LBV Magazine English Edition In a day of great significance for the history and culture of Terracina important archaeological discoveries were presented rewriting part of the past of this ancient Italian city The event took place on Saturday afternoon as part of free visits to the excavation area of the Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo and attracted a large crowd of citizens and tourists conducted by the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture have revealed surprising data about the evolution of Terracina a city with a history spanning from the Iron Age to the medieval period These investigations have confirmed hypotheses that had been proposed for years were considered unshakable in local historiography Researchers Francesca Diosono and Miriam Knechtel along with the staff of the Città di Terracina Foundation explained to attendees the new evidence discovered during the past months of excavation One of the most surprising revelations is the confirmation that Terracina existed as a city in the 6th century BC Terracina was not a Roman colony but maintained a friendly relationship with Rome as reflected in the Roman request to the Carthaginians to “not touch Terracina” during the Punic Wars This fact highlights the strategic importance of the city which already had a vital port for trade at that time including the export of high-quality wine to other parts of Europe as demonstrated by finds of sunken ships off the French coast Another of the most significant discoveries is related to the temples of the goddesses Feronia and Venus the city developed around the Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo where a temple dedicated to the goddess Feronia was located a second temple known as the Piccolo Tempio was built a place associated with Feronia’s spring mentioned by Virgil in his writings These findings confirm the existence of a well-organized sacred area from early times with a network of terraces used for the production of ceramics long before the monumentalization of the area but retained the sacred area at the top of Mount Sant’Angelo on the famous monumental terrace supported by majestic arcades a large temple was built in the 1st century BC which was long believed to be dedicated to Jupiter Anxur new research suggests that this sanctuary was actually consecrated to Venus Obsequens one of the most revered deities in the Roman world seems to resolve a long-standing debate among experts about the true identity of the temple work on the so-called terrazza superiore has revealed traces of a semicircular plaza and remains of capitals and columns indicating the possible existence of another temple in this area along with walls dating to the 2nd century BC will require further studies and excavations to gain a complete understanding of its function and significance within the sacred complex The event was widely praised by local authorities president of the Città di Terracina Foundation expressed his satisfaction with the success of the day: The new research allows us to redefine the history of Terracina and the surrounding area and we are convinced that the sacred area of Monte Sant’Angelo still has many secrets to uncover We hope that events like this become a tradition Città di Terracina Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email Two thousand years before the Inca Empire extended its dominion over the Andes a much less known yet culturally influential society—known as the Chavín Phenomenon—had already developed numerous artistic expressions,… while the Byzantine Empire was mired in a succession crisis sought to take advantage and launched his conquest Archaeologists from universities in the United States and Denmark found deep within the Actun Uayazba Kab cave in Belize two small stone tools dated between 250 and 900 AD that… men and women gathered to play a game called Cuju A team of researchers has succeeded in recreating for the first time in a laboratory experiment a phenomenon that until now only existed as a theory in the realm of… the Cantonal Archaeology of Aargau carried out a rescue excavation between early May 2024 and the end of March 2025 The Egyptian archaeological mission affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the discovery of a group of defensive structures and a system of moats that could indicate… In the southeastern area of the city of Rome archaeologists excavating inside the Triton Baths within the monumental complex of the Villa di Sette… Why did some animals from ancient eras become fossils while others simply disappeared without a trace A recent study on the cave paintings of the Altamira Cave in Santillana del Mar Cantabria (Spain) has concluded that some of the artworks it contains could be much older… Receive our news and articles in your email for free You can also support us with a monthly subscription and receive exclusive content Via Francigena The AEVF Assembly returned to Apulia 5 years after its historic meeting in Bari which approved the extension of the Via Francigena from Rome to Santa Maria di Leuca on 18 October 2019 The institutional greetings were given by the Mayor of Monte Sant’Angelo Pierpaolo D’Arienzo, the Director of the Tourism Department of the Apulia Region Aldo Patruno and the EAVF President Francesco Ferrari The President of the Apulia Region Michele Emiliano also greeted the participants via teleconference The new EAVF member – the municipality of Nicorvo (Lombardy) and the friend association of Stornara (Apulia) were warmly welcomed to the Francigena family, making it 244 full members and 94 friends association The Assembly also celebrated the winners of the Via Francigena Best Practice 2023 awarding the “Frangiscotto della Via Francigena” by Via Francigena Canosa di Puglia association Conference on Slow Tourism and the Via Francigena by the municipality of Pavia project “Francigena for All” by the Piedmont region One of the highlights of the meeting was the unanimous approval of the Francigena Britannica, the historic pedestrian route of 150 km connecting London and Canterbury, zero km of the Via Francigena. This itinerary was developed and presented by the Confraternity of Pilgrims to Rome strongly supported by EAVF and the Canterbury administration An update on the Via Francigena candidacy as a UNESCO World Heritage Site was given by the Councillor of the Tuscany Region Francesco Gazzetti A special session was dedicated to the exchange of best practices along the entire route, with the spotlight on Apulia and its recent inauguration of the touristic and directional signposting in the framework of the project Asset The EAVF projects which received the European Union funds were presented to the members:  “HIKE  – Hiking for Healthier Lifestyle”  in the framework of the Erasmus Sport programme and “Detour – Development of resilient tourism ecosystems along the Mediterranean walking routes” by COSME programme conducted with international partners from Greece Turkey and Bulgaria connect Francigena with the rest of Europe Then the meeting on cultural routes in France was presented –  to be held in Besançon on 25 November it received support from the French Ministry of Culture The Association Swiss Via Francigena also showcased its several ongoing activities the 2025 tourist promotion project on the Via Francigena supported by the Italian Ministry of Tourism and the Lazio region two important events took place: the inauguration of the official signposting realised with the contribution of the Apulia Region and the meeting of the volunteer associations along the Via Francigena in the South The rich cultural programme was organized by the municipality of Monte Sant’Angelo On 19 October the members took part in a short walk along the Via Francigena animated by Italea Puglia and inspired by HIKE project The EAVF assembly provided a great opportunity for exchange and discussion as well as for development of collaborations between administrations and associations in the various countries involved At the beginning of the assembly, a moment of remembrance was dedicated to the late president Massimo Tedeschi, who founded the EAVF 23 years ago. The whole Via Francigena family will continue his work to further develop the European network of dialogue and cooperation Share this articleand follow us on social media: 👉🏻 Itinerary 👉🏻 Where to sleep 👉🏻 I ❤️ Francigena 👉🏻 The Via by bicycle 👉🏻 Events Calendar The European Association of the Via Francigena unites municipalities and countries crossed by the Via Francigena We’re always on the lookout for new partners who share our values and who want to help us promote sustainable travel across Europe F.A.Q © Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene | C.F. 91029880340 – P.IVA 02654910344 Powered by ItinerAria Privacy | Cookie Policy  | Legal Notice  © Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene | C.F Powered by ItinerAria In the town of Monte Sant’Angelo in Italy’s southern Apulia region locals proudly bake “ostie piene,” literally “stuffed hosts,” a sort of host sandwich made of honey-glazed toasted almonds According to a local legend, we owe the invention of this crunchy and nutritious treat to the nuns of the order of Santa Chiara, based in the Holy Trinity Monastery of Monte Sant’Angelo, a scenic hilltop town located near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel.  