As host of the 9th Mindanao International Studies Society convention, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University hailed the International Studies students from participating schools that are members of the society at Grand Astoria Hotel last February 17, Sunday.
The registration on the first day of the convention started at 7am. VP for academics, Dr. Rebecca V. Fernandez, formally welcomed the delegates from other schools at around 6pm during the welcome dinner of the convention.
Delegates of AdZU who attended last year’s 8th MISS convention, which was held at Davao City hosted by Ateneo de Davao University, won the bid on who will be hosting the 9th convention for this year against other members of the society from other schools such as Liceo Cagayan and Xavier University.
According to one of the teachers from Social Sciences department and one of the committee heads of the event, Christine Canones, the delegates of last year’s MISS Convention from AdZU had to convince the other schools on a bid such as Liceo Cagayan, Ateneo de Davao and especially from Xavier University who really wanted to host the 9th MISS convention that this year’s gathering will be brought to Zamboanga and that AdZU International studies students will embrace the hosting of the event. Upon triumph, the idea was then welcomed by the university president, especially because the program is relatively new.
“Understanding Multiculturalism and Engaged Citizenship”
In line with the centennial celebration of the university, the convention dawned to its theme, which is a stitched idea from few members of the SocSci department faculty, with the endeavour for a component on how they could help International students to become more adept in their functions as future diplomats.
Mariz Karen Arionog, a participant from Ateneo de Davao University shared her anticipations for the whole convention. Aside from hoping that all the listed sessions for the program will be followed, she also hopes to gain more knowledge from fruitful discussions that would be given by “bigatin na mga speakers.” Arionog believes that in the kind of field [International Studies] that they are in, they need a broader perspective and as well as knowledge to face societal issues that is why she is looking forward for the convention to be great deal of learning experience for them, in general.
On another note, Arianog’s hpes seems to match the Social Science’s department’s aim for the participants of the convention.
“We wanted them to understand the complexity at how people look at problems and how we can arrive at solutions. And this is why we entered into the multiculturalism component. This lead to the Understanding Multiculturalism and Engaged Citizenship which is actually a marriage of two important ideals,” explained Canones.
Day 1 of the 9th MISS convention ended with a visit around town.
