OUR ACTIVITIES MARCH-APRIL 2009

OUR ACTIVITIES MARCH-APRIL 2009

Presentation of the game of Chess in Taxco .

On the 3rd of March in Taxco’s Zocalo there was a great surprise: the national chess champion, Julián Estrada, presented a multiple round of chess with young people from Taxco. No one was able to defeat him in a match, even though he played up to ten people at the same time. The interest that was sparked in the community of Taxco with this multiple round of Chess games in the Zocalo permitted the course to begin with an assistance of 15 students. Hence, CEPE-Taxco has added another course in its educational offerings in the northern zone of the State of Guerrero.

Graduation ceremony for the English program of Spring I .

In the afternoon of Thursday, the 12th of March, there was a presentation in CADAC of a theatrical play directed by the professor Flavio Bautista. The play titled “El árbol (the tree)” by the playwrite Ellena Garra, permitted two students in this area (of theater) to demonstrate their talent and dedication. The presentation was done in the frame of the graduation ceremony for the Spring I English term, which included two separate groups of students from Taxco. As they demonstrated their abilities in the English language, the first group presented a video describing the history of the city of Taxco along with its traditions and some sites of interest. The second group gave a demonstration of their skills learned in English with a parody of a television game show. The public in attendance was very participative and applauded the good work presented by the students. After that, it was the English professor’s turn; Kyle Colleman and Ethan Hagen, who accompanied themselves with their guitars, performed two instrumentals: “Sputnik’s Voyage” and “Like Waiting for Gedot”. At the end they were greatly applauded for their musical talent.

Evaluation Course .

The past 12th and 13th of March a course took place at CEPE Taxco about “Evaluation” for the English and Spanish teachers, given by the teacher Beatriz Granada. This necessity brought forth a new start and adaptation of a new plan of studies and reflected the importance of maintaining a uniform level of excellence in Taxco, similar to that of the University City. The instructor explained the general fundamentals of evaluation and enriched the course by advising the participants in practical situations. Although the English teachers have a different system, this opportunity opened up a wide range of possibilities for bettering their courses, in particular the general program.

Presentation of the San Juan de Latrán Dance Company. Contemporary Jazz Dance.

On Thursday the 19th of March, at 19:00 hrs., in the beautiful CADAC, CEPE-Taxco hosted an exciting presentation from the San Juan Dance Company under the coordination of Cultural Diffusion by UNAM. For this presentation, the Company had a cast of 8 dancers, who befriended those in attendance with their rhythmic movements and scenes. In addition to the show of lights and shadows and the changes of interesting choreography, the dancers were able to create a special atmosphere for each of their numbers. During the entire event, the public in attendance didn’t stop applauding the dancers, who ended with a moving farewell.

Reunion to integrate CEPE-Taxco’s Advice Councilor .

As part of a political objective to re-launch UNAM in the Northern zone in the State of Guerrero, the position of an advice councilor was created for CEPE-Taxco. In the marvelous site of the Ex-Hacienda Chorrillo/Cantarranas’ age old aqueduct, that which forms part of the scenery of the Center for Dramatic Arts (CADAC), a meeting of 10 highlighted personalities was verified, who form a major part of the Taxquenian community, to install the roll of an Advice Counselor for CEPE-Taxco. This advice counselor as a chair person of UNAM in Taxco will be a member associate that will have as their objective to participate in up coming activities, politics in education, and dealings with cultural properties in particular, for the benefit of people from Guerrero. Among the functions as a Counselor, they will encounter objectives such as counseling and giving opinions about future projects, and educational and cultural projects of UNAM in Taxco, and be appointed to spread the necessary information and reports, put into action propositions of educational and cultural materials, and be self motivated or motivated by petition of the community of Guerrero. At this reunion, among the personalities that were in assistance: The Municipal President of Taxco, Lic. Álvaro Burgos Barrera; the Director of CEPE, Dr. José Luis Palacio Prieto; the Public Notary No. 1 of Taxco, Lic. Alejandro Garcia Maldonado; the Director of United Academic Sciences of the Earth, U.A.G., Ing. Luis Antonio Flores de Dios; the President of the Pueblos Mágicos Committee, Lic. Cristian Berger. The Counselor will be presided by the Director of CEPE-Taxco and by the Coordinator of the Center of Extensions of the ENAP-Taxco. In addition the following will be integrated: the C. Constitutional Governor of the State of Guerrero, or his representative; the C. Municipal President of Taxco, or his representative, the director of the Autonomous University of Guerrero, or his representative, and five delegates of organizations that are not governmental of the city of Taxco, designated by agreement by the director of UNAM.

