FHfW partners meet the scholars from I.C. Carducci School Rome

When the FHfW partners arrived in Italy, they were warmly welcomed by the I.C. Carducci school, the young students had painted the flags of the partner countries together with the European Union flag and placed it on the hockey field. This was an incredibly unexpected and beautiful gesture in that it symbolises the gratitude and friendship towards the European Union and Commission for the possibility to have been able to learn from such a meaningful project.

The project, the partners from Feyenoord (Quirine van Laack and Wessel Verhaar), Aalborg(Niels Christian Hejlesen and Anni Uggerholm-Nielsen) and HASK Mladost (Bojan Mijatovic and Nikola Hanzek) were presented to the school and Mrs. Paola Luzzi was kind enough to narrate the history of the school and its unique location in Rome (next to the antique Roman aqueducts) and introduce the partners to the scholars. After the presentations, the children began playing hockey on the field. The total number of children present and playing were 85. As turns had to be taken, two of the partners who play field hockey in their respective countries, Quirine van Laack and Nikola Hanzek played with the other children on the tar teaching everyone that field hockey is not only a game for everyone (male and female) but also a game that neccesitates few luxuries and can simply be played anywhere, on grass, on roads, pavements and any other flat surface. Nikola showed off a few of his hockey tricks leaving the children amazed at the techniques and increased knowledge about a sport that was unheard of to them just less than a year ago.

Folloiwing the matches and fun training, everyone sat together for cold drinks and of course pizza being in Italy J Snack time was followed by a prize giving where all the children were given project participation certificates and a hockey stick pen (pink, yellow or black). The encounter was a huge success and the children hugged their new friend goodbye before proceeding back to their school desks. After all their hard work and with time to spare before the various airplanes took off, Gabriella and Roberto guided the partners on a walking tour and lunch in Rome to express their gratitude for their essential contribution to the project’s success.

The project staff would like to thank the I.C. Carducci School for the hospitality and the compliment the teachers and the scholars for creating a wonderful event. The project staff would also like to thank the partners and the European Commission for the support in implementing a meaningful and successful project, without which the project and the joy it is bringing to the young children learning about field hockey would otherwise not be possible. We look forward to the next trip to Zagreb from the 1^st to the 3^rd of October!