New York Latinos parade down Fifth Avenue

New York, Oct 10, 2011 (EFE via COMTEX) -- Latin American countries celebrated the 519th anniversary of the discovery of America with the 47th annual Hispanic Day Parade down New York's Fifth Avenue, displaying with pride their festive music and dance, colorful costumes and age-old traditions.

Spanish music, cumbias, merengue, salsa, not forgetting reggaeton, were heard all along the avenue, where families from different Latin countries came waving their national flags to enjoy the event in which 9,000 people marched, according to organizer Edgardo Alonzo.

Spain - as the country that discovered the New World - presides every year over the parade, which in Sunday's march included for the first time representatives of the Spanish Civil Guard.

"We were surprised by such an emotional reception. It's an honor for Spain to preside" over this event, Civil Guard officer Jose Martin told Efe.

This year's parade, whose grand marshals were Roberto and Peter Unanue, president and vice president of the Goya food company, marched under the slogan "No to domestic violence!" and had as its sponsor the commissioner of the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence, Yolanda Jimenez.

"The idea is for the Latino community to say 'enough' to domestic violence and unite to fight against it. So that any victims know that they're not alone, that there is help," Jimenez told Efe.

The parade began at noon on a cool, sunny fall day, with members of the organizing committee and Spanish Consul Fernando Villalonga followed by the rest of the Latin American consuls and, in step with them, the traditional pipers.

"Viva Mexico and all other Latin American countries...Vc Domingo..." shouted the Latinos who gathered all along the avenue, not missing a chance to take photos and videos, or to applaud and cry out as representatives of their respective countries passed by.

"It's important for us to celebrate this event because New York is the biggest show window for displaying the best of the traditions, culture and customs our countries have to offer, and since a lot of people cannot go back to their countries of origin for reasons that we well know, it's a way of bringing them a little of what they left behind," organizer Alonzo told Efe. EFE

Source rh/cd

Posted in Consul Fernando Villalonga , Fifth Avenue NYC , Hispanic Day Parade , Latinos , New York Latinos , Viva Mexico