Conference “Astronomy and Navigation in the Route of Manila” .

On Thursday the 26th of March, the conference “Astronomy and Navigation in the Route of Manila” was presented, which was given by the teacher Marcelo Adano Bernasconi, the Director of the Historic Naval Museum of Acapulco. The presenter showed the importance of the historic sea port of Acapulco in the context of the commercial route between Asia, Mexico, and Europe. During the 15th century the maritime routes were established from the stars, as were the charts and measurement instruments also developed and used in the 15th and 16th centuries, such instruments as the astrolabio, the cuadrante, and the ballestilla. The problems of navigating the oceans for months on end included the lack of nutrition and water, that which the climate contributed, piracy, and illnesses such as escorbuto. In light of these problems, the commercial of spices, agricultural products, luxuries such as precious rocks and metals obligated the sailors to resist all of these problems. It goes without saying that the conference was a total success with more than 90 people in attendance, including students and members of the community.

Exposition of Photography “Daily Life at U.C. 1955-1985”.

In conclusion to the conference of “Astronomy and Navigation in the Route of Manila” the guests were able to appreciate an exposition of photography titled “Daily Life at U.C. 1955-1985” the exposition was in charge of profesor Marco Antonio Fabián. In this exposition, those in attendance were able to contemplate a collection of 24 photographs where they were able to appreciate the facilities, some moments of students with different types of clothing, how people used transportation, some open areas, classes in classrooms, sporting events, the libraries and student meetings, as well as the beauty and importance of the campus of University City as seen through its history.

The practice of foreign students with Mexican students.

Much of the latest investigations about acquiring a second language have focused on the roll of interaction between students. The results have simply been positive. With intent to create a real environment to have significant communication, on the 17th of April there was a practice between alumni from Basic Spanish 1 and English students from the school “Vivan los niños” from the city of Iguala, Gro. The experience was very favorable, the foreign students practiced what they had learned in their course: they gave presentations, gave and asked personal information, described their place of origin, etc. The Mexican students reported on some Mexican traditions in English, such as the “Day of the Dead,” and celebrations such as Holy Week in Iguala. They gave recommendations to the foreign students of some nearby places to visit, such as activities to do before leaving Taxco. Although the levels of the second language skills of the two groups were elementary, they were able to have interesting communication and enjoyed themselves for an hour, and as well as working on their language skills, they were able to have a cultural interchange. The students discovered that what they learned in the classroom was applicable for real and immediate situations. In this way, CEPE-Taxco represented a window to the world for the communities in the northern part of Guerrero and brought closer the international cultures of the students that come here to perfect their Spanish.

Meeting to constitute the Citizen Advisor of the Environment of Taxco, A.C.

There was finally a concrete meeting concerning the longing of the society of Taxco: the formation of the Civil Advisory Counsel for the Environment of Taxco, A.C. with the motivation of the problems that are present concerning the properties of the Ex-hacienda del Chorrillo, with the opening of a road, which would mean the cutting down of more than 2000 trees, some of which are protected, such as the “red cedar”. The community showed its anger, not only with petitions, offices, and manifestations, but with good organization. The problem of cutting down trees is one greater than the handling of garbage, of the contaminating residues that are left over from the silver workshops, the handling of waste from the mining industry and the problem that is represented for the pubic health from sewage that is not treated. This organization will be in charge of advocating solutions for each and every one of these problems mentioned. It is emphasized that this organization was founded by the facilities of CEPE-Taxco, with participation as part of the group promoters: Dr. José Luis Talancón, Mtro. Rodrigo Espino, and Javier Bustamante, and the representative of the United Academic Sciences of Earth from the University Autonomous of Guerrero. Members of various organizations from the civil society of Taxco form part of this Citizen Counsel of the Environment of Taxco.

