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Without a doubt, the province of Cienfuegos has become the capital of Latin American pedagogy in the last five days, hosting with very positive results the exchange of knowledge and educational practices of the XIII Paulo Freire International Meeting, which is guaranteed a venue every two years. in this territory.In the in-person and virtual modalities, more than 370 participants from eight Latin American countries were accredited to the event, from the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
Manuel Gradaille, coordinator of the event, told this weekly that educational centers from the provinces of Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Mayabeque, Havana, Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba also attended.
He added that 226 investigations were presented and there was extensive exchange with coastal communities to learn about educational practices and innovations.
For example, David Soler Marchan, Master of Science, led the team of delegates that visited the Castillo-Cen community, an area with strong roots in seafaring traditions, with a community of fishermen, and projects recognized from the Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles Fortress where they combine efforts to preserve the environment.
Also at the Ismaelillo camp, other groups of participants were received and escorted by monteros on horses flying Cuban flags.
In Ciego Montero they appreciated the participatory actions of the community and visited the famous Chorrito de agua medicinal, in addition to the intercultural exchange.
The development of the event, the exchange in the communities and the cultural closing with the performance of Tía Rosa and her group, impacted the delegates who praised the beautiful opportunities to measure how much progress is being made in the Latin American region on the topics of popular education .
Abelardo Sanclemente, president of the Colombian Network Association of Physical Education, Recreation and Sports Teachers (Arcopref) in Colombia, declared to the Cuban News Agency that within the thematic line of this event related to climate change, there is a link with the development of capacities for the growth of each of the people in the region.
“We brought work, specifically, in the field of pedagogy oriented to this climate problem and the search for comprehensive solutions for Colombian communities, practices promoted by the philosophy of pedagogue Pablo Freire, with participatory action.
“We have an agreement between Arcopref and the University of Cienfuegos, through which we are training about 40 doctors in areas of educational sciences, physical culture, local and territorial development, as well as science, technology and society.
“Thanks to that agreement we contribute to Cuba and in turn Cuba contributes to us all its scientific and technological knowledge, and I believe that this alliance between people is the ideal path to move forward, in the midst of a process of change, of transformation of the government of President Gustavo Petro, in which it has been decided to strengthen relations and capabilities between both countries.”
The “Paulo Freire” was dedicated to Colombia, and together with Panama they brought the largest delegations to this international meeting, which takes place every two years in Cienfuegos.
During this international meeting, two educators from Cienfuegos were selected to join the membership of the World Council of Academics and University Researchers, a distinction presented by Orlando Terré Camacho, president of that organization.
The recognized professors were Enrique Pérez Pérez, who maintains successful direction of the Children’s Neurodevelopment Office created by Terré Camacho more than 10 years ago, in the current Conrado Benítez García headquarters, of the University of Cienfuegos; and Elizabeth Gradaille Ramas for the innovation applied in the initial training of professionals, for the Latin American educational system from the Psychopedagogical Office.
*Chief Correspondent of the Cuban News Agency in Cienfuegos. Exclusive material for September 5.
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