Locals report that in the year 1600 a nun was preparing food inside the kitchen of the Holy Trinity Monastery of Monte Sant’Angelo when she accidentally spilled some almonds into a jar of honey The inventive nun used a host to retrieve the precious nuts from the jar as almonds were one of the few protein-rich foods readily available in the area The operation resulted in a wafer covered in honey and almonds and the first specimen of “stuffed hosts” was born.  the “stuffed hosts” are made all year round but are especially available during religious festivities when pastry shops and bakeries advertise the special treat outside their shops.  Locals also love to bake the host-treats at home with a relatively simple recipe To make “ostie ripiene” you simply need water To visit Monte Sant’Angelo from Rome (262 miles) Take the exit Bari and take the SS89 following directions for Monte Sant’Angelo.  Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news a group of 130 pilgrims and four priests from the Spanish city of Valencia made a stop in San Severo as they walked a section of the Via Francigena in Southern Italy The Spanish pilgrims began their journey in Pietrelcina and set off the following day towards Monte Sant’Angelo They were warmly welcomed in San Severo by the OdV Vie Francigene San Severo ETS Cultural Committee dedicated to the development of the Via Francigena and other pilgrimage routes The local council also played a very active role in welcoming this large group of university students on their faith journey this event was a significant opportunity to draw attention to the upcoming Jubilee of 2025 which will undoubtedly bring many pilgrims from around the world to the city en route to San Giovanni Rotondo and Monte Sant’Angelo attention will be focused on the Via Francigena in this area on 16th with the AEVF General Assembly taking place in Monte Sant’Angelo Beverley Anne Johnson is warmly remembered by the Diocesan school and parish community as a trailblazer of her time being one of the first lay Catholic school principals in the Sydney region and as a devoted parishioner at Christ the King Parish and former Principal of Monte Sant’ Angelo in Sydney Beverley inspired hundreds of students to nurture their Catholic faith through learning Beverley dedicated her life to education; touching the lives of thousands of children as a passionate and inspiring Catholic school teacher and principal She died on 7 July 2024 following a courageous battle with cervical cancer Not many can say they taught at the same school that taught them as Beverley was both a student and a teacher at Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School Beverley moved to Tara Anglican School for a few years in the mid-1980s until the late Sr Patricia (Pat) Maris Tully CJS encouraged her to apply for the principal’s position at St Agnes She was school principal at St Agnes from 1987 to 1993 Former principal Beverley Johnson (centre left) with staff at St Agnes Catholic High School her son Chris gave a eulogy where he shared the positive impact Beverley made at the school and the school’s results climbed significantly,” Chris said Her passion for education brought her to the Diocese of Parramatta where she was school principal of Emmaus Catholic College between 1994 and 2000 Beverley became the first lay principal appointed by the College Board and the Trustees of the Sisters of Mercy at Monte Sant’ Angelo in North Sydney the college moved forward with innovative emphasis on teaching and learning and the integration of Information Communication Technologies to facilitate and enhance curriculum delivery This was followed by a year as a relieving principal at Bethany College in Hurstville in 2005 “A new chapter in her career began when she moved to the Catholic Education Office Southwest Sydney at Lidcombe,” Chris said “She effectively became the overseer of multiple schools in the area advising and mentoring principals and staff in all of those schools and contributing to their success.”  She flourished in that position until her official retirement at 72 upon which she spent a few years as an independent mentor for school executives all around Australia An undated file image of former school principal Beverley Johnson said Beverley’s devout passion as a student teacher and leader in Catholic education in our Diocese followed the example of Jesus inspire and nurture the Catholic faith of many students in our Diocese,” he said “She was a pillar of strength for her family and the community and a true Disciple who will be greatly missed.”  Emmaus Catholic College posted heartfelt sentiments in memory of Beverley on its Facebook page ‘We walk with Jesus,’ and was deeply committed to religious education and preparing her students to enter our ever-changing society,” the post read together with the souls of all the faithful departed Term 2 Parents and Carers Meeting 😀 All parents and carers are invited This meeting will be a chance to hear what is happening at the school The Catherine McAuley Weekly Review for Thursday 1st May is now available: LEST WE FORGET 🌹 Year 11 Modern History students led the school this morning in an ANZAC Reflection Students and staff were asked to remember the Australian men and women who died or suffered in the great tragedy of war YEAR 7 😀 Year 7 returned for their second term at high school today this time wearing their winter uniforms for the first time Remember that students must wear their blazer to and from school and that stockings are part of the winter uniform #year7 #winteruniform #catherinemcauley #catherinemcauleywestmead WELCOME TO TERM 2 😀 Welcome to all students returning today for Term 2 2025 The autumn colours are beginning to show in Mercy Square Year 11 Catherine McAuley students joined Donna Davis MP at a community engagement event to discuss plans for North Parramatta Year 9 MAG Leaders (Mercy in Action Group) and the Environment Student Leaders attended the Mercy 5 Eco-Justice Retreat Day at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic College Burraneer Two writing examples from Year 8 English students A Year 11 Legal Studies student has been selected for an online media internship program While many people are simply born, Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College Principal Nicole Christensen seems to have been made she was made to elevate the voices of women and use her position as a platform for gender equity “Making sure women have equal participation and choice has been a burning ambition of mine all the way along,” she shares I saw the president of the youth club was only ever a boy Speaking up and sharing her convictions was her superpower one that she used quite regularly to test the waters of gender bias she had to find a way to make others listen “What I found growing up was that you had to be respectful people are willing to sit down and understand what you are saying,” she explains “An enduring motivation for change is to have someone see things from your perspective and have those conversations and points of reflection It really prepared me well to do the things I do today as Principal.” It was in 2014 that Nicole became Principal of Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College an independent Roman Catholic secondary day school for girls in North Sydney She sees her role as an opportunity to fulfil her passion of helping women achieve equity “It’s a privilege to be Principal and educate young women,” she beams “The reason I dedicated myself to girls’ education is because there is inequity We need to develop programs that enable girls to have 100% of every opportunity and you only get that in an all-girls’ school I’m very determined and driven to allow opportunities for women; not because of their gender she did a complete strategic overhaul of the school while retaining its core tenets of kindness In addition to increasing available sporting opportunities she also placed emphasis on global education which is a major point of difference for the school “We stand out because we are international and we are also an International