by Heather Hauswirth

Guam - Just a few weeks ago the Mayors Council of Guam was presented with a check from the Guam Visitors Bureau for $275,000 to be put towards the "I Am Guam" campaign and beautifying each of the nineteen villages. To show case each municipality's unique identity the mayors decided to launch the My Guam Village Mural project.

The village of Mangilao is the first village to start this project. The We Are Guam campaign is a GVB initiative designed to promote village pride. This afternoon, Mangilao Mayor Nito Blas joined volunteers from the sanctuary program to kickoff the mural painting project. The mayor says he hopes beautifying the village will be uplifting for all who pass through it.

"This is not only good for tourists, but people of Mangilao. I want them to pass by here and look at the mural and feel relaxed and have the stress reduced," he said. The mural is located on the corner of Route 15 and Route 10 and is supposed to reflect the uniqueness of the Mangilao. This mural was designed by well known island artist Ron Castro.

Local artists and Sinajana resident Raphael Unpingco, who will design that village's mural worked with volunteers, supporting artists from Sinajana. He said, "We are emphasizing togetherness and the fact that this is art and we have to beautify the island and this is one way to beautify the island."

Volunteers like Marianne Balilo, a youth participant of the Youth Embracing Sanctuary program for Sanctuary, said she enjoyed giving back and that beautifying the village is widely needed. "It's too plain, we need to make it nice and beautiful and all that," she explained.

Mangilao is the first village to kick off the "I Am Guam" mural painting campaign. The other villages will follow suit shortly thereafter. Until then, volunteers can contact the village mayor if they want to participate.