„Knowledge builds bridges“

Delegation of von-Vincke-Schule for the blind and visually impaired visited Cyprus

Cooperation in Comenius-project –Cordial hospitality

Soest – “Knowledge builds bridges”, that’s the slogan of the project in which von-Vincke-Schule (special school for the blind and visually impaired) has been taking part since the year 2006. Schools from Cyprus, Bulgaria, Poland, Finland and Greece participate in this project that is supported by the EU. According to their motto the six schools from six countries stay in contact the whole year through to spread the idea of a united Europe.

The schools arrange regular international meetings, in which pupils and teachers learn a lot about the customs and the culture of their partner schools.

The last meeting took place at the partner school in Pahphos, in the south-west of Cyprus. 4 teachers and 4 pupils travelled to the Mediterranean country to take part in this meeting. Besides a trip to the divided capitol Lefkosia (Nikosia), there were also sports-competitions, and art- and music workshops as well as cooking-lessons, in which meals that are typical for each participating country were prepared.

One more highlight of the one-week trip was an official reception by the mayor and patriarch of Paphos. The most impressing thing for the people from Soest, who took part as the only members of a special school, was the cordial hospitality and the acceptance of the blind and partially sighted boys and girls.

Before the meeting the pupils had prepared presentations and learned a little Greek. Furthermore the project homepage, that offers pictures, dictionaries, surveys and other functions that deal with the international exchange, was improved.

For this homepage, that is created by the special school teacher Michael Nacke, the school gets a price called “eTwinning-Siegel” by the institution “Schulen ans Netz” on 11. June.

(Soester Anzeiger, 27.05.2008)