Baccalaureate school,” she points out “So we really take a global perspective that’s built on service We’re preparing our girls to find their place to stand in a global world.” Helping to achieve this Nicole implemented a first-of-its-kind industry partners initiative to encourage young women into industries where females are often under-represented like engineering and construction Its first iteration came in the form of a two-year co-curricular program for Years 8–12 that saw roughly 200 students involved in the building of 100 Mount Street North Sydney’s largest and tallest commercial tower It was such a successful program that afforded true change that we decided to extend it,” she says we developed a future-in-technology partnership and were approached by KPMG The team there has been absolutely brilliant It’s just been an incredible journey that we’re on with them.” Nicole has a seat at the table in many influential groups She’s on the International Baccalaureate Organization Heads Council and the Association of Independent Schools of NSW Advisory Council and is the Principal’s Representative on the Catholic Girls’ Secondary School Sporting Association “It’s very important to give back,” she stresses and it’s a great opportunity to be able to contribute really working towards change for all young people We know that the key to this change is having the best education because education truly is transformative.” the education is more than the best – it’s better “I don’t believe in best practices,” Nicole says I believe in better practices all the time.” The CEO Magazine is more than a business title; it’s a source of information inspiration and motivation for the world’s most successful leaders Learn all about The CEO Magazine at TheCEO.com ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College students have swapped gender stereotyping for hard hats in an innovative industry partnership with engineering company Laing O'Rourke The partnership gives students the opportunity "to experience the engineering and construction industry in real life and real time," says Tom Lee Monte's director innovation and technology Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College students see construction first-hand as part of the curriculum It's part of the school's STEM (science That sees Monte students touring Laing O'Rourke's 44-level tower under construction in North Sydney and joining a Q&A with the company's engineers and project leader Raquel Rubalcaba "We hope to inspire the girls who have a passion for engineering in its many forms "We believe it is important to bring the industry to the girls and to bust the myth that engineering and construction are 'boy things' Not only do we want our girls to be future industry innovators we want them to be leaders and champions of change." says the program demonstrates how STEM and progressing technology function together "including the stages of a construction project and the technology and software used I found it interesting how Laing O'Rourke incorporates virtual reality devices and other technology into engineering," she says says seeing construction first-hand is vital "It overlaps with the technology program at Monte." Christine "definitely" sees a future in engineering Australia has a comparatively low share of graduates in engineering manufacturing and construction among tertiary educated adults "[University] graduates from these fields face the highest employment rate across the different fields of study in the country at 88 per cent compared to a total employment rate of 84 per cent." Monte awards part-fee scholarships at year 7 and year 10-11 The school is committed to changing the workplace paradigm for all young women it is our responsibility to ask the gender parity questions We have a duty to facilitate the evolution from traditional male-dominated industries to industries of equality The next generation of female captains of industry will be this generation of young women Strathfield's Santa Sabina College holds STEAM (the 'A' is for arts) conferences to promote non-traditional careers engineering and showcase where mathematics and science can lead hosted a conference in August lead by UNSW engineering student ambassadors."[Santa] students took part in a range of workshops looked at wearable technologies and wind power and built robots and programmed them to dance," says De Domeneghi "The skills learnt will be vital in the future." engineering concepts are woven into STEM studies from year 6 onwards and the popularity of coding and STEM is indicative of a positive future "Engineering is a popular choice among our cohort and is one of the top destinations for further study in 2017 Having a STEM program from the early years onwards supports this The number of MLC graduates who go on to forge a career based on their STEM studies affirms the courses offered while they are at the school," she says Engineering – and indeed Australia – can only benefit from an increased take-up by female students As Robert-Smith puts it: "All areas of endeavour benefit when everyone is involved." Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College students have swapped gender stereotyping for hard hats in an innovative industry partnership with engineering company Laing O'Rourke The partnership gives students the opportunity \\\"to experience the engineering and construction industry in real life and real time,\\\" says Tom Lee Monte's director innovation and technology That sees Monte students touring Laing O'Rourke's 44-level tower under construction in North Sydney and joining a Q&A with the company's engineers and project leader Raquel Rubalcaba \\\"We hope to inspire the girls who have a passion for engineering in its many forms \\\"We believe it is important to bring the industry to the girls and to bust the myth that engineering and construction are 'boy things' we want them to be leaders and champions of change.\\\" \\\"including the stages of a construction project and the technology and software used I found it interesting how Laing O'Rourke incorporates virtual reality devices and other technology into engineering,\\\" she says \\\"It overlaps with the technology program at Monte.\\\" Christine \\\"definitely\\\" sees a future in engineering \\\"[University] graduates from these fields face the highest employment rate across the different fields of study in the country at 88 per cent compared to a total employment rate of 84 per cent.\\\" Strathfield's Santa Sabina College holds STEAM (the 'A' is for arts) conferences to promote non-traditional careers hosted a conference in August lead by UNSW engineering student ambassadors.\\\"[Santa] students took part in a range of workshops and built robots and programmed them to dance,\\\" says De Domeneghi \\\"The skills learnt will be vital in the future.\\\" \\\"Engineering is a popular choice among our cohort and is one of the top destinations for further study in 2017 The number of MLC graduates who go on to forge a career based on their STEM studies affirms the courses offered while they are at the school,\\\" she says Engineering \\u2013 and indeed Australia \\u2013 can only benefit from an increased take-up by female students As Robert-Smith puts it: \\\"All areas of endeavour benefit when everyone is involved.\\\" Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries The association "I Borghi più belli d'Italia" counts more than 250 towns and villages all throughout Italy which is shown here © GagliardiImages / Shutterstock Beyond Italy’s famous art cities like Rome, Florence and Naples there’s a rich tapestry of smaller towns and villages to discover and enjoy at a slower and more traditional pace This is officially Italy's most beautiful medieval town The first one is Tropea, also known as “the pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea,” and one of the most beloved seaside locations in the region of Calabria It’s known for its breathtaking natural scenery and its red onions The association also adds that “thanks to its strategic position both under the Romans and then during the following conquests by Saracens The other town from Southern Italy is Monte Sant’Angelo, in the province of Foggia in the Puglia region Sitting in the middle of the Gargano National Park the town boasts stunning scenery as well as two Unesco World Heritage sites – the sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo and the “ancient beech forests” of the Foresta Umbra with trees that can live for up to three centuries Moving up the Italian boot, the next town is in Lazio in the Tiber river valley from where it gets its name – Bassano in Teverina There is evidence of people living in the area dating back to the days of the