Chaco: National Interdisciplinary Seminar "University, people's needs and struggles" Organized by the Center for Architecture Students Design and Planning, UNNE (ECHR had the aim of linking the university to the needs of the people and their struggles in the search for answers, linking theory with practice, manual with intellectual work, open a thorough debate on the real situation social lives most of the Argentine people and the type of training received. was made in five days. It had a theoretical and practical, with lectures, workshops and commissions debate, three days of field work and a plenary startup and shutdown. involving 500 students from different universities and more than 250 of the UNNE. They joined in the initial plenary, students and professionals in the Chaco, Corrientes, Santa Fe, Rosario, La Plata, Bahía Blanca and Missions. Ran from September 27 to October 1, 2010.
The seminar was self sustaining delegations to meet their travel well valiantly, bringing tents, goods and utensils for the camps. This required a great display of organization and coordination in the four locations where some of the fieldwork: Pampa del Indio, JJ Castelli, General San Martin and Las Palmas, addressing particularly the problems originating in Qom, the rural poor and neighborhood settlements . In them, the delegations were received by the Union Campesina, the Zonal Land Commission Pampa del Indio, the Association and Chief Taigoyic Classist and Combative.
The initial plenary and workshops The start took place at the Aula Magna of the UNNE completely filled. The President of the ECHR explained the scope of the seminar by welcoming the presence of each effort that came to our province. Subsequently, the Student and UNNE they delivered a plaque to the Architect Victor Pelli, in recognition of his contributions and achievements in relation to housing. In greeting
leaders of the Peasant Union, Land Zoning Commission of Pampa del Indio, the Association Chief Taigoyic and Combative Classist and Chaco, organizations that are working with architecture students in a housing program, were asked to start as the needs of the country delayed , their struggles, achievements and working with environmental professionals and students who appreciated his dedication.
This was followed by brief talks triggers different issues to address: Habitat popular, productive Policy, Health, Social Psychology, History and Anthropology. Were made by professionals and students from different areas.
First presented the architect Rodolfo Schwartz, giving the overall political framework and the need for science and technology to serve people's needs and independent national development, the controversy with other theories of knowledge that deny the existence of objective reality and development process and technical struggles that led to the realization of the Earth Program, Ceiling and Labour. The 16 thesis students of architecture, developed in particular and in-depth practice and development work for the construction of dwellings achieved by social organizations. This experience has been in progress for over a year in the four localities with training and construction of housing for this program which has 600 workers directly journalized by the state and the first phase are 142 units.
then Agronomists Victor Rosenfeld and Paul Benetti, exposed, respectively, with eloquent official data on the current Argentine agricultural model, his impact on the growth of large estates, the foreign ownership of land and the exodus of small and medium producers. Then explained the specific experiences of agricultural production in the Pampa del Indio.
Carolina, a senior obstetric UNLP, developed the survey work and systematization health status and socio-economic situation of the Pampa del Indio area, who are performing students and teachers of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of La Plata, since 2008. Compared some data collected with the INDEC official statistics. For example, according to the INDEC there are 2 cases of Chagas' disease reported in the province (2007), this is not consistent with the widespread development of this endemic disease in that area. They closed the papers
Social Psychologist Jorge Carrizo, historian Silvia Nassif and anthropology student Ana Echeverria. From different angles and experiences addressed the question of identity and the struggle for recovery by the original communities, where land is a key factor. Jorge Carrizo provided a theoretical model. Silvia Nassif developed interdisciplinary experience held in Tucumán with the original community of La Angostura. Ana Echeverria explained the bases of the project is starting in Pampa del Indio.
workshops were then held areas: Habitat, Production, Health and Social Sciences. That same day at night in the rain, the delegations left for locations.
Fieldwork Tuesday-Thursday
activities were conducted in each area. Promoted different from each discipline to systematize and deepen knowledge of the reality that beats in our people, usually hidden. Also promoted specific responses to these needs and came back with a commitment to turn over these issues within the University for calling into question what training the service is delivered and by whom.
Survey Some activities were health, housing and socio-economic and participation in housing construction. Students participated in the sessions and originating. Workers taught the students work. It also served to stimulate the same pace, given the failures of government to alter any plan established work and motivate the permanent roadblocks. Regarding the production, participated in the planting of 6 hectares of maize in communal lands of Pampa del Indio and the cutting and burning of bricks in JJ Castelli.
Friday morning, the delegations left back for resistance. At noon General conducted a plenary, where different students, one locality, and university area, with great emotion, affected by the whole experience, recounted the different experiences that "changed their mind," according to their expressions.
A doctor collected and systematized the situations that arose proposals on the trip, as the performance of various promotional campaigns for various health problems, since there was very little specific knowledge about how to prevent or treat diseases, stressing the need for joint work with graphic designers, Labour and Social Communicators . Fight
specific confluence and revolutionary changes In a context of great joy, excitement and fatigue, closed the plenary Augustine Romero, Senior UNNE by ECA and Tesistan Team coordinator. He stressed that those responsible for the situation afflicting our people and which was in direct and stark these days are the same as driving a university away from the people's needs in practice and in any event if it occurs, is in favor of dominant interests and foreign nationals, limitation its budget and academic demands arbitrary and restrictive. That this reality that hits deep can lead to skepticism or handouts, but not only during these days was harsh living conditions, but also experience of organization and struggle with dignity to change reality. Which encourages and stimulates students to retrieve their Centers, Federations and Delegates to fight for their needs, the contents and merge with the popular sectors had visited and the labor movement, noting that the situation can not be solved without a revolutionary solution.
First conclusions With this seminar and other experiences, opened a new way of working that can take offensive in the debate and controversy with mainstream theories of knowledge in fashion, who argue that objective reality does not exists, is not possible to know the truth and therefore impossible to transform, leading to skepticism and conformity to broad sections of students, professionals and intellectuals on the government works. Refine
balance and systematize this experience should serve to generalize this type of integration activities of students, professionals and people to question the character of the University, its contents, methods and structures, strengthening the road of struggle for university in a town and a country free from foreign domination.
