January 25, 2012

After the bustle of Christmas, the change of a New Year is a time for everyone to treasure their family and friends.

Celebrations around the world were captured online, spreading goodwill and hope that the dragon will herald a more prosperous year than its predecessor, the Rabbit. Now with the Chinese Lunar New Year  of the Dragon – I’ve decided to structure the start of writing all who have been missing me in this time. Since being born in 1988, makes me a Earth Dragon in the Chinese cycle – a Leonine Dragon (23rd of July). The Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4710 began on Jan. 23, 2012.

In the Caribbean, we are blessed with a festive season that falls in the first months of a year, allowing us to enjoy days filled with colors, creativity, music and abundance of culture through Carnival.

But the New Year is also a time for making resolutions-to complete tasks, to break habits or generally to live up to our aspirations. While 1 January is technically no different from other days of the year, the fact that we make resolutions speaks of hopes that we all hold for the future.

Making resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self-assessment that demands personal honesty and reinforces humility.

The last year has not been easy, but 2011 proved me that everything is possible. All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers. And I released all doubts, all worries to the Divine Order, to manifest in my health, life, mind and soul. To help me forgive and forget all who made my heart ache. But to strive to excellence and love more and more, sharing harmony and peace.

Last year I’ve stood through heavy sickness and health issues, lost friends on earth, but also lost friends who weren’t that real in life, others decided to close the chapter in 2011 giving me to proof myself again.

Some even came back, and still blessed with those that always are on my side through thick and thin. And now I realize more how to  appreciate the divine presence through the steps and actions I take in life.

Getting the direction slowly but correctly, paving the path and purpose of the one I am, a bright career – a better person and all that comes within excelling, improving and more. It proved me there isn’t no mountain high enough.

Some highlights of the year are:

• A visionary, an inspiration,  a brother, a best friend – poet, writer, young activist – Hemayel Martina  after suffering a serious car accident he left planet earth to serve the greater knowledge of Heaven. Sure of all what this brother left for us, to contribute to the development of our nation, he’s still playing a role everywhere you see future .

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• After a one year break – got back on stage as “Kasimir” in Kasimir & Karoline, written in 1931 by German Shakespeare Ödön von Horváth, has been adapted by Dutch directors Yorick Stam and Jeek ten Velden (coordinated by Roland “Roy” Colastica) in a collaboration between the Theatre Academy Maastricht and Teatro Luna Blou & La Tentashon.

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• In the first quarter of the year after few years of hard work and knocking opportunities received thanks to my aunt Tania Henriquez whom let me work and serve as a young trampoline for the international Dutch production company Endemol who has ambitious plans with Curaçao. After “Bon Bini Beach” and “De Erfenis”, Endemol wants to produce a Curaçao television soap-series. To attract sponsors, the production company made shots last for the trailer of the youth soap-series ‘Ki Bo Ke Men’ (excuse me?). The trailer of ‘Ki Bo Ke Men’ serves as forerunner of the soap-series awaiting financial institutions to support the production.

• Also in the first quarter of 2011 I got diagnosed with an disease in both eyes named “keratoconus” (is degeneration of the structure of the cornea), went for urgent further treatments in Colombia for a few months, the left eye was severely damaged. Days where long, but never lonely with the support of one’s greatest blessing “supermom”. After receiving an intacs-transplant surgery, life got some adaptations with the new fashion statement: wearing glasses to protect from heavy light and other stuff that may affect sight.
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• When you almost thought it will be enough for a year, I started to notice something else emerging on my face. What appeared to be “vitiligo” (a skin condition in which there is a loss of brown color (pigment) from areas of skin, resulting in irregular white patches that feel like normal skin), something genetic that I got from my third generation and popped out now. The beauty of this made me realize that it isn’t what you see is what makes me, it’s the revealed secret of “inner beauty” – “inner strength” – “inner love” that is the pulse to carry on through life. What made me as a young man even stronger on my view of life, giving  the chance to get the best out of life, persevering with love and faith for everything we receive every second.