Etruscans and the association’s website also tells of “the peculiar story of the clock tower that was built encapsulating the clock tower of the adjacent church of Santa Maria dei Lumi” The two structures still coexist to this day Finally, there’s Monteleone d’Orvieto in Umbria dubbed as “an island of red bricks in a sea of green” it’s surrounded by stunning scenery which can be admired from roof terraces in the middle of the town If you’d like to know more about these four towns, the others that are part of the association I Borghi più belli d’Italia or the work of the association in general, you can check out the official website here. SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER TO RECEIVE 5% DISCOUNT FOR YOUR FIRST PURCHASE Located in the heart of the Gargano National Park - Monte Sant'Angelo is home to two UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Sites: the Lombard traces in the Sanctuary of St as part of the serial site "The Lombards in Italy The places of power (568-774 A.D.)') and the ancient beech forests of the Umbra Forest (2017 as part of the transnational asset 'Ancient primeval beech forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe') other important recognitions have arrived in recent years: from National Geographic which included the Sacred Cave of the Archangel Michael among the 10 most beautiful sacred caves in the world which included Monte Sant'Angelo among the 20 most beautiful cities in Italy; from the Apulia Region which included the municipality in the regional list of 'municipalities with a predominantly tourist economy and cities of art'; to the Michelin Green Guide which awarded the historic centre the highest recognition with three stars and included it among the most beautiful villages in Italy Beauty travels along the white streets of the old town centre stands the test of time in front of the majestic Norman-Swabian-Aragonese Castle remains in your heart in the presence of the monumental façade and the Grotto of the most important sanctuary in the West dedicated to the Archangel Michael an uninterrupted destination of pilgrimages for 1500 years Beauty accompanies you to the mysterious Baptistery of San Giovanni in Tumba (known as the 'Tomb of Rotari') and to the marvel of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and its frescoes to listening to the silence at the Abbey of Santa Maria di Pulsano and its Hermitages to the magical Umbra Forest or along the coast of the marina emotional and promotional events: from 8 May with the Michael Festival celebrating the Archangel around the world through Holy Week - with its evocative and emotional 'miserere and earthquake' rites and the poignant Good Friday Procession the two UNESCO recognitions are celebrated passing through the major summer events until September with the Historical Procession of the Apparitions of the Archangel the patronal feast on 29 September and the Procession of the Holy Sword the film festival dedicated to the Francigena and Micaelica routes As numerous are the typical products of gastronomic excellence and local dishes: from the crunchy and famous bread to the sweet full wafers from the oil of the Macchia plain - where olive trees and the sea meet - to the tasty caciocavallo cheese Places to visit: Sanctuary and Grotto of San Michele Arcangelo Abbey and Hermitage of Santa Maria di Pulsano Baptistery of San Giovanni in Tumba (known as 'Rotari's Tomb') frescoes in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore TECUM Museums of the Sanctuary (Devotional MeTA - Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions of the Gargano Made by: Editrice L'Immagine I consent to the processing of my data for the purposes referred to in point a) e b) of the information © 2025 Editrice L'immagine Srl | Via Antichi Pastifici 13 Molfetta (Ba) - 70056 | All rights reserved | Vat 07337740729 You can configure or refuse cookies by clicking on "Cookie preferences" it is possible to accept all cookies by clicking on the "Accept all cookies" button By closing this banner you consent only to the use of cookies necessary for the site to function This article was published more than 11 years ago The mountaintop town of Monte Sant’Angelo is a labyrinth of sun-bleached homes built on steep streets.Lili Okuyama Things are a little different in Vico del Gargano That becomes apparent the moment you're greeted by one of countless inquisitive stray dogs or search for a parking space while following a donkey-drawn cart Behind an unimposing door marked with the words "Il Trappeto," a flight of stairs descends into a cave that's been converted into a restaurant and wine bar The unexpected comes as standard in the Gargano Peninsula Puglia does not feature in Rick Steves's guide to Italy even though the region has spent a decade taking steps to promote its treasures Polignano and Gallipoli – are full of architectural and artistic gems and its food and wine culture is rightfully regarded as one of Italy's best But even as Puglia's popularity continues to grow (Lecce is a candidate to be European Capital of Culture in 2019) combined with a distinct lack of sizable towns ensures that intrepid travellers will never pass through on the way to more celebrated locales because villages such as Vico have sights as fascinating as their rusticity If the Gargano's relative anonymity does come to an end soon a large part of the credit will be go to bar and B&B owner Giuseppe Romondia is the hub of Vico's social existence – one of those uniquely Italian cafés whose culinary excellence spans coffee patisserie and gelato (and has been officially recognized by Italy's Gambero Rosso bar guide) It was Romondia's idea to expand the family business into an eco-conscious and use the English and social-media skills he picked up during a year in New York to spread the word about this undiscovered corner of Italy you'll almost certainly encounter Giuseppe "You can still see women on the street doing their washing or making fresh pasta here," Romondia says "This is a place that still has tradition and deep culture Someone who grows up here can still play football in the street or in the historic centre We have a foot in the past and a foot in the future." the best way to get around the Gargano's spectacular landscapes is by car you'll be driving winding roads blessed with spectacular clifftop views of beaches and medieval towers plus – for anyone who's endured the white knuckle ride of the Amalfi Coast – a refreshing lack of traffic The only prep work required is to arm yourself with Romondia's contact book of friends He seemingly knows everyone on the entire peninsula and will call ahead to let them know you're coming It's a service that comes as standard – it's part of being a good host a mountaintop town with views stretching as far as Bari Its old town is a warren of sun-bleached alleys and stone staircases the Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo looks much like any other small Italian church But walk through its doors and instead of a traditional interior there are only stone steps lined with chapels and pews containing the devout delivering their prayers to Western Europe's oldest shrine to the archangel Michael who reportedly appeared in the cave to the local bishop in 490 Much more modern is Monte Sant'Angelo's other essential stop the Romondia-recommended restaurant La Taverna Li Jalantuumene and proceeded to theatrically hold court in the dining room between every course revealing his personal gastronomic philosophy ("I'm not interested in Michelin stars; I cook to my own standards") and happily snatching food off other diners' tables to show what we could have ordered An even more spectacular meal greeted us in Vico the next evening when Romondia suggested we try the trattoria L'Artistico Finding an unlit storefront with an unlocked door we're closed tonight," said owner Maurizio Tricarico puzzled as to why two foreigners were inside his restaurant "we're having some food for our staff and family Thus began a magical evening of grilled steaks and sausages accompanied by a never-ending stream of red wine and the charming company of the extended L'Artistico family Tricarico caught us reaching for our wallets we returned as paying customers the next day although the countless plates of their astonishing "sea" and "land" antipasto courses only left room for tiramisu but also so much more: The hospitality of L'Artistico's staff serves as a microcosm of the Gargano Peninsula an untouched chunk of Italy where the only thing you can expect is a warm welcome but it's the people you'll meet who prove that even as Puglia's global reputation grows there are still magical corners of this country waiting to be discovered Bari is the nearest airport to the Gargano Peninsula Flights arrive on a regular basis from London Public transit is minimal at best. There are no online timetables, so to figure out a feasible itinerary visit Ferrovie del Gargano at ferroviedelgargano.com/en All the major companies have offices in nearby Bari and Foggia There are countless hotels and B&Bs in the Gargano, mostly concentrated around Vieste, Peschici and Monte Sant'Angelo. Pizzicato Eco B&B in Vico del Gargano comes with the added benefit of welcome drinks and breakfasts in one of Puglia's top cafés and the recommendations of owner Giuseppe Romondia (@PizzicatoEcObEb). Rooms from €25-€45 a person per night; pizzicatobeb.com La Taverna Li Jalantuumene: Here, fine dining combines Puglian tradition with the creative influences of a chef on a mission to redefine eccentricity. Monte Sant'Angelo; li-jalantuumene.it L'Artistico: A rustic exterior can't disguise the brilliance of chef Leonardo Di Fine's flair for flavour. Enormous portions. Vico del Gargano; facebook.com/artisticorestaurant Il Trappeto: A flight of stairs leads into a cave containing an underground treasury of well-priced Puglian delicacies and wines. Vico del Gargano; cantinailtrappeto.it Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. 