Neglect is observed inside the school. (Photos: Sara Serrano)
The state of the structure of the Colegio Mejía is evidence of the little concern for the emblematic buildings of Quito. The writer Sara Serrano toured the establishment. Read this overwhelming story.
The imposing and beautiful colossus of the Vargas It has collapsed terraces, humidity, a forgotten swimming pool, a closed theater and deteriorated sites that affect the educational community and the important cultural and scientific assets housed in this endearing Quito building inaugurated in 1936.
Juan Carlos Erazo Ballesteros, research teacheraffirms that in 2013 a part of the so-called repowering of the Mejía began and that “the request to the Ministry of Education to completely and effectively restore the Campus emblematic data from February 27, 2019 when they were sent by the Mejía Alumni Society the urgent requirements for this purpose to the then minister Milton Luna Size”.
Erazo reviews the chronology of the various documents sent to the government authority with the aim of restoring and safeguarding this patrimonial colossus: March 15, May 14, August 20, 2019; also mentions the journalistic coverage on the subject and the efforts made by the Committee of Parents of Family to support this objective that has been going on for years.
“Until now, the Mejía community continues in this demand that has not been answered or solved”affirms this teacher graduated from Mejía.
Quito is the city that pays the most taxes and should receive the fair return of these resources and government support to ensure its patrimonial legacy that belongs to the country and humanity. It is unjustifiable that actions, times and budgets are limited to protect heritage assets in Quito, Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The cut of more than 64% to the budget of the Aurelio Espinosa Pólit Library Cultural Center, carried out by the Ministry of Culture two years ago, is an unfortunate example of this limitation and a hard blow to our culture. this wonderful Library, the Mejía colossus and other assets are memory and identity of the Homeland.
El Mejía is a legendary neighbor, an urban icon of Quito with the imprint of the América neighborhood, Santa Prisca, San Juan, and the Larrea neighborhood. Important personalities from politics, science, sports and the arts have passed through its classrooms.
His employer, the hero Jose Mejia Lequerica, married to Manuela Espejo, sister of the Precursor Eugenio Espejo, was an outstanding student, award-winning teacher, speaker of excellence; Philosopher, poet and the luminous tribune of the Procerate of Quito in the Cortes of Cádiz and ideologue of the Constitution of Quito and Cádiz.
In the recent visit we made to Mejía with the writer and jurist Simón Zavala al Mejía at the invitation of the teacher Erazo Ballesteros, we verified the deterioration of this building.
In that tour I also felt that its corridors and patios, its laboratories and classrooms, its library and walls They are not and have not only been stones, but fundamental witnesses that keep meanings and identity.
Hernán Rodríguez Castelo in his study on the History of Ecuadorian Literature of the 19th century referred to José Mejía Lequerica as the lawyer of Quito and of America who defended his martyred city and the procerate of freedom.
With this example, I dare to imagine that a peaceful and joyful march to the sound of the traditional “I am from Mejía wuambrita”, with cane players and gallant young people with neighbors and parents advocating for this architectural property and other heritage assets of Quito are respected and treated with the dignity that their recognition and social belonging deserve.
as it says this postulate of Unesco: “The cultural heritage of a people includes the works of its artists, architects, musicians, writers and scholars, as well as the anonymous creations arising from the popular soul, and the set of values that give meaning to life. That is to say, the material and non-material works that express the creativity of that people: the language, the rites, the beliefs, the historical places and monuments, the literature, the works of art and the archives and libraries.”. The Heritage of Mejía belongs to Quito, the Homeland and humanity.