Intercultural Understanding have had a busy few months! From facilitating a successful workshop in Valladolid with EVE Abroad as well as participating in - and being a sponsor of - SIETAR Europa's Congress in Lille. Furthermore in July Almendra was invited to deliver an online session for the Globally Conscious Peacemakers group. And the fall is already looking like another busy season, as Almendra has been invited to speak at the SIETAR Australasia 2024 Online Congress in September.
Impressively, EVE Abroad has over 20 years of experience working in the higher education sector and their projects range from traditional higher ed consulting to global virtual internship placements. So Almendra is thrilled to continue her collaboration with founder Catherine Hanley and her extraordinary Global Wine and Food Exploration program. This unique partnership allows Almendra to share her expertise in cultural belonging while learning alongside students as they delve into the world of wine and food production.
Each time I offer the cultural belonging workshop during orientation, I am amazed by the growth and insights gained by both students and myself.
Almendra Staffa-Healey
As they explored ways to become more integrated into local cultures, Almendra was also fortunate to deepen her wine connoisseurship skills. This enriching experience truly highlights the importance of learning from one another and embracing new perspectives. This year, Almendra is eagerly looking forward to joining the students for the closing of the program in the breathtaking town of Ronda, nestled in Southern Spain.
A Journey of Cultural Discovery and Wine Connoisseurship with EVE Abroad
Indeed, this remarkable five-week journey takes students on an exploration of Spain's economic, sensory, and experiential aspects of wine and food production. The program begins with a week-long adventure in Northern Spain, providing an excellent introduction to Spanish wine production and regional wine tourism. Throughout the first week, students develop a strong cultural foundation and bond with their cohort through a series of cultural orientation activities and immersive experiences. During the subsequent 29 days, students will venture to the culturally vibrant region of Andalucía in the southernmost part of the Iberian Peninsula.
The program's learning modes are diverse and engaging, including pre-arrival preparatory reading, immersive experiences with language tutors, and hands-on consulting projects with local winemakers. Almendra is honored to be a part of this exceptional program and looks forward to another year of growth, learning, and collaboration with Catherine Hanley and her remarkable students.
Almendra Staffa-Healey and Suzanne McCullagh - proud sponsors of the SIETAR Europa congress
Additionally, June also saw Intercultural Understanding sponsor the SIETAR Europa congress in Lille. SIETAR Europa is a non-governmental organization whose purpose is to encourage the development and application of knowledge, values and skills which enable effective intercultural relations - something that aligns very much with Intercultural Understanding's values. Almendra Staffa-Healey and Suzanne McCullagh participated in the Congress - where there were myriad sessions on such topics as migration, climate change, populism and Artificial Intelligence. Great connections were made and a real sense of achievement at having helped from a sponsorship and organizational level.
And in early July, Almendra had the privilege of sharing her knowledge about First Peace Circles during a Globally Conscious Peacemakers meeting. Founded by Jeremy Solomons and Nadine Binder, this group aims to foster global peace and unity. It was an honor for Almendra to receive an invitation from them to share her insights, which allowed her to contribute her expertise and personal experience with the group's members. This opportunity brought her immense fulfillment, as she could promote higher service and demonstrate how the First Peace Circles approach has enriched her life journey.
During the session she introduced the origins of the First Peace which was created by Black Elk, a Oglala Sioux spiritual leader, information about the founders WindEagle and RainbowHawk, and also the eight principles and practices of the method. They also had the opportunity to String the Beads and discuss how they feel with regards to the relevance of living peace in the self first.
In August 2023 Almendra became a certified SeedPlanter and is going to be calling forth an online First Peace Circle in the Autumn of 2024. Click here to request more information.
Almendra is also excited to announce that she will be participating in the SIETAR Australasia 2024 Online Congress on September 21st and 22nd as a speaker. More information will be available on the congress website shortly: https://sietaraustralasia.org/2024-conference/.
