In this lesson, students will learn about how Labor Day is celebrated in Latin America. They will engage in activities that help them understand the significance of this celebration around Latin America in the context of Uruguay - a South American country.
WHAT
is Labor Day in Latin America?
In Latin America, Labor Day is a celebration in which people recognize, honour and show appreciation for the different professions that contribute to the development and growth of countries. The celebration often includes parades organized by labor unions and official events in the main squares of towns. The media also broadcasts reflections that announces the achievements of every single type of worker, from the most common to the most particular.
One of the most important work positions a country can have is Presidente (President), they are the head of the state and government and their decisions can affect the life of millions, for instance, aspects such as health access or education depend on the president’s plans for the country. In democracies, Presidentes, are elected by popular vote and each country gets to decide their own rules for the election, however, the transparency in this process needs to be guaranteed.
Share this video with your class, which will prompt discussion with the questions below:
*Note: The video portrays drawings of guns, if this is a sensitive topic you can play it from 1:00 or skip this video and go directly to the questions.
Discussion Points
Do you agree that the most important job of a citizen is to vote for a Presidente? Yes/ No. Why?
What characteristics do you think a Presidente should have in order to be successful at his/her job?
If you could interview a candidate for this job, what would you ask him/her to find out if they are trustworthy?
Have you ever heard the term “corruption”, what does it mean and how can it affect a nation?
Have you ever heard about remarkable politicians or presidents from a different country?
Experiential Activity
José Mujica, better known as “Pepe Mujíca'' was a farmer and politician from Uruguay (for more information on Uruguay,
click here
). When he became Presidente, he was able to improve Uruguay’s overall life conditions and achieve the lowest inequity rate in the country’s history; especially in aspects such as poverty reduction, increased support of renewable energy projects and a substantial improvement of the education system.
Watch this video about “Pepe Mujica” and then reflect on the next questions:
In 1:54 to 2:09, Mujica talks about his idea of happiness. Can you think about a time in your life when you were happy with little?
From 3:21 to 4:03 Mujica tells the story of how Uruguay decided to buy a Rescue chopper instead of a presidential jet. Do you think Mujica made the right choice?
Now, work in small groups to create a poster of the perfect candidate for a presidente, this person will have a set of skills and abilities that makes him/her suitable for the job.Allow each group to share their “Perfect Presidente” to the rest of the class.
Extension
(Film Forum)
In order to expand on the work done by “Pepe Mujíca” watch the documentary “El Pepe, a Supreme Life” available in
Netflix
, then the students can share their thoughts on how Pepe Mujíca’s jobs shaped his mind and how this helped contribute to an improvement in Uruguayan society.