On April 2, 2022 they will be fulfilled 40 years of the Falklands War. And it is Julio Aro, one of the Argentine ex-combatants who fought in the armed conflict against the United Kingdom, who devised a campaign on the beaches of Mar del Plata for pay homage to fallen soldiers.
The man born in Mercedes and living in the seaside resort has become an emblem of the Malvinas cause nationwide for many years.
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Through the foundation Do not forget me, Aro, together with the International Committee of the Red Cross, promoted the recognition of Argentines who had not been identified in the Darwin cemetery.
The message that they will seek to spread on the beaches of Mar del Plata
After almost four decades of the war that ended on June 14, 1982, the president of the foundation wishes that on February 2 and March 2 a plane travels the beaches of Mar del Plata with a brief but forceful message: “Do not forget me. 40 years”.
“The media have a fundamental factor in our fight. Before, Malvinas was only talked about on April 2, now we are in January and on the beach talking about this topic. The seed of war must be placed in the earth and in the hearts of the people“Said Aro in dialogue with TN.
Aro was a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize together with Geoffrey cardozo, the British officer who was in charge of collecting the Argentine dead during the war and burying them properly on the islands. Thanks to this task it was possible to identify them.
Through the foundation he created in 2009, the Argentine veteran wishes that this new initiative strengthen knowledge and information in younger generations about what happened in 1982.
To do this, it requires that a plane from Mar del Plata, dedicated to touring the beaches with different advertisements, be made available to display this message and that tourists interact through photographs and a contest that will deliver prizes and recognitions.
Aro: “We want no one to forget that the islands are Argentine”
Aro seeks to encourage tourists so that more and more people know what happened 40 years ago. The veteran clarifies that the event “goes beyond having a winner. It’s about people taking photos of the message. “
In addition, he explained: “We spoke with Aldrey Iglesias who is the owner of the plane and we are waiting for a response. I think it’s not difficult and you can’t say no to us. What we want is for no one to forget that the islands are Argentine”.
According to Aro, his NGO’s main objective is to help all those who suffer from post-traumatic stress regardless of the cause that originates it: “The priority is the mothers and fathers of the companions who could not reach the mainland”.
“Our foundation lives from our pockets and from the collaboration of the people. The truth is that it is all veterans’ money that we are within the foundation. We don’t touch a penny“Said Aro.
“Regarding the plane order, We sent the information to Iglesias and we still have not had answers. Today we will have a meeting with all the spas so that they wear a T-shirt that displays the same inscription. We will talk so that they know what it means and if they ask them they can explain it, ”said the veteran.
The video made by the No Me Olvides foundation in tribute to the Argentine soldiers for the 40 years of the war.
Aro is a Physical Education teacher and currently works for the Municipal Sports and Recreation Authority (EMDER) of Mar del Plata. “We are on the beach, where there are many free sports activities of all kinds. In that framework, whenever I can give a talk about Malvinas I do”, He indicated.
“In Mar del Plata, the Chamber of Brewers helped us with the first reconnaissance trip in Malvinas. It was thanks to the creation of the No Me Olvides beer. We want to carry out more activities in this framework because the priority is the parents and in everything that adds or multiplies there we will be, “said Aro.
“We must understand that the most important thing is that our colleagues are identified. Bring the mothers and let them thank us for finding their children ”, said the man who throughout his life received local and international recognition for his solidarity work.
Aro concluded: “I think our fight will last because we leave the flag to our children. And we want that backpack to be as light as possible. I always say that when I die I will need a bigger drawer, because I want them to bury me with my arms raised: it will mean that even when I died I lowered my arms for the Malvinas cause ”.
We would like to give thanks to the author of this short article for this outstanding material
He fought in the Malvinas War and is looking for a plane to leave a message on the beaches of Mar del Plata