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For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions Michael the Archangel as protection from COVID-19Santuario San Michele | YouTube | Fair Use The sword was carried in procession along with the Blessed Sacrament and a relic of the Holy Cross through the southern Italian town of Gargano The Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo sul Gargano more commonly referred to as “Monte Gargano,” is located atop a mountain on a peninsula of land surrounded by the Adriatic sea It is the source of many legendary stories including one that explains why it is labeled the "Celestial Basilica." In 493 a local bishop in Italy was urged by an angelic messenger to establish a church at a nearby grotto he was about to say the necessary prayers to consecrate the area as a place to offer the sacrifice of the Mass he soon discovered that his services were not needed A popular retelling of the story reveals many miraculous events that happened on that day together with seven other Apulian bishops went in procession with the people and clergy of Siponto to the holy place During the procession a wonderful thing happened: some eagles sheltered the bishops from the rays of the sun with their outspread wings When they arrived at the grotto they found that a primitive altar had already been erected covered with a vermilion altar cloth and surmounted by a Cross; moreover they found the footprint of Saint Michael in the rock With immense joy the holy bishop offered the first divine Sacrifice .. The grotto itself is the only place of worship not consecrated by human hand and over the centuries has received the title of "Celestial Basilica." This "dedication" is celebrated annually on May 8 along with several other encounters with St Michael the Archangel that took place at this sacred site Monte Gargano became a center point of devotion to St attracting pilgrims from as far as the British Isles It is believed that many other churches dedicated to St Michael the Archangel received inspiration from this specific shrine 3 things you need to know about Monte Sant’Angelo It was here that one of the first sprint maps for orienteering was perfected and already in 2004 it hosted an international event with Scandinavian and Swiss athletes. Monte Sant’Angelo will return on 9 July, together with Vico del Gargano, to welcome one of the Official WMOC trainings during the WMOC 2022, whose tickets will undergo a new price change from 16 February lying along the crest of the mountain at 831 meters above sea level represents a spectacular balcony over the entire area Its uniqueness is renowned around the world but if you haven’t had the chance to discover it yet below are some excellent reasons not to miss its beauty IT’S ONE OF THE 4 UNESCO HERITAGE SITES IN PUGLIA Since 2011 Monte Sant’Angelo has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the Sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo which has been welcoming pilgrimages from all over the world since the 5th century It represents one of the most famous sacred places to the Archangel reachable by following a winding road that culminates with a magnificent viewpoint over the Manfredonia Gulf you enter the staircase of 86 steps towards the Grotta dell’Arcangelo site of one of the four San Michele apparitions Here you can read an inscription with his words: “Where the rock opens there the sins of men will be forgiven” Another testimony of the profound mysticism of Monte Sant’Angelo are the Pulsano Hermitages in the area surrounding the Abbey of Santa Maria of Pulsano between simple caves in the rocky wall and small constructions on cliffs IT’S CONNECTED TO ROME BY THE VIA FRANCIGENA OF THE SOUTH Monte Sant’Angelo and Rome are connected by the Via Micaelica The ancient itinerary from Castel Sant’Angelo to the Sanctuary of San Michele is at the center of a real historical and spiritual rediscovery a point reference for many pilgrims at an international level pilgrims traveling on the Via Francigena had different destinations but the shared dream was to reach the Holy Land in Jerusalem through a partly terrestrial and partly maritime route They often deviated north to climb right on Mount Gargano to the sanctuary of San Michele and invoke the protection of the Archangel in view of the long and difficult path to Christ’s tomb the landscape of the Via Francigena of the South is characterized by the alternation of typical karst sinkholes and sea views with large expanses of olive and citrus groves the Table of the Apulias is considered the granary of Italy has made its bread the prince of the table Strolling through the picturesque streets of the town you will be captivated by the large loaves of bread on display outside the bakeries Monte Sant’Angelo bread requires a long preparation that begins the day before cooking with the processing of natural yeast between 5 and 10 kg in weight up to a diameter of 80 cm takes place with the traditional method in a wood oven The pilgrims fed on it during the journey to the Holy Land after having found refreshment in the caves of the village Traveling to Puglia will be really exciting Copyright © 2022 WMOC Italy – P .IVA 05158960285 nestled among the lush vegetation typical of the Gargano and according to tradition has been the scene of several apparitions of the saint The shrine is arranged on several levels with a Romanesque-style facade and the unmistakable bell tower what makes the visit special is the large underground cave accessed by a staircase carved into the rock and containing numerous masterpieces There is no better place to understand the wealth of Gargano history and traditions than the Monte Sant’Angelo Civic Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions This large exhibition space is dedicated to the memory of local scholar Giovanni Tancredi and is housed in the 14th-century convent of San Francesco Walking through the three levels of the museum the traveler will have the opportunity to touch some of the typical elements of this territory and understand how it has been shaped by man over the centuries thanks to the numerous artifacts that tell of agricultural and pastoral civilization but also testify to the habits of ancient pilgrims or trades that have been lost At the northernmost point of the Gargano lies one of its brightest jewels Peschici is a seaside village perched on a rocky outcrop whose typical white houses overlook the Adriatic Sea Its historic center rises within the perimeter of the ancient medieval walls and is dominated by its ancient castle built by the Normans between the 10th and 11th centuries overlooking the sea Strolling through narrow alleys and small squares surrounded by the typical white houses on whose walls stand out many small details painted in pastel colors one comes across many noteworthy monuments that hold ancient treasures including the Abbey of Calena the Church of Purgatory and the Church of St Siponto is the initial nucleus of present-day Manfredonia but it was above all an important seaport and one of the most active Roman colonies in the entire region even though its history goes back much further Today a large archaeological area can be visited here that testifies to the importance Siponto achieved over the centuries before the swamping of the harbor and two violent earthquakes drove the inhabitants to move to the new town the vestiges of this great past are still clearly visible and are represented