Programs and Events

CDF and the Galapagos communities run frequent events with an educational and environmental theme. One of these is the song competition "Yo te Canto Galápagos" (I sing of you, Galapagos). This took place on the ocean boardwalk and plaza of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island on December 2nd, 2005, with the vibrant sound of young voices honoring the Galapagos as a world natural treasure.

© MaryCarmen MoyaFirst prize winner, Liliana Tomalá

The open-air singing competition was the culmination of a CDF Environment Education Center (EEC) project that selected and prepared young people from Isabela, San Cristobal, and Santa Cruz Islands to express their ideas and feelings about the Galapagos through music. Local songwriters penned lyrics and music for participating students and shared their passion for music during the weeks of training and preparation leading up to the concert. The competition was open to all permanent residents between the ages of 15 and 22 years. The ten young people who made it to the final round were accompanied by professional musicians from mainland Ecuador as they entertained an audience of more than 3,000 people during the evening event. Family, friends, neighbors, and passing tourists were enthralled by songs describing the magic of nature in the Galapagos and celebrating Galapagos animals such as the hammer-head shark, the marine iguana, and the Sally Lightfoot crab. “This performance celebrated the importance of the Galapagos as a World Heritage site, and was a wonderful chance for the whole community to come together,” said Sandra Tapia, EEC coordinator in Puerto Ayora. “Through their music, these young people expressed how they think and feel about the islands, their species, and their community in a very creative way.”

"Yo te Canto Galapagos 2006" was supported by several local organizations, including the Galapagos National Park Service, Conservation International, the Santa Cruz Municipality, and AEROGAL. Metropolitan Touring provided a four-day tour of the islands for the first-prize winner. CDF hopes to run this competition every year. How you can help