• With  the new venture of leadership and nation building created; and kicked-off on the International Youth Day 2010  the “WE LEAD” foundation. Together with amazing active youngsters, with the vision that one day every nation in the world will have a WE LEAD to engage, empower and evolve their people. We started with a master intern-student of the University of Utrecht, Joeri Kabalt our first big project.  A cooperative project organised in the field, wherein fifty youngsters from Curaçao entered into conversations with their fellow inhabitants about the strengths and future of Curaçao. You can follow Joeri’s journey working with WE LEAD in Curaçao through her blog –  joerikabalt.blogspot.com – This highlight was a personal encouragement for the greatness of accomplishing the project, now the project will also be presented in 2012 in the World Appreciative Inquiry Conference. Join WE LEAD – we are recruiting determined citizens to join our mission www.facebook.com/weleadcuracao or mail us weleadcuracao@gmail.com
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• In August, for the second time participated in the journey of millions of youngsters to Madrid, Spain, for the encounter with Pope Benedict XVI named “World Youth Day”. Represented the parish where I serve as lecturer, “La Birgen di Fatima” of “Suffisant” in the charge of my spiritual father Rev. Father Morisson La Porte.

• In September, selected as an exceptional candidate to represent Curaçao, with more than 1,200 young leaders from over 170 countries around the world in Zurich, Switzerland, to address the most challenging issues facing the world today. At One Young World, the largest global youth summit in the world, young delegates joined together with some of the world’s most inspirational figures, including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Sir Bob Geldof, Muhammad Yunus, Wael Ghonim and Jamie Oliver, to deliver their demands for change. Afterwards received the prize to become an ambassador of the One Young World.

• After being approached by the executive level of the international MISS TEENAGER  UNIVERSE pageant, my sister  Ruënna Mercelina known as “Sugar” was to be the next representative of CURACAO. After her regional successful experience in Miss Caraibes Hibiscus that catapulted her international career as beauty ambassador, managed by a team under my direction we took the step – even if it was a rough journey with lack of national support in this industry specifically,  but thanks to our parents and supporters we made it possible – where she received praise and more opportunities after being named “La Diosa Morena” , Favorited by the Guatemalan Minister of Culture, winning the MISS TEENAGER CONGENIALITY prize in the 40 delegates. Up until this date she’s the person in national pageantry history of Curaçao to achieve more titles as a teenage girl, and has accumulated several distinctions in the international scene.

• We also started with an innovative virtual competition to select the next delegate of Curaçao towards the Miss Caraibes Hibiscus pageant. It resulted a big success with 12 delegates participating and giving opportunity to differ on the market. With much hard work in 2011 we’ve selected the most prepared and experienced delegate – Marvia Laurence, whom in the international pageant also took the Miss Amity prize the day after the finale. A great achievement that still marks the presence of the most friendliest of the Caribbean.  – We expect 2012 to be a different year, keeping on maintaining the brand we have managed to create so far and keep on giving transparent, fresh, innovative and great chances to our people specifically our youngsters. – To concentrate more on innovative pageantry productions, upgrade the organization level and reveal the identity in this year. Contact misscaraibescuracao@gmail.com if you are interested for more. 
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• It has been quite a ride highlighting the year, pitched the world on St. Martin, Aruba, Bonaire, Netherlands, Spain, Zwitserland, Colombia, Panama and Guatemala. Celebrated We Lead’s first anniversary with the “Curaçao Our Nation” project and University of Utrechts’ wonder Joeri Kabalt. Became an ambassador of the global leadership platform One Young World, and suddenly the world brings another highlight on the path with an emotional surprise by receiving as the first youngster ever to get an Governmental and Diplomatic Recognition from the Goverment of Curaçao in the hands of  the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Mr. Hensley Koeiman.
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The last year has been difficult, as we have been buffeted by parts of the economic crisis that has enveloped much of the world. Initially centered on the global financial sector, this crisis has caused business failures and job losses. In such an environment one might expect people to be despondent and downcast. Undoubtedly individuals, families and communities have been hurt by the crisis, but our best qualities as islanders – ingenuity, tenacity, ignorance and humour – have enabled them to rebound, while businesses continue to create and market innovative products and services.

We are now called to keep up with the same dream for a better future “for us and our children.” By improving each day, with faith and determination and by innovating which is the key to improving the world of 7 billion people and counting.

Gwendell Mercelina’s 2012 New Year’s Keynote Speech at Brionplein, Curaçao

“Let us strive together to ensure a future filled with hope for all.”

expressed the hope that the Year of the Dragon would bring about a ray of hope, happiness and prosperity.

Let’s tear down the divisive walls and barriers and build bridges between our hearts,”

Related articles

• Chinese New Year Offers Hope and Prosperity in Year of the Dragon (wellwisher.wordpress.com)
• Chinese New Year 2012 Rings in Year of the Dragon (the2012scenario.com)