Some 3,000 Young Students will Join the PEACETECH Videoconference in PUP

on January 31-Feb 1
PUP Public Affairs Office, Press Release, PUP Sta. Mesa

Thousands of Muslim and non-Muslim students and faculty members will gather at the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) on Jan. 31 - Feb. 1 for a national event
aimed at building peace among the country's youth educational technology.

The two-day event starts thru a mass rehearsal on January 31 followed by a workshop
which would be focused on large group videoconferencing.

Thru the large group videoconferencing program, thousands of Muslim and non-Muslim
students, together with their teachers and school officials, are connected.

The event is a joint undertaking of PUP and PeaceTech, a non-profit organization which

uses technology to connect large groups of young people who are divided by distance,
background and conflict, for the primary purpose of creating understanding among
them.

PeaceTech Executive Director Robin Pettyfer and PUP President Dante G. Guevarra said
that the main goal of the event is to build understanding between young Muslim
students from Mindanao and their counterparts in Metro Manila.

Pettyfer explained further that "PUP is the logical choice for its venue because its
students are already involved in our program. PUP is also known for its good reputation
in information communication technology and it is in Manila,"  the PeaceTech high
official said. It is hoped that this modeling done in the Philippines will also be emulated
and duplicated in other parts of Asia.

VP for Student Services Juan C. Birion and Public Affairs Office Director Divina T.
Pasumbal disclosed that about 1,000 students from PUP Laboratory High School and the
College of Communication will participate in the event.

Some 500 participants from different schools and non-government organizations will
likewise join the event. Ten buses will be ready to transport the participants to PUP on
Feb. 1.