2067, while celebrating the bicentennial of the city.”
Even if the monument was already inaugurated, the work on the plaza continues. According to the project presented by local groups, there will be flag poles for each origin of immigrants who settled here, as well as topographic maps of each one along with a summary describing how each community came to Argentina.
At the anniversary events, community representatives also participated in the parade on Tuesday, October 31. As the 150th anniversary parade, it was the first that communities participated in.