by the cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore It is to a square building completely rearranged in the 13th century and one of the greatest examples of Romanesque in Apulia At its side are the remains of an early Christian basilica with three naves and a mosaic floor since 2016 has been the work Where Art Reconstructs Time an installation by Edoardo Tresoldi that reconstructs the ancient early Christian temple It is an oasis of peace and tranquility where it is possible to discover the area at a slow pace following the many itineraries that allow you to admire up close the many wonders hidden among the valleys and slopes among ancient farms and fairy-tale villages the cathedral of Vieste is located at the highest part of the ancient medieval town and is certainly one of its best-known symbols Considered one of the most shining examples of the Apulian Romanesque style its construction dates back to the second half of the 11th century although it has since undergone numerous modifications as evidenced by the splendid bell tower rebuilt in a purely Baroque style in the late 1700s There are many things to see inside including the statue of the Madonna of Santa Maria di Merino a beautiful wooden sculpture from the 1300s that was found by some sailors on the beach at Vieste Vieste’s Swabian castle almost seems to rise straight out of the sea with its massive bulk overhanging the cliff Like an authentic arrowhead this ancient structure has been an impregnable stronghold of the territory’s defense for centuries Still today the castle is owned by the navy and for this reason it is opened to the public only on rare occasions it nevertheless represents one of the most scenic places both from which to admire the panorama of the coast and to photograph from afar Particularly striking is how the castle dominates Vieste’s main beach there is also the Pizzomunno a solitary monolith considered the symbol of the town These are some of the ingredients that make a visit to the small village of Mattinata Here you are sure to find some of the most scenic views of the entire Gargano such as those offered by the bay of Mergoli off the coast of which striking stacks emerge from the turquoise waters or the bay of the Zagare with its pristine sand framed by pine and lemon trees the town of Mattinata itself that probably deserves the most attention for how it has managed to keep itself intact and tied to the traditions of the land The Junno district is the most characteristic place thanks to the presence of the pajare typical buildings with very white facades and built side by side leaving no space between them The largest coastal lake in Italy and the seventh largest in the whole boot it is about 10 kilometers long and spreads for 7 within the Gargano promontory while it is divided from the sea only by a very thin strip of land Lake Varano has been central to the life of this entire part of the region and still represents a very important natural oasis coots and snipes are just a few of the many species of birds that populate this wonderful place not to mention the very rich vegetation that surrounds it Surrounded by hornbeams and ash trees, the sanctuary of St. Matthew is located a few kilometers from San Marco in Lamis and is one of the most important buildings of worship in the Gargano With a massive shape that almost recalls that of a medieval fortress it still retains evident traces of the passage of pilgrims who for centuries found refreshment and shelter here along the road that led them to the cave of the Archangel Michael at Monte Sant’Angelo is the center of a fervent cultural life thanks to the opening of a large library and museum that tell its story and with it that of the entire territory Michael: A line across EuropeProcy | Shutterstock A mysterious imaginary line links seven monasteries These seven sanctuaries are very far from each other and yet they are perfectly aligned (siviaggia.it) Launch the Slideshow below for a list of the sanctuaries The Sacred Line of Saint Michael the Archangel represents it is surprising how well these sanctuaries are But the details of such alignment are also astonishing: the three most important sites Mont Saint Michel in France; the Sacra of San Miguel in Val de Susa; and the Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo in the Gargano (which was historically celebrated on May 8 the date of the dedication of the church) are all the same distance one from the other Some say this is a reminder from the Holy Archangel: the faithful are expected to be righteous the Sacred Line also is perfectly aligned with the sunset on the day of the Northern Hemisphere's Summer Solstice (www.viagginews.com) Monte Sant’ Angelo and Mary Mackillop College participate in the Mercy Works 2021 Photography Day It is quite remarkable how connected we are to technology each day Mercy Connect had the idea to build on this relationship with technology to foster a human connection between two schools from quite different parts of Sydney gave students from two different schools the opportunity to meet and connect with someone new and to explore and photograph a new city together using their smartphones the global pandemic derailed any hopes of holding this event it was all systems go for the students of Mary MacKillop Catholic College learn how to use their smartphones to take better photos and explore Parramatta together As the city of Parramatta slowly emerged from the fog that had encased it overnight students from Mary MacKillop and Monte Sant’ Angelo made their way to the Mercy Works offices on Victoria Road for the Mercy Connect Photography Day on Monday 3 May the walk up to the third floor of the building certainly did Filling into the board room one by one and settling down The very first sparks in a new connection started to flicker around the room The day commenced with a small welcome from Sister Sally Bradley and an introduction about Mercy Works before jumping straight into learning about smartphone camera apps Ground rules were lain down with a strict no selfie rule imposed for the day The group learned about the startling exponential growth digital photo taking has seen in the past decade and how apps such as Tik Tok Snapchat and Instagram have seized our fascination and taken ideation of the camera to new heights After a very informative short presentation on how to take better photos with their phone the students paired up (one from each school) and headed out on their walking tour of Parramatta we often have a basic understanding about how to use these devices but we often overlook cheats tips or tricks that would make our user experience easier and produce better photos Simple changes to camera settings can make the photos taken so much better than they were before the picture is always bigger than our screen Altering the way you look at the world can happen in an instance or over time but through the lens of a camera you find you can freeze time forever in pixels Connecting these students to bring out the best in their imagination is the ultimate achievement of the day Improving their photo-taking skills and familiarity with the devices they carry around with them every day is just a bonus Having just over an hour to walk around the many streets of Parramatta and explore the sights the girls had the chance to further fan the first sparks of connection and bond over taking photos of the things they found intriguing Coming together over shared interests created an almost instant connection It was a delight to see these groups of students who had only just met interact like they had known each other for years Setting off in several directions exploring different parts of the city some groups headed for the city centre walking down Church Street while others crossed O’Connell Street and headed towards the Stadium and Parramatta Park Wandering around the sights of Parramatta taking pictures of various locations and buildings that captured their imagination was a most important part of the day as the girls chatted and decided the best scenes to photograph Once back together in the boardroom after lunch the students discussed and reflected on their journey Sharing photos and their experiences with each other was a revelation for everyone Seeing things differently from others is what makes life experience unique and being able to see another’s perspective of the same thing brought the students closer observing through the lens of the other person finding common ground and overcoming slight differences in what they saw Published with collaboration from Mercy Works Home » #MyPOVSorrento » A Trip to Monte Faito: Along “Il Cammino dell’Angelo” I had the unforgettable experience of exploring a portion of Monte