Project “Mind the Gap – Migration Needs Integration”, Lifelong Learning Program

Report of the project meeting in the “Escola Secundaria de Oliveira do Bairro” Portugal

16 to 20 June 2010

The sixth transnational management meeting of the project was held at the “Escola Secundaria de

Oliveira do Bairro” in Portugal from the 16th to the 20

th June 2010 in collaboration with the associated

partner Câmara Municipal de Oliveira do Bairro

Representatives from all the nine partner schools from Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Latvia,

Lithuania, Portugal, The Netherlands and Turkey as well as associated partners attended the meeting.

The project meeting began with ice breaking activities between participants and a “Welcome evening”

at the hospitable home of Mr. Alberto CARDOSO – a coordinator of the project MINT. The Principal

of the host school Mr. Acacio ALBUQUERQUE, Mrs. Laura Pires a Deputy for Education from the

Câmara Municipal de Oliveira do Bairro, teachers, migrant students and a representative of the local

business attended the evening.

Project activities:

17 June - Morning session:

The morning session was held in the Town Hall of Oliveira do Bairro (Salão Nobre). Welcome

messages were delivered by Mr.Acacio ALBUQUERQUE, the Principal of ESOB; Mrs Laura Pires a

Deputy at the Câmara Municipal de Oliveira do Bairro and the coordinator of the project MINT -

Mr. Alberto Cardoso.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1DnwzrIwGA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30wx7MkSCw4

All participants had a joint working session on Module 6 “Integration Guideline.” The coordinator of

the project MINT Mr. Alberto Cardoso gave a report of the two project years: Module 1-Survey;

Module 2 – Laws and rules; Module 3 – Experiences; Module 4 – Theories; Module 5 – New Ideas

and Module 6 - Integration Guideline. Representatives of each partner school had 15 minutes to

present their materials/conclusions concerning module 6. Participants analyzed and discussed

presented materials (video-clips, Power Point presentations, summaries and films). Two student -

immigrants from Ukraine (Inna and Dima) and their class teacher took part in the meeting.

Mr. Mustafa Aydin (Turkey), Mrs. Claudia Iannello (Italy), Mrs. Elita Vigante (Latvia) and Mrs.

Leena Pekkanen (Finland) shared their experience and ideas for the content of Integration Guideline.

Mr. Henk Brinks (The Netherlands) informed the delegates about the KW1C practices for integration:

Students Success Center; Projects: Pascha and Birlik –promotional teams and role models. He

presented the school initiative "Intercultural Day” in Koning Willem College.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrgy20OmYLY

Mr. Andreas Brett (Germany) gave some examples about their school practices: “Week of

introduction”; “Conferences with parents” and good school’s collaboration with the local business

“Job Fair”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfPLC9taJhs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BgGFO4UUD8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtZvCQeZBqo

During the coffee break in the Town Hall, guests tried typical Portuguese sweets and drinks.

17 June - Afternoon session:

After lunch, served by students from ESOB, participants continued their work with open conference in

ESOB (Auditorium) they were joined by journalists from local newspapers.

Immigrant students - Inna and Dima (from Ukraine) with their class teacher presented the history of

immigration of two students in Portugal and their successful integration in ESOB.

Students Hayat Bazi and Elena Cremer shared their two-year personal experience in project MINT and

their impressions. Mrs. Aldona Moceviciene (Lithuania) and Mr. Waldemar Skorczik (Germany) gave

a reflective report of the two-year project: our idea, what we did,

student’s involvement, what materials we made interviews we had for

TVs and for the press, etc.

This was followed by an open discussion with the participation of the

local press led Mr. Alberto Cardoso, before he summarized the work

of the group.

The delegates from different countries of Europe then had an opportunity to visit and to feel the

unique atmosphere of the city Coimbra. They were entertained to the lovely musical performance of

FADO songs (typical for Coimbra) in Diligencia Fado Home. Guests tried some dishes from Old

Portuguese recipes. Fado singers accompanied by the exceptional sound of the Portuguese guitar

impressed our international partners, who discovered the soul of the great music that makes Portugal

famous all around the world.

18 June - Morning session:

The session began with an Informal workshop: participants – teachers and students talked about their

personal experiences, reflection “what did they really enjoy, and what was not so good”

Partners discussed and drew up the draft for the final report.

The mid session looked at evaluation of the project in respect of the project plan, effectiveness of

communication, teachers’ collaboration and skills development, students participation and benefits,

feedbacks and impressions.

The coordinator provided a summary of all the activities for the MINT project and a final statement.

He thanked all the participants for the work and gave special certificates from ESOB for successful

student’s participation.

18 June – Afternoon activities:

The hospitable partners from ESOB in collaboration with the associated partner

Câmara Municipal de Oliveira do Bairro organized a very rich cultural program.

The participants of the meeting had an opportunity to visit a typical Wine cellar Caves S. João da

Azenha in Oliveira do Bairro and learnt how the Portuguese Wine is prepared. The CEF – Table

Service students from ESOB practice there.

In late afternoon all delegates were transferred by bus to Aveiro – the capital of an economically and

socially developed region. With exceptional location on the Portuguese coastline the city is enriched

with white sandy beaches, blue waters and zigzagging channels. The Ria and channels give Aveiro its

individual character. The following comprehensive program was organized:

Trip by Moliceiro boat (with its colored stems and sterns “that give the lagoon another life and

luminosity”) near the beautiful Art Nouveau buildings;

Visiting a typical pastelaria where Aveiro’s specialty“OVOS MOLES” is made. Partners learned

original recipe: these are a rich confection of sweetened egg yolk in candied casings shaped like fish or

barrels;

Visiting Church of Jesus, Forum Aveiro and Praça do Peixe (typical place in Aveiro).

On 19 June participants had a beautiful excursion near the Atlantic Coast: Praia de Mira – a pretty

fishing village developing as a resort and Costa Nova another resort between the Ria de Aveiro and

the sea, with sunny beaches and distinctive beach-houses.

The participants of the meeting had the opportunity to be introduced to the Portuguese history;

traditions, lifestyle and culture, to be impressed with old and new architecture, beautiful nature of the

country where traditional and modern live together in harmony.

Thanks to the Portuguese project team who provided an excellent program of work and cultural

activities in which through the active involvement of all the participants, the sixth project “MINT”

meeting was successful and fruitful.