In order to preserve the historic memory of Afro Ecuadorian communities, our branch campus in Guayaquil and the university’s Abya Yala publishing house presented the book titled "Los rostros negros del Barrio Nigeria", written by professor Cesar Andrade Martinez. 

The book is the result of the project titled: “Herramienta educomunicativa para difundir interculturalidad del Barrio Nigeria” (HEDIBANI), which was produced by the university’s UPS Channel TV and the communication and interculturality research group (GICOI for its acronym in Spanish).

The presentation of the book was attended by Raul Alvarez Guale, vice president of our branch campus in Guayaquil; Luzmila Nicolaide, town councilor of Guayaquil who attended on behalf of the Mayor Cynthia Viteri; Luis Alvarez Rodas, general editor; Cesar Andrade, research professor; Marco Paredes Vallejo, priest in the Nigeria neighborhood; Fransisco Andino Rodriguez, director of the Teodoro Maldonado Carbo Hospital; Norma Elisa Quiñonez, president of the Parlamento Provincial de Pueblos y Nacionalidades del Ecuador; and Juan Carlos Rosero, social activist for Afro communities. 

“The book is a valuable contribution not only to academia but to the community in general. It rescues the roots of this important neighborhood in Guayaquil and allows us to make a historical memory of their settlement, their customs, their lifestyle and its struggle over the years”, said Raúl Álvarez.

Juan Carlos Rosero presented the book and stated that it is a book that generates a social phenomenon that turns Barrio Nigeria into an instrument that can help teachers, activists, church members, institutions, volunteers to understand the social development of the neighborhood and the Afro community that lives there.

César Andrade, author of the book, dedicated his work to the children and young people of Barrio Nigeria. “I believe that what is written in this book will be part of the intercultural identity and history of Ecuadorian black people who settled in the Barrio Nigeria, I dedicate this book to children and young people, to Afro-descendant women and men who, with their tenacity, and courage work to find a place for social vindication, fight against racism, and help Afro people in our society”.
 
Luzmila Nicolalde, congratulated the author for his good judgment and deep study. The book is about Afro-descendant inhabitants, their feelings, their problems, but above all their essence. "We must support education for our children, based on tolerance and respect in order to build a better city, a better world, mothers and fathers with good examples, beyond our daily sayings and phrases we can exercise good practices, it is mandatory to exercise inclusion ", he said.

During the ceremony, a documentary video, product of the research of the HEDIBANI project, was also presented. Recognitions were given to Fr. Marco Paredes, Washington Angulo, a neighborhood leader from Barrio Nigeria; and to Professor Carlos Valencia Lastra, teacher at the Juanito Bosco School of Marimba and Afro Dance, for his outstanding community work for the benefit of the inhabitants of Barrio Nigeria.