Faito This mountain is the highest point on the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento Peninsula and a hang gliding take-off point located here I left Sorrento with three other Sant’Anna Institute students on the Circumvesuviana train around 8:00 am heading towards Castellammare di Stabia Upon arriving in the town otherwise known as the Castle of the Sea we purchased tickets for the cable car (funivia) The funivia takes you to Monte Faito from Castellammare di Stabia These tickets can be bought at the train station as the cable car station is just a number of steps away from the train station ticket booth The ride up the mountain was eight minutes of stunning 360-degree views the neighboring peninsular towns to the left and right and the glimmering gulf of Naples behind and below There is nothing quite like the feeling of being above cities and towns and below the peak of such a mountain something you can only feel at this kind of altitude After arriving at the top at the Funivia del Faito station we were greeted by cool mountain air (at least five degrees cooler than Sorrento) and we were welcomed by a local man from the nearby ristorante He eagerly handed us maps and recommended two hiking trail options Pointing at Il Santuario di San Michele Arcangelo (St Michael the Archangel Sanctuary) on the map We thanked him for his kindness and hospitality and we started on the trail known as Il Cammino dell’Angelo in the direction of the Santuario This path is about four kilometers from where we began near the funivia station and a majority of it was at a slight incline with a few semi-steep hills There were rocks and stones to step over and onto at certain points but with many places to rest and enjoy the views along the way overall it was a low intensity hike fit for beginner-level hikers One thing to note for any future Monte Faito hikers: Despite the cooler air on the mountain the warm summer makes for dry dirt that easily leads to a few slips and slides the hike itself was filled with gorgeous views Its lush greenery was a delightful discovery in such a coastal location making this mountain feel like an entirely separate world from the towns below Its thick canopy cast slivers of shadows and light through the leaves creating the sensation of being seen and hidden all at once we only saw three other people on the trail making it a quiet and peaceful site to enjoy the peninsula without the bustle of summertime crowds The man from the ristorante was right: we loved it the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel One of the statues is the Madonna dell’Accoglienza She stands directly in front of the view and to the left of the church (if you are facing the church) Surrounding her feet and the short fence around her are the memories of past visitors: beaded cross necklaces and other trinkets of religious honor She is truly the lady of welcoming in the way she brings you to her side to enjoy the vastness of such a powerful place The other statues are positioned in a scene together These bronze sculptures are of Saint Michael These two are the Patron Saints respectively of Castellammare di Stabia and Sorrento Saint Micheal (San Michele) can be identified as the center figure by the inscription of “Quis ut Deus,” a Latin phrase written on an extension from his left side at the level of his knees Andrew as stating that ‘Micheal’ means “Who is like God” in Hebrew This Latin phrase translates to “Who is like God,” therefore appearing on many images of San Michele Il Cammino dell’Angelo is the perfect excursion for nature lovers and pilgrims alike This path is rich with religious history and naturalistic gems In total the hike lasted roughly 90 minutes and we were back in Sorrento just after noon maybe even for the annual Cammino e Perdono del Faito The 19th Walk and Forgiveness of Faito is happening July 31 experiencemonte faitomypovsorrentonaturesorrento coast Questo sito web utilizza i cookie per migliorare la vostra esperienza durante la navigazione attraverso il sito web I cookie che vengono classificati come necessari vengono memorizzati sul tuo browser Questi vengono salvati in quanto sono essenziali per il funzionamento delle funzionalità di base del sito Utilizziamo anche cookie di terze parti che ci aiutano ad analizzare e capire come utilizzi questo sito Questi cookie saranno memorizzati nel tuo browser solo con il tuo consenso Hai anche la possibilità di opt-out di questi cookie Ma l'esclusione da alcuni di questi cookie può avere un effetto sulla vostra esperienza di navigazione The Gargano peninsula is a popular seaside haunt for Italians but now a new breed of young operators are offering low-impact activities away from the crowds greener breaks on Italy’s Gargano peninsulaThis article is more than 2 years oldThe Gargano peninsula is a popular seaside haunt for Italians Liz BoulterSat 29 Apr 2023 12.00 CESTShareThe forest was deep rare glimpses of blue sky through the dense canopy I’d have needed the jacket from my pannier Yet just that morning we’d been kayaking off a hot To many UK holidaymakers, Puglia means flying to Bari and visiting Polignano, Ostuni, Alberobello for the trulli, and maybe the baroque city of Lecce; few head north to the Gargano. (For non-flyers, however, Foggia, on the mainline from Milan, offers bus and train links across the peninsula. And a new bus service, Gargano Easy to Reach So instead of driving to a holiday village to lie on the beach and maybe take a motorboat trip to admire the cliffs and sea caves Michele suggests visitors try greener activities: cycling and kayaked among sea stacks under the cliffsWe’d started our day at Mattinatella A gorgeous beach of fine white shingle under low cliffs But we paddled Michele’s brilliant transparent canoes north round a headland and were soon in our own pristine world of clear jade sea and beaches inaccessible from the land We sunbathed and picnicked by the mouth of a cave and kayaked among sea stacks under chalk-white cliffs banded with layers of flint but only non-motorised craft are allowed to put ashore here where Michele has turned several little white terraces into holiday lets Each one-floor house is in a two-storey building They were built in the 1300s as lodgings for the pilgrims who flocked here for centuries before anyone had heard of “tourism” View image in fullscreenMonte Sant’Angelo offers great sea views from its 796-metre altitude Photograph: Getty ImagesAccording to tradition the archangel Michael appeared several times in a cave here in the late fifth century (The faithful still come to a big Saint Michael festival in September.) and bakeries in town offer all kinds of sourdough bread View image in fullscreenMichele Simone and wife Sara enjoying a panzerotto in Monte Sant’Angelo. Photograph: Liz BoulterAnother treat is panzerotto, deep-fried, folded pizza found from Bari northwards. The best are at takeaway Pizzeria SixtySeven in Monte mozzarella and a little ham (€3.50) by an elderly couple who make each one fresh and they once did a meat-free version for a German visitor.) For dessert a Neapolitan-run shop a few doors down sells nuvole (clouds) – small brioche shells filled with cream and ricotta and drenched in icing sugar but days of active pursuits allowed us extra calories On other days we hiked off the calories, first to sixth-century Pulsano Abbey with panoramic views of the Manfredonia gulf to the south Those with a head for heights can climb down to rock-hewn hermitages in the gorge side including one dedicated to Father Christmas himself Saint Nicholas of Myra (who is buried in Bari) featured trips and local tips for your next break as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays A walk on Monte Saraceno took us into prehistory and the 3,000-year-old Daunians, who buried their dead in foetal position, ready to be born again. On this outcrop over the sea, 400 round, basin-like graves sit in the rock in a glorious spot, with sea views stretching north to the Tremiti islands Michele is not the only young entrepreneur pushing sustainable Gargano: he collaborates with trekking companies Gargano Natour and Gargano Wunderland. This year they have teamed up to launch Gargano Green Card offering one-stop booking and discounts on green activities on the peninsula View image in fullscreenCala Molinella eco resort near ViesteOn the coast near Vieste, Michele also works with the Silvestri siblings, who have turned the family olive estate into Cala Molinella with stone-built apartments (from €500 a week for two) all solar-powered and furnished with reclaimed wood told us how food waste goes to the site’s pigs They run weekly supper clubs by the (desalinated water) pool with bar and sunbeds but also plenty