The I.C.B.I.E. Blog

While Celeste and Veronique were staying at the ICBIE during the holidays, they visited the beautiful Bahian fazenda of our friend Paranaguá.  Here is his reportage of the happy day. (English translation below)

Brincando no parque
No último dia 2 completou um mês a visita dos amigos Veronique, Romaine, Jean-Michel, Tom e Celeste, e meus familiares em nossa propriedade rural na localidade de Pedras, município de Santo Amaro.

O grupo curtiu muito o parque infantil existente no local, que construímos para diversão das nossas filhas Ana Luisa, Iamani e Irani e seus amiguinhos. As cenas comprovam os momentos de descontração: Jean-Michel na corda radical e no galho de uma mangueira; Romaine no balanço; Veronique no cavalinho com Tom e desfilando pela redondeza em Netuno; Celeste no amarelinho; Romaine na gangorra; Tom tentando saborear o biribiri – fruto amargo, usado para salada e suco; dentre outras brincadeiras.

O clima motivou minha mulher Shirley a servir o almoço no parque, um churrasco como prato principal, acompanhado por uma variedade de saladas, cerveja bem gelada e vinho. Detalhe: lembrei-me de preparar uma surpresa especial para Romaine, retribuindo o mesmo prato “galinha a molho pardo” típico da culinária do Caribe, onde reside, que nos ofereceu na residência de Veronique em Paris.

Playing in the Park
On February 2nd it was a month since the visit of my friends Veronique, Romaine, Jean-Michel, Tom and Celeste, who joined my family at our rural property in Pedras, in the city of Santo Amaro.

The group really liked the children’s park on the property, which we built to entertain our daughters Ana Luisa, Iamani and Irani and their playmates.  The scenes in the photos show us fooling around: Jean-Michel climbing the rops and in the branches of a mangueira tree; Romaine on the swing; Veronique on the pony with Tom and cruising through the surroundings; Celeste on the hopscotch patch; Romaine on the seesaw; Tom tasting some biribiri – a bitter fruit used for salads and juice; among the other passtimes.

The warm weather caused my wife Shirley to serve the lunch in the park, a churrasco as the main course, accompanied by a variety of salads, good cold beer and wine.  A detail:  I remembered to prepare a special surprise for Romaine, paying her back for the “chicken with Creole sauce,” the typical cuisine of the Caribbean, where she comes from, and which she offered us at Veronique’s place in Paris.

It’s been awhile since news has been posted here, but that’s not to say that ICBIE Europa has been on an exotic holiday or something.  Quite on the contrary!  Never before have so many people been working so hard, and even better, the results of their efforts have resulted in substantial developments that bring honor to the Association.

Recent months have seen a concerted effort to obtain a place to hold our courses.  After confronting a lot of complicated bureaucracy, applying to several Municipalities in Rome, we finally opted to search out another established non-profit association already receiving city facilities, and, thanks to the rich web of personal connections, we were able to strike an agreement with the Mocobo Cultural Association, which also offers courses, including capoeira, and is located in Via Pellegrino Matteucci 98 (Ostiense).  Not wasting any time, the first lesson in Italian for Foreigners will begin next Monday, February 8th!  The first lesson will be free; whoever wishes to continue will only have to become a member of ICBIE Europa and pay €10, as the courses and materials are free of charge.  We have already found a group of Palestinian refugees who will take the course, but if you can think of anyone who may be interested, please help us to publicize this important offering.

We are also planning to activate other courses, including digital photography and Portuguese for Italians, in other locations around the city.  We’ll keep you informed!

Because our activities are expanding, our crew has decided to break into separate groups, in order to concentrate on specific areas of interest.  Here is a summary of our new committees:

-         AMMINISTRAZIONE : Pina, Monica, Loona
-         BANDI/PROGETTI : Roberto, Paolo, Marcella, Loona, Consuelo
-         COMUNICAZIONE e PROPAGANDA: Guido, Paolo, Loona, Damiano
-         EVENTI: Paolo, Damiano

We are also preparing for important visits from Salvador.   On Friday Ivanildo will become our fifth ICBIE student to see Rome, while Júlio and Thais will be coming in April:  We’re doing our best to arrange all the necessary Pomp and Circumstance.

Last Saturday night, Paolo, Roberto, Damiano and I did a two-hour presentation at a cozy little restaurant in Trastevere called Ti dirò, run by a very hospitable American lady named Holly Vernon.  Having such an ample stretch of time to tell the whole ICBIE story was a good incentive to put together a DVD presentation with hundreds of photos and several videos.  It was a nasty cold evening, but about twenty-five people attended, including a few familiar faces, including Annie Neumann and her friend Stephany, who were both in Salvador just a year ago.  We couldn’t have had a warmer reception, and many thanks to Holly and all the people at Ti dirò.

