Exchange students from Germany visit the work of the Legion of Good Will in Brazil

Taguatinga, Brazil  —  On February 11, the Alziro Zarur Nursery School, maintained by the Legion of Good Will (LBV), received the visit of a group of German Master’s degree students from several areas. They are participating in an exchange program of the Catholic University of Brasília in partnership with the School of International Business and Entrepreneurship (SIBE) of Steinbeis University Berlin.

In addition to the program’s technical visits and cultural activities, the students were able to learn about some Brazilian social projects such as the LBV’s educational and social assistance work.

The group was greeted in English by the Pre-Kindergarten group of children aged between 2 and 5 years old, and entertained with music sung and danced to by the little ones.  “They saw, for example, that Brazilian children are more affectionate with people and this can change future generations in their country too,” said Reginaldo Tadeu Gomes, the Programme Coordinator, who accompanied the group.

The school unit uses the Pedagogy of Affection, which is a new learning model that allies feeling with cognitive development and, along with the Ecumenical Citizenship Pedagogy—for young people and adults—comprises the Legion of Good Will’s educational methodology. Read more about the LBV’s teaching proposal.

The concern with educating both “Brain and Heart”, the objective of the teaching proposal created by educator Paiva Netto, the Organization’s President, was also praised by the guide. “We live in a world in which there are conflicts everywhere, so working with the heart, working with children for a better generation makes all the difference. We can really have a better world with initiatives like this,” he commented.

After getting to know the work that the Legion of Good Will is doing in Brasília, Bastian Kruse, an international marketing student, said: “That was an amazing approach to see that the children here are very, very lucky to have such a nice education.”

“Always bring hope to other people,” was the message with which Bastian insisted on leaving all Brazilians so they will collaborate with the LBV and make a difference in the lives of many families. And he added: “Just try to give luck, try to give hope, try to give just a smile. (…) Try to change a bit.”

A MUST-VISIT TOURIST SPOT

The university students’ tour then moved on to the Temple of Good Will (TGW), the most visited monument in the Brazilian capital, according to information from the State Secretariat of Tourism of the Federal District (SETUR-DF). In 2014 it will be completing 25 years of existence. All the students, without exception, wanted to visit the place, which is also one of the city’s Seven Wonders. They visited the different environments that comprises the Monument and walked on the spiral in the Nave of the TGW, in their search for strength and in order to absorb good energy.

Also known as the Temple of Peace, the TGW is a mystic and spiritual icon. Its doors are open day and night to attend to the needs of its visitors who come in search of a place to pray or meditate freely. For Lukas van Lengerich, “it’s a great proposal because it’s a global approach because this Temple is open to all kinds of religions, so I think it’s a great place. And even in our group, you know, some of us have a Christian background, some of us have a Muslim background.” He also recommended that people visit the Monument: “I think it’s definitely a place to see and was definitely worth it to come and visit.” Visit the Temple of Good Will.

At the end of the visit the students received the Globalization of Fraternal Love magazine in German (Globalisierung der Brüderlichen Liebe), the GOOD WILL Education magazine in English, and an information folder of the Temple of Good Will also in English.

The Temple of Good Will is located at SGAS 915, Lotes 75/76, Brasília, Brazil. In Taguatinga, the Legion of Good Will’s Alziro Zarur Nursery School is located at Colônia Agrícola Samambaia, Chácara 40 — Lotes 1 e 2. For further information, write to english@boavontade.com or visit www.tbv.com.br.