Archbishop Ulloa Calls for Celebrating Carnivals with (1)Tolerance (2) Respect and (3) Dignity
Ulloa, pictured below, argued that Panamanians can and should aspire to carnivals that reflect the best of their traditions, culture, and identity.
Just days before the carnival celebrations, the Archbishop of Panama, Monsignor José Domingo Ulloa , called for preserving the meaning of these festivities as spaces of joy, encounter and creativity, as long as they are carried out with tolerance, respect and dignity. However, Ulloa warned that when fun loses its meaning, it crosses the line of ethics and respect for people, ceasing to be a true space of joy and fun. “We are extremely concerned about how in recent times some carnival expressions and songs have descended to levels that are not edifying, that offend and that hurt people. Never, under the pretext of fun, can we allow ourselves to humiliate, ridicule, or dehumanize others,” Ulloa stated.
The archbishop emphasized that the Panamanian people are deeply creative; however, this creativity has the ability to elevate the tone of the lyrics, transmit values with a healthy mischievousness, with constructive criticism, with intelligent love without falling into vulgarity, crudeness, and offense. In that sense, he maintained that Panamanians can and should aspire to carnivals that reflect the best of their traditions, culture and identity. Monsignor Ulloa made a special invitation to composers, performers, entertainers, organizers, and authorities to responsibly embrace the power of words and music, so that the carnival becomes a space of shared joy, mutual respect, and celebration of life.
