2nd CELEAP conference at Instituto Cervantes

The Spanish Embassy in the Philippines and Instituto Cervantes Manila are organizing the second edition of CELEAP, a conference on Spanish as a Foreign Language in the Asia Pacific Region (II Congreso de Español como Lengua Extranjera en Asia Pacífico). It will take place on the 24th and the 25th of November 2011 at Instituto Cervantes, Manila. The conference will focus on teaching competencies and strategies in the Asia Pacific Region. Some of its objectives are to disseminate information about new publications and materials, to promote research and studies centred on the specific needs of each country and culture, and to encourage and support other activities related to the development of the Spanish language as a means of communication and professional development in the area. The organizers would like to encourage not only the local language teachers (from the primary, secondary and university levels) to participate, but also other Filipino professionals who are involved in the teaching of Spanish as a Foreign Language, such as trainers, supervisors, authors of teaching aids and materials, researchers, and academicians. The first Conference on Spanish as a Foreign Language in the Asia Pacific Region was held in November 2009 at Instituto Cervantes. Almost a hundred conference delegates from 13 different countries—which included Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, China and Australia—attended the 4 plenary talks, 12 workshops, and 23 research paper presentations conducted by professors and specialists from Spain, China, New Zealand, Taiwan, among others. This year’s event is supported by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID), the Spanish Education Office in Australia and New Zealand, the Spanish Education Office in Beijing, International College Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong, University of the Philippines, La Trobe University (Australia), University of Canterbury (New Zealand), Tenri University (Japan), The University of Nottingham (Malaysia Campus), Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages (Taiwan), and the University of Hanoi. This project is in line with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education, Instituto Cervantes, and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development and the Department of Education of the Republic of the Philippines for the improvement and promotion of Spanish language and culture teaching. For additional information, visit CELEAP’s website: www.celeap.com. For further information, please contact Ms. Stephanie Palallos at celeap@cervantes.net.ph / celeap@gmail.com or call (63-2) 526.1482. Press release from Instituto Cervantes