The President Nayib Bukele, accompanied by the Chinese ambassador, Ou Jianhong, laid the first stone last night for the construction of the new National Library of El Salvador (Binaes), a work that is being carried out in the heart of the city of San Salvador thanks to the non-reimbursable cooperation of the People’s Republic of China.
Bukele pointed out that the previous library was in an uninhabitable building, where books and historical archives were being lost.
«Now, as a legacy for future generations, the new library will be built,» said the president, who added that the area of the historic center where the new building will be built will be surrounded by modern architecture.
The investment for Binaes will be $54 million, making it the largest in the cultural area, adding important resources to improve the conditions of educational centers.
The head of state explained that the design of the infrastructure has taken into account the environment, natural lighting, and urban planning; he considers areas for research, terraces, braille rooms, and parking.
This is one of several cooperation projects that were obtained by El Salvador in an official meeting, between President Bukele and the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, in Beijing, December 2019.
In addition to the modern library, China has donated the resources to build a tourist dock in La Libertad, a national stadium, and a water treatment plant in Lake Ilopango.
The educational and cultural work that is being built in the Historic Center of San Salvador is of public and social interest after the approval of a decree at the end of last year in the Legislative Assembly that includes the exemption from the payment of taxes before the Ministry of Housing and the payment of registry or cadastral rights with the National Registry Center (CNR).
Sixty-seven votes in the Salvadoran Congress, validated the issuance of special provisions for assistance in the construction of the Nationa Library.
«It will be extremely modern and conform to the new times. Its design will be an incredible experience for our young people, promoting education and culture» — revealed the head of state.
The area that will be occupied by the modern building, which will be a symbol of friendship between the peoples of El Salvador and China, totals 24,000 square meters and will house a collection of 20,000 volumes of books and files.
The design of the project, which was carried out by the Central-South China Architectural Design Institute, resembles an open book, a majestic volcano, and a butterfly with outstretched wings, showing the lightness of the waves on the Salvadoran coast, the tenacity of the reefs, and the majesty of the volcanoes.
Jianhong recalled that yesterday was the third anniversary of Nayib Bukele’s presidential victory, expressing that it was a «great honor to attend [with the president] to lay the first stone,» adding that culture and education are important to the current government. Salvadoran.