July 27, 2007, The Magnificent Maya: Part I, Living off the grid, By Enrique Caldera, Discovering rural Mexico: Perspectives of US, Cuban and Mexican youth, By Cliff DuRand, co-founder of San Miguel’s Center for Global Justice

Lecture

“The Magnificent Maya: Part 1” with Guillermo Méndez

Wed, Aug 1, 3pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

They were the most advanced of all the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica. The Maya inhabited southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and the western boundaries of Honduras and El Salvador.

They built cities and paved roadways, although they used no wheeled vehicles of any kind. Their astronomers plotted the movements of the visible planets and stars using a mathematics that included zero, a rare accomplishment in world history. They were the only people of the New World to develop a complete written language that could express anything spoken in writing. They made books that combined illustrations and glyphs.

The magnificent Maya lectures focus on architecture and art, the Bonampak murals and Maya mathematics. Retired Professor of Humanities, Guillermo Méndez is the lecturer.

Living off the grid
By Enrique Caldera

Lecture
On sustainable housing by Enrique Caldera
Wed, August 1, 5pm
Sala Quetzal
gaiasma4@yahoo.com.mx
50 pesos

Why ecological? Integrated harmoniously into the environment, the housing is designed considering orientation, the climatic conditioning, the light and the natural ventilation in order to maintain comfort throughout the year. The water, the energy and part of the foods are obtained of the rain and sun over the same house. With the residual waters and the organic waste make compost, recovering the water for the watering of gardens.

Why autonomous? The rain water satisfies the annual necessities of drinkable water, included the fraction for watering vegetables. The solar radiation will also provide heating in winter, heating of sanitary water, natural light, cooking, and drying of foods and clothes. The home orchard and the trees will provide food and firewood.

Why sustainable? Self-sustainable housing actually contributes resources and greater biological diversity.

Discovering rural Mexico: Perspectives of US, Cuban and Mexican youth
By Cliff DuRand, co-founder of San Miguel’s Center for Global Justice

Lecture

“Discovering Rural Mexico: Perspectives of US, Cuban and Mexican Youth”
Mon, July 30, 10:30am
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
150-0025
Free

For the last month, eleven youth from the US, Cuba and Mexico have been encountering Mexican realities through a program sponsored by the Center for Global Justice.

After two weeks of lectures and discussions with noted experts on Mexico under NAFTA, they are now returning from another two weeks living with Mexican campesinos in three local rural communities. They have studied, observed and experienced rural Mexico’s social life, culture and economic situation through their intercultural participation in daily life.

Now as they return to San Miguel for their final week, they summarize their learning in a public presentation this Monday at the Biblioteca Pública. Three young Cuban researchers, five US college students, and three Mexican college students will present a dynamic enactment of their observations and intercultural participation in the daily life of the communities of Peñon de los Baños, El Batán and La Cieneguilla.

All of the students came to the program critical of NAFTA. But they have been surprised to see what a disaster it has been for so many Mexicans. They learned from Mexican thinkers such as Gustavo Esteva, a “deprofessionalized intellectual” from Oaxaca, Enrique Dussel Peters, an economist from UNAM and Gloria Carmona, a specialist on popular education. In their final week they will also hear from Miguel Limia, head of the Cuban Social Science Council (and 1983 graduate of the state university of Belarus, V.I. Lenin, in the now defunct USSR.)

But the high point of their experience was their two weeks living with rural Mexican families. Although they came from three very different societies, they all shared urban backgrounds. So, living in rural communities proved to be an expanding experience. This was particularly so because it enabled them to look at the world from the bottom up, from the point of view of the poor of the global South.

This program was a joint undertaking of the Center for Global Justice and the Peace and Justice Program of Berea College, which is giving academic credit to the US students. (Berea College, in Kentucky, is a Christian educational institution “still firmly rooted in its historic purpose: to promote the cause of Christ.”) It has also been supported by a grant from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation. The Bernard Weisman Foundation also provided scholarship assistance to the Mexican students.