Roy Zimmerman

(Portuguese and English translations below)

Grazie alla convenzione stipulata con la Prefeitura di Salvador ed in particolare con la SECULT, la Segreteria di Educazione, Cultura, Sport e Tempo Libero, attraverso il progetto “Leitura, arte e inclusao digital na cidade baixa” per il prossimo semestre l’ICBIE offrirà alla popolazione locale corsi di informatica basica. Il costante e continuativo sostegno della AOSR (American Overseas School of Rome) ci permette di riaprire anche il gettonatissimo corso di disegno e di tecniche di osservazione.

E naturalmente non può mancare il consolidato appuntamento con i corsi di italiano, inglese, hapkido e dopo i grandi successi della piccola compagnia teatrale dell’ICBIE si apre ufficialmente, anche, un’officina teatrale….sperando che sia di buon auspicio per la prossima ed imminente costruzione del Teatro.

Come sempre grazie a tutti i nostri sostenitori che con piccoli o grandi aiuti contribuiscono ancora una volta al realizzarsi, anche nel prossimo semestre, delle attività di educazione e formazione che l’ICBIE svolge presso la comunità locale.

Quindi, dopo il Carnevale, l’appuntamento è: tutti in aula!!

Marcella

”Após o recesso natalino o ICBIE prepara-se para a reabertura dos cursos e já está com as inscrições abertas para os mesmos.

Graças ao convênio com a Prefeitura de Salvador, e em particular, a SECULT (Secretaria de Educação, Cultura, Esporte e Lazer), através do projeto “Leitura, Arte e Inclusão Digital na Cidade Baixa” O ICBIE oferecerá à população local cursos de Informática Básica, durante este e o próximo semestre.
O apoio constante e contínuo da AOSR (American Overseas School of Rome) permite a reabertura dos cursos de Desenho de Observação e Técnicas Artísticas.
E naturalmente, não podem faltar os tradicionais cursos de Italiano, Inglês, Hapkido e, depois do grande sucesso da Piccola Companhia de Teatro ICBIE, oficinas teatrais… na espera da iminente construção do Teatro.
Como sempre, graças a todos os nossos colaboradores que com pequenas ou grandes ajudas ainda contribuem na realização de atividades de formação pessoal e educacional que o ICBIE vem desenvolvendo junto à comunidade local.
Então, depois do Carnaval, o lema é: todas às aulas!!”

– Meg Boaventura

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Thanks to the agreement stipulated with the City of Salvador and in particular with the SECULT, the Secretary for Education, Culture, Sport and Recreation, as part of the project “Reading, Art and Digital Inclusion in the Low City,” for the coming semester the ICBIE will offer Computer courses to the local population.  The constant and continuous support of AOSR (the American Overseas School of Rome) also permits us to reopen the very popular courses in drawing and artistic techniques.

And of course we couldn’t forget the fixed appointment with the courses of Italian, English and hapkido, and, after the big success of the small ICBIE theater company, we’re officially opening a theater workshop…hoping that it brings us luck for the not-too-far-in-the-future construction of our theater.

As always we thank all our supporters, who, with small and big donations, contributed yet again to the realization of this semester’s didactic and formative activities for the local community.

Therefore, after carnival, the order is: “Everybody get to class!”

Marcella

The new school year will be starting in less than a month, after carnival has brought the Bahian summer to an end.  Already Pietro and Marlene have begun to send out publicity for course registration and, as always, there will be improvements and additions.  To satisfy the huge demand, Pietro has decided to purchase a few more computers, including one high performance model, to quell Julio’s crescendo of complaints, and a couple more for a new dedicated room in the hostel.   But adding computers automatically means adding computer desks, so Pietro has hired our stalwart friend Biro Biro to make them for us.  Biro Biro is one of the many extraordinary characters that live in our neighborhood.   He is a famous cachaça drinker, a vice that he cultivates with the most beatific passion imaginable, but he is also a talented carpenter, and he does all our woodwork.  And it’s so much more fun to help him, rather than spending more at a furniture store!

Reveillon 09 (Romaine, Jean-Michel, Johann, Kelly, Véronique, Tom e Céleste)

“Você já foi à Bahia, nêga?
Não?
Então vá!
Quem vai ao “Bonfim”, minha nêga,
Nunca mais quer voltar.
Muita sorte teve,
Muita sorte tem,
Muita sorte terá….”

Estamos guardando nossos labios fechados sobre a cor das calcinhas

Obrigadão a todos ai  e até logo

Vero, Family & Amigos

For everyone who even vaguely knows about the ICBIE, Júlio Costa immediately comes to mind.  No one has helped to create the real ICBIE story more than he, and his leadership has constantly inspired us, from the very start.

We wish you all the best today, on your birthday!  Parabens!

