Mutual Building

My dream was to bring together people from different backgrounds. During my visit to Germany, I realized that this was possible, that people are working already on such projects, and that I could work with them. Now, my dream has a name: Global Integration.

— Cristina Mardones, Senior Fellow, UFRO

The fundamental aim of the project is to promote global integration by building a bridge between the three groups. Through direct contact and experiential learning, participants have the opportunity to realize that global integration is the best way to develop their global scene. Children in the three groups have very different life conditions, with distinctive strengths and weaknesses, but every one of them has the opportunity to learn from one another and work together to face common challenges.

The pilot activity for this project was kicked off in Temuco, at Easter Island (Chile) and in Jena (Germany). Led by Melton Fellow Cristina (Chini) Mardones, the MF team has established the first contacts and have created an intercultural team of members from Germany and Chile, including Easter Island. The team has also established new networks which have been working well, especially since there is clarity in the roles that each one plays. They have periodical meetings to plan the activities, figure out the budget, and manage the logistics.

Last semester, the team conducted German classes and intercultural workshops at the Maquehue School. The children of this school are mainly from rural areas and now they have an elementary level of German and have strengthened their knowledge about their own history, the history of other cultures, basic concepts of culture, the notion of acknowledgment, etc.

The team is promoting the project via a Facebook page.

Begun in Germany, while Cristina was studying as an exchange student from Chile, the project evolved to include Melton Fellows in both Germany and Chile. Now, the team is working to implement a series of activities that promote "Mutual Building".