PROJECT DETAILS: The Patrimonito project is part of the World Heritage Program implemented by UNESCO’s World Heritage Center in cooperation with the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service. Patrimonito integrates international workcamps as a means to raise awareness fo the local population about the importance of protecting their local heritage, to demonstrate the value of non-formal education and to create spaces for cooperation between the World heritage managers and the local population. The 2013 Patrimonito edition proposed by VIMEX comprises workcamps in 8 out the 14 ex –convents situated in the Slopes of the Popocatepetl volcano and Tetela del Volcan and Hueyapan are two of them. This project will take place in the two former convents that are part of the Route of the Convents, the Santo Domingo de Hueyapan and San Juan Bautista de Tetela del Volcán. Hueyapan is the highest town of Morelos, the weather is cold, and it contrast to the rest of the state’s warm weather. Its monastery has remarkable Baroque niche of great artistic value and popular character, that is its charming. Tetela del Volcán, a former Dominican convent built between 1571 and 1581 in the vicinity of the volcano Popocatepetl is remarkable for its robust buttresses, murals with polychrome and hallways decorated with murals of crossings with plants and trees forms.
WORK: The activities of the group of volunteers will be:
Recycling workshops, a guided tour in the old convent, activities in the cloister garden and conservation processional walkway atrium, all these activities with training and supervision of the site manager.
Volunteers will have also context of activities a meeting and coexistence with children and youth in the community through recreational activities, from artistic expressions, they will work the issue of intangible heritage through heritage presentations of different countries and regions where volunteers come. Volunteers will participate in the preparation of the staging of the Passion of Christ with the group Cultural Tetela del Volcan AC (make up transformation, staging, scenery, including performance if they wish). Volunteers will support in the preparation of some activities related to the Day of the Death celebration too.
Thus the goal is: involve a group of youth in the community, from Voluntary activity, to receive and accompany the group of international volunteers and to prepare for the camp to be held in October. But to be a trigger for that group that are active in community service throughout the year.
ACCOMMODATION: in a house in each of the villages.
LOCATION: Tetela del Volcán and Hueyapan are located half an hour from Cuautla, second city of the state of Morelos in central Mexico.
NEAREST STATION: Cuautla, Morelos
FOOD: Food will be prepared by volunteers in the kitchen. It has everything you need to cook and care for the food.
LANGUAGE: Speaking Spanish will be welcome in order to get in touch with the Mexican people.
REQUIREMENTS: Good disposal to the team work, dedication, be responsible and enthusiastic to work. Bring clothes according with the activities. Please bring your own insurance and sleeping bag.
FREE TIME: The volunteers will have the opportunity to visit historical places in the surroundings of these two former convents. The nature in the surrounding areas is marvelous and there will be visits to handcrafts and traditional clothing workshops and mostly, the volunteers will be able to experience the Day of the Death celebrations which are very colorful.
REMARK: You can take the Intensive Spanish Course that we offer to the volunteers in our camps before to go to your camp. See the information and conditions at the section of the Spanish Courses 2013.
The meeting point will be at the VIMEX office before the camp starts because all the volunteers will go together to the project.