Completion of the 16th Annual Congress of the Mexican Association of the Caribbean (AMEC).

With much success, the 16th Annual Congress of the Mexican Association of the Caribbean was completed under the title of “The Caribbean Golf: History, Culture, and Society”, to which there was a magnificent background of the facilities of the Ex-hacienda del Chorrillo/Cantarranas. From the 22nd to the 24th of April, a little more than 90 participants held meetings of different open discussions about the most recent investigations, of which there were distinct themes in regard to the great region of the Caribbean, as much as it is continental as it is island. The president of the AMEC, Dr. Yolanda Juárez, along with the director of CEPE-Taxco, Dr. José Luis Talancón, inaugurated this great event which was an international dimension for this Center. The attention provided by our personnel for those who attended, and the impeccable state of our facilities were well received and praised by those who attended and their organizers.

Round Table .

On Thursday the 22nd of April at 11:00 hrs, in the facilities of the Hotel Borda, the Learning Center for Foreign Students campus Taxco organized as part of the festivities of Earth Day, an important round table in which the following themes were presented: “Uses of water and its urban-rural distribution” by Dr. Rosario Haydee Pérez Espejo; “The environmental challenges of Xochimilco today”, by Dr. Erwin Stephan Otto; “Ethics and politics concerning climate change” by Dr. Julio Bracho “Criteria for support” by Dr. Sergio Vallejos, and finally, “The problematic environment context of the city of Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero” by the engineer Javier Bustameante. An emphasis was put on the environmental problems and challenges that are faced, by the elevation of pollutants in the natural environment and the water, on a national and international level. Also, the problems that are dwelt with in Taxco were also emphasized. It is notable to highlight the participation of the citizens of Taxco, which was also notably equal to the participation of the high school student community of Taxco. In conclusion, the community of Taxco was invited to take the necessary actions of combating the ecological challenges of the region by promoting wellbeing in the community and contributing actions in the fight for a sound international ecology.

Guided Tour of Xochicalco .

On Sunday, the 26th of April at 9 in the morning, the students from the Spring II term took a guided tour of the archeological site of Xochicalco. The tour was directed by the professor Marco Antonio Fabián. The trip included the site Museum where the students could view the general panorama of the archeological zone and see antiquities that are not exposed to the open air. Later the students saw the exterior site, such as the pyramids, the plazas, and ball game courts. The students were able to appreciate the details of the pyramids and the plumed serpent, and decipher some of the codes, which were highlighted in the participation and interests of the students. At the end of the tour the students entered the underground astrological observatory, where they were quite impressed at the marvel of this place, with a mysterious and beautiful atmosphere.

Tour of an ecological farm .

The past Friday, the 17th of April, the professor Roberto Díaz Portillo, author of the text book “Historic Geography of Taxco” invited students from the Basic 1 Level to accompany his students on a visit of a farm located at the entrance of Taxco el Viejo, a twenty minute ride from Taxco. Díaz Portillo's students are workers at the municipal Tourist Center and are interested in knowing the possibilities of the region that Taxco offers in respect to tourists. In the case of this farm there is consideration of equipping it for tourism for children. A space would be created where urban children could learn about how we get milk, eggs, fruit, and vegetables; they could hold a rabbit, sow a radish or carrot from the earth, learn how organic trash can be turned into compost; and finally have a different alternative for the families that come to Taxco. The students from Spanish Basic 1 enjoyed the experience, shared with Mexicans, and broadened their vocabulary in reference to food.