By Diogo T. dos Santos
On the 20th and 21st of May, ECEPAA was in Ruse, Bulgaria, for the first IHAVET transnational meeting. The planned agenda was successfully accomplished within roughly two days. Those attending were ECEPAA, the leading organization of the project, First Private School Leonardo da Vinci (Bulgaria), the hosting partner of the transnational meeting, and the following participating organizations: Agrupamento de Escolas de Silves (Portugal), CIEP ASBL (Belgium), CONNGI (Italy), Eurocircle Association (France), and the 2nd Vocational High School of Katerini (Greece).
On the first day (20th), after a warm welcoming by the hosting organization and the agenda presentation by ECEPAA, all participating organizations involved in IHAVET gathered for giving their corresponding presentations for illustrating the main activities with which they work with, as well as eventual projects they are recently engaged in. Every organizations seemed to be interested in each other’s work and purpose, also given the fact that three of them were schools, hence creating a comparative discussions as far as curriculum framework and student’s activities are concerned.
Afterwards, ECEPAA had the floor as to review IHAVET objetives and activities planned for everyone and also highlight the fundamental internal communication guidelines between partners. The first day of the IHAVET 1st Transnational Meeting was wrapped up with a debriefing of all major topics discussed and decisions taken thanks to the cooperation played by every single participating organization involved in the project.
On the second day (21st) the meeting was held at the the First Private School Leonardo da Vinci, at where the principal gave an introduction about their school and explained how the educational system works and is organized in Bulgaria.
It is relevant to highlight that, on this second day, the potential dates on which the next transnational meetings will take place were arranged. The second transnational meeting is planned to be held in Marseilles, France, organized by Eurocircle Association. As for the third one, it will be arranged in the city of Silves, Portugal, having the Agrupamento de Escolas de Silves in charge of hosting the other participating organizations.
Shout-outs to the First Private School Leonardo da Vinci and their notable dedications to their pupils. Every participating organization felt warmly welcome by both the professors and students. There has clearly a very good job being done in there.
Participating organizations’ members also visited the classrooms where the classes were being held to have a quick view of how the school environment was like, as well as to have some quick chats with the pupils (in the English language).
Afterwards, participating organizations were surprised by an introduction of the First Private School Leonardo da Vinci conducted by the pupils. A short theatrical play was also performed by the students, and it was dedicated to emphasizing the importance of water, one of the elements of nature and subject matter of the performance.
ECEPAA would like to thank all the participating organizations for the cooperation shared so far as for IHAVET, with special regards to the organization, dedications, and friendliness showed in the first transnational meeting.