MEETING OTHER PEOPLE PROJECT
2005 Edition

• Presentation
  For the second consecutive year, The Catholic University of San Antonio is setting in motion the project “Meeting other People”. This project is promoted by our University in cooperation with the Council of Education of the autonomous region of Murcia, some Teaching Centres of our region and Embassies present in Spain.
  The positive experience of last year, with the participation of 92 of the 100 Embassies, 45 Education Centres of Murcia and 42 university classroms, impels us to initiate a new edition. The project has the following characteristics:

• Goals
  To promote the knowledge of other Cultures.
  To promote cultural and lingüistic exchange.
  To encourage pacific relations of friendship

• Target group
  Primary or secondary educational centres.

• Schedule
  First stage: “Pairing of countries and educational institutions” (from the 1^st of December 2004 to the 4^th of January 2005). This stage is in turn divided into:
  Awareness: from 1^st to 20^th of January. Information is sent to the embassies and to the educational institutions. Members of the UCAM Volunteering Centre visit educational institutions in order to present the project.
  Registration of embassies and educational institutions for the first stage: 20 ^th December to 20^th January.
  Matching of institutions and countries: 21^st January 10:00 h.
  Work at educational institutions: from 21 ^st January to 4^th March.
  Registration of embassies to take part in the second stage: until 4 ^thMarch.
  
  Second stage: “ Raising of the international flag of peace and welcoming of the flame of Assisi”, in the presence of the Diplomatic Body in Spain and representatives of the Local Government and of the educational institutions taking part in the first stage.

• Development
  a)  During the first phase, schoolchildren from the region of Murcia get to know other countries and people; their traditions; culture and other factors of interest. Each Center that wishes to participate in the program will be included in a draw in along with all the Embassies wishing to participate. The draw will decide the partnership between an Educational center and a Country. The Center then carries out research on its partner Country.  Diverse activities are carried out during this time with the objective of getting to know the country in question: exhibitions; presentations; assignments; conferences, etc. to which the Educational Community can be invited  as well as parents and anyone interested. The Educational Centre shall also prepare a flag with the word ‘Peace’ written in as many languages as possible. At the same time, in the Italian city of Assisi a flame of peace shall be lit and taken around diverse European cities on its journey to its destination - the Catholic University of Murcia on the 5^th of March.
  
  b) During the second phase the Ambassadors that either directly or through the Embassies own means, have contacted some of the Region’s Educational Centres, should, together, raise the international peace flag, and receive the flame from Assisi. This ceremony is to be held with the objective of expressing the desire for peace and solidarity between countries. The Ambassadors are invited to state, in their own languages, their peace wish.

              The ceremony, on March 5th, will be as follows:
  
  

  · 12:15 Welcome greeting by the President of the University to the Ambassadors, Local, Autonomous and State representatives, to the Head Teachers and Students of the diverse Educational Centres.
  ·12:30 Welcome greetings by the University and Civil Authorities and by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
  · Raising of the international peace flag and the receiving of the flame from Assisi.
  ·The Ambassadors’ statements of Peace.
  ·Closing ceremony speech by the President of the University.
  ·13:45 Refreshments and aperitif for the students and the representatives of the Educational Centres. Oficial Lunch for the Embassy representatives.

For further information:
Web: http://www.ucam.edu/congress
E-mail:aalcaraz@pdi.ucam.edu
Phone: 968 278 704
Fax: 968 277 959

Antonio Alcaraz López
Director of the Centre of Voluntary Work