Africa-Press – Cape verde. Gabriel Gomes Barros mirrors the hope of the new generation of young Cape Verdeans in the Netherlands, who want to make a difference and fight for integration. At just 22 years old, he is head of the list for the Rotterdam Youth Party (Jong), which he created himself. A determined young man who is not afraid to dream big, so much so that he dreams of being, one day, the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Born and raised in Rotterdam, Gabriel is the son of Cape Verdeans, his mother was born in São Vicente and his father, despite having been born in Holland, is the son of Cape Verdeans, also born on Monte Cara Island.
It thus carries with it a historical tradition of Cape Verdean immigration in the country of Queen Juliana.
“I grew up in Delfshaven, which is part of the city of Rotterdam. I grew up near Heemraadsplein, but as there are many Cape Verdeans in Holland, they also call it Pracinha d’Quebrod”.
First time in Cape Verde
Interestingly, this year was the first time he came to visit Cape Verde, last February, for “only” one week.
Enough to surrender: “I really loved it!” So much so that he is already making plans to return in the “summer”.
Currently, he is studying Law and Public Administration at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam and dreams big. Very high.
“I want to be Secretary-General of the United Nations because I think it is a great institution, which can potentially help a lot of people around the world.”
Inheritance of fighting spirit
This young politician’s interest in politics, as he shows, comes from a desire to make a difference, but also because he carries in his blood the feeling of the true meaning of important concepts such as freedom and justice.
“My grandfather (José Pereira Vaz da Fonseca) fought for the independence of Cape Verde, he was a Fighter for the Freedom of the Fatherland. He taught me to be involved, engaged and to be a participatory citizen. He taught me to fight for myself and to be active. I have always been interested in politics, because, for me, it is interesting to read and analyze the different decisions that politicians make”.
Founder of the Young Rotterdam Party
With this background, it was inevitable that one day he would come to associate politics with his values of struggle for youth and he founded the Young Rotterdam party.
“I founded this party because a third of the population of Rotterdam is under 25 and there is no one in the municipal council in that age group”.
Therefore, he guarantees that he is a candidate for councilor because he considers it “important” that adults “share power” with “children, youth and young adults”.
Support and guide other young people
He responds that youth is his focus when asked which projects or initiatives he intends to promote for a better integration of the Cape Verdean community in the Netherlands and, especially in Rotterdam, where he competes.
“I have noticed that, in recent years, the Cape Verdean community in Rotterdam is less close, and it is not like in the time of my grandparents, when everyone saw each other very often. If elected, I will work to bring the Cape Verdean community closer together, especially the youth”.
Another point he wants to implement, if elected, is to ensure a “safe integration of children and young people” who lived in Cape Verde and moved to Rotterdam.
For, as he explains, the transition “is not very simple” for many young people.
“They must be guided in this process by other young Cape Verdeans. That brings me to the next point, which is, when elected, I want to start an academy where successful young Cape Verdeans can guide and help other young Cape Verdeans succeed.”
Finally, this young politician says that, when he is elected, he will work so that the Cape Verdean community can celebrate “all the important traditional festivals” such as São João and 5 de Julho.
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