The third Fair of Good Treatment took place at the end of June 2012. This event is sponsored by CECODAP, an organization that ensures the protection of the rights of children and adolescents. The purpose of the Fair is to present different schools’ initiatives in promoting respect and eradicating violence.

The event was held at the E.U. Jesus Maestro, which is part of the network of the Fe y Alegría Catholic schools. These schools are located in areas with high rates of poverty, violence and crime.

Since 2008, Sister Marisela Mujica of Fe y Alegría, who is a wonderful advocate of Go, has been voluntarily teaching the game precisely in this school, in a pilot project called Gakko-no-Go. This project, which is also supported by the Venezuelan Go Association, was chosen to represent the school this year.

The school’s experience was presented to many groups of students and teachers from other schools. Each group received a short talk about the game of Go and its educational benefits, and then an explanation of its rules from the Gakko-no-Go students, who were more than willing to show their peers, teachers and community the progress they had made through the game.

The Fair was attended by representatives of the Mayor of Sucre and the Mayor himself, Carlos Ocariz. They were very interested in bringing the project into some public schools. The Fair’s success is another step in the consolidation of Go as an educational tool in Venezuela.

– Report: Loli Puerta/Julio Melchert (Asociacion Venezolana de Go)