Festival and Free Radio in Mexico City

Santo Domingo, a neighbourhood in Mexico City, was originally occupied in the 1970s in a spirit similar to that of the Landless Peasant Movement of Brazil or the Unemployed Workers movement of Argentina. The residents carved their homes out of the volcanic rock native to the site and built a community out of the unfriendly geology. Today much of that community spirit has dissipated, but a few some residents are working to revive the foundations of the region.

The Primer Gran Festival took place last Saturday (the 26th of June, 2004). Participants and organizers included student activists, free radios from throughout Mexico City, and community members, including many of those who had taken place in the original occupations 30 years ago.

Respecting the history of the region, the Festival occupied a main thoroughfare for the duration of the day and offered a space for the discussion of themes such as disparate as Privatization, Human Rights and Media Rights. The forums, workshops and musical performances were broadcast on the inaugural transmission of 91.7fm, La Voz de Las Pedregales.

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