(English translation below)

Projeto da biblioteca em andamento

O ICBIE juntamente com a SECULT (Secretaria Municipal da Educação, Cultura, Esporte e Lazer) através do projeto “Leitura, Arte e inclusão digital na cidade baixa”, têm como um dos seus objetivos a abertura da Biblioteca Leonardo da Vinci, com sede no ICBIE, para a comunidade.

Atualmente, vários novos voluntários como, Gislene Dias (Bibliotecária), Erivã Barbosa (Auxiliar de bibliotecário) e Rosangela Santos (Auxiliar de bibliotecário), sob a coordenação da nossa querida bibliotecária Ana Paula Rocha, estão trabalhando rapidamente na catalogação do grande acervo, pois a intenção é que ela esteja pronta o mais rápido possível. Prestes à abertura da biblioteca serão realizados mutirões de divulgação nas escolas e em outras instituições.

Segundo o ditado popular “o bom filho a casa retorna”, a garota Amanda Estrela, que juntamente com seu irmão Israel e Bogus foram, dentre outros, os primeiros alunos do Instituto em 2005, está de volta depois de um tempo afastada, agora faz parte também da grande equipe da Leonardo da Vinci.

“Está sendo muito prazeroso atuar aqui, pois além dos colegas serem ótimos, esse local é encantador, esta biblioteca é muito rica e deve ser aberta ao público imediatamente”, afirmou a bibliotecária Gislene Dias.

O esperado, com toda essa agitação na biblioteca, é que ela esteja pronta para ser ‘reinaugurada’ até o mês de Junho. A partir de então, todos poderão comemorar com entusiasmo mais uma etapa cultural realizada no nosso Instituto.

Meg

The ICBIE, together with SECULT (Municipal Secretary for Education, Culture, Sport and Recreation), through the project, “Reading, Art and Digital Inclusion in the cidade baixa”, holds as one of its objectives the opening of the Leonardo da Vinci Library, situated within the ICBIE, for the community.

Right now, several new volunteers, Gislene Dias (Librarian), Erivã Barbosa (Library Assistant) and Rosangela Santos (Library Assistant), under the coordination of our dear librarian Ana Paula Rocha, are rapidly working on the cataloging of the large collection, with the intention of having it completed as soon as possible.  When the library is ready to open, mutirões (festive “happenings”) will be organized in schools and other institutions, to publicize it.

Following the popular saying, “the good son returns home”, the girl Amanda Estrella, who together with her brother Israel and Bogus were, among others, the first students of the Institute in 2005, is here after a long absence, rejoining the great team at the Leonardo da Vinci.

“It’s really pleasant working here, because all the colleagues are great, the room is enchanting, this library is really rich and it has to be opened to the public as soon as possible”, stated the librarian Gislene Dias.

It is hoped that, with all the activity in the library, it will be ready to be “reinaugurated” by the month of June.  At that time, everyone will be able to enthusiastically commemorate yet another cultural victory realized by our Institute.

Many thanks to our wonderful Meg, for another great article!

Grande partecipazione domenica 17 gennaio, al Contestaccio!  Il noto locale romano ha dedicato una serata ai percorsi interculturali tra Italia e Brasile, invitando l’ICBIE Europa Onlus a promuovere le proprie iniziative: dal palco le parole di Paolo, sulle pareti i colori della mostra fotografica  ”Alagados”, realizzata in collaborazione con il gruppo Nova 10 ordem, tra la nutrita platea le performance musicali degli Akuna Matata e le danze afro bahiane di Marzia Sartana.

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A big get together on Sunday, January 17th at Contestaccio!  The well known Roman venue dedicated the evening to the intercultural relations between Italy and Brazil, inviting the ICBIE Europa Onlus to promote its initiatives:  from the stage came Paolo’s speech, on the wall were the colors of the “Alagados” photo exhibit, realized in collaboration with the Nova10Ordem group, and among the numerous spectators were the musical performances of Akuna Matata and the Afro-Brazilian dances of Marzia Sartana.

Thanks to Loona for this article and the photos!

Salvador and Haiti are two great pilasters, symbols of the African diaspora.  Symbols of the worst tragedies of exploitative colonialism, slavery and racial oppression.  In this horrible moment of destruction, we are all prostrate, face down and horror struck.

Perhaps we should use this awful moment to deepen our understanding of the missed opportunities that were repeated over and over, always in the name of grandiose imperialist projects.   For a terrific and concise summary, please read this article by Robert Perry: link

Like a phoenix, Haiti will rise again, with our help.  Keep the fire burning!

The hot night in Ribeira caused the party to be moved out onto the front terrace, where the breeze gave adequate relief, and we all donned the traditional white clothes for a sumptuous dinner with risotto ai calamari and charcoal broiled marlin steaks.  The revelry was doubled, due to the fact that it was also Richard Beyai’s thirtieth birthday.

A big Happy New Year to all!