of “free” sand has resurrected an important Gargano tradition For centuries people here lived by fishing but pirates and stormy seas made this perilous One man’s job would be to watch for shoals of fish from the end of one antenna and tell the guys on deck when to lower the huge net Pools in the rocky coast were used to keep fish alive to sell over several days View image in fullscreenThe Sivestris’ trabucco near Cala Molinella Photograph: Matteo SilvestriTrabucchi are now up for Unesco intangible heritage status (sponsored by the European Fisheries Fund) Matteo has refurbished one from the late 19th century that was crumbling into the water I watched in wonder as Natale and Giuseppe nipped about the apparatus like ships’ boys on rigging and the platform makes a stunning setting for Cala Molinella’s summer yoga classes “Our grandparents’ ways were green – they had no other choice The trip was provided by Dove andiamo sul Gargano which has village houses for two from €50 a night A NORTH Sydney school is believed to have become the first in NSW to ban bottled water and offer free tap-water refills to cut down on plastic waste Students at Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College pushed for the ban on the sale of bottled water at the canteen there have also been moves to get rid of ''unethical'' chocolate frogs and reduce packaging in school lunches Several schools in Sydney are about to adopt similar measures the environmental captain at Monte San't Angelo tests one of the bubblers the school installed after students pushed for a ban on the sale of bottled water.Credit: Marina Neil ''We'd just like to get the point out that the consumption of water from plastic bottles is completely unnecessary,'' said Claudia Saunders a year 10 student who has been appointed ''environmental captain'' ''At least with the water stations … the bottles are going to be used more than once.'' Ms Saunders said environmental plans had been the subject of healthy debate at the school ''I wouldn't say there has been any resistance but I guess a lot of people find it difficult to change behavioural patterns or realise that individual actions will actually make a difference.'' Banning bottles has proved a boon for the humble bubbler which is enjoying a resurgence in schools and public spaces the City of Sydney and Marrickville are all trying to limit sales of bottled water by installing more public drinking fountains Shopkeepers in the Southern Highlands town of Bundanoon banned the sale of bottled water last year and the main street was lined with drinking fountains The environmental campaigner Jon Dee said he had entertained dozens of inquiries from towns and councils about going down the same path But the Australian bottled water industry says sales have remained strong after a slight dip during the global financial crisis Students at Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College pushed for the ban on the sale of bottled water at the canteen there have also been moves to get rid of ''unethical'' chocolate frogs and reduce packaging in school lunches ''We'd just like to get the point out that the consumption of water from plastic bottles is completely unnecessary,'' said Claudia Saunders a year 10 student who has been appointed ''environmental captain'' ''At least with the water stations \\u2026 the bottles are going to be used more than once.'' ''I wouldn't say there has been any resistance or realise that individual actions will actually make a difference.'' Two students from North Sydney’s Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College were both recognised for their sporting achievements at Gymnastics NSW’s Annual Awards on Sunday represented the independent all-girls school at the award presentation at Doltone House in Pyrmont The pair were both separately awarded Aerobic Gymnastics Levels Group of the Year being recognised for their extraordinary achievements This included winning gold for Australia at the New Zealand Championships taking home gold at the State Championships as well as a silver at the Australian Gymnastics Championships on the Gold Coast last year Monte’s gymnastics club was also recognised titled Aerobic Gymnastics Levels Coaching Team of the Year Gymnastics NSW CEO Rebecca Shaw said it was exciting to celebrate the successes within the sport which has become the third most popular activity for children in the state with close to 72,000 participants in more than 200 affiliated clubs “We truly appreciate the dedicated people that make up our amazing and foundational sport,” Ms Shaw added with 99 NSW athletes and officials chosen to represent Australia across 197 assignments The body accumulated 45 international medals and came out as the top state at the Australian Gymnastics Championships “This is all possible because of the passion and unity of our community of clubs Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" U704 6A Glen St Milsons PointNSW 2061 Australia 02 8208 6077 Copyright © 2023 Decisive Publishing Pty Ltd Indigenous kids across several communities in southern Queensland will be the new owners of pre-loved football boots thanks to a group of dedicated and charitable students from Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College Astrid Lalor and Charlotte Ng dropped by the SCG recently to collect a box of used footy boots as part of a student-run drive to service disadvantaged indigenous communities The initiative involves the students collecting boots from local sporting clubs packaging them up and donating them to the regional centres of Dalby For many of the recipients in the AFL-loving townships it will be the first pair of boots they will own “The initiative started quite a few years ago and we’re continuing it on,” Jen said “We’ll be collecting the boots from our local community and around Sydney cleaning them out and making them usable again “We recognise that footy is a big thing in these communities and by providing kids with boots lets them play the game they love and the students reached out to Dr Noel Hayman and Sr Nola White from Inala Indigenous Health Service who then selected the destination “Aunty Julie has been instrumental in this whole process and we’re so appreciative of Dr Hayman and Sr Nola’s help,” Jen said “Through them we were able to provide boots to those communities who need them most “Many kids don’t get the opportunity to play because of a lack of equipment – that’s where we come in.” The Sydney Swans were on top of Holly’s list after she became a member for the first time in 2017 Holly and her family were in the stands for this year’s Marngrook at the SCG and Pride Game “They were really great games to be a part of as we saw first-hand the awareness these matches can raise about certain issues,” Holly said the students hope to take their drive all over Sydney Last the year’s efforts saw 106 football boots cleaned the girls are aiming much higher: “We hope to send up around 150 or 160 but we’re not putting a cap on it.” If you or your sporting club would like to donate to the cause, email haormsby18@student.monte.nsw.edu.au Luke Parker and Kieren Jack joins Jen Fong Isabelle Stephenson and Holly Ormsby in supporting the footy boot drive In this month's exclusive update for Sydney Swans Premiership Club members Assistant Coach Ben Mathews spoke candidly about the start to the season Swans defender James Jordon spoke to the media ahead of his 100th AFL game on Saturday as it has been adapted from the work of renowned Bidiagal artist Jordan Ardler Some familiar faces among some fresh young talent among statistical leaders in 2017 Relive the win against GWS Giants this past weekend at the SCG Go into the rooms with Juzzy as he chats to the boys with the Maccas Mic after our win over GWS Hear from Swans star James Jordon ahead of our Round 9 clash with Essendon The Sydney Swans have unveiled a new 2025 Marn Grook guernsey ahead of the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round Five Sydney Swans stars have polled votes from the coaches in Derby XXX The Sydney Swans acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country across all the lands on which we operate and play our great game Elders are the knowledge keepers of our culture and we respectfully acknowledge and pay our respects to the elders past Twenty-six young leaders from across Australia who create positive change in their communities through sport have been selected to attend the Australian Olympic Change-Maker Summit. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands on which we are located We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders We celebrate and honour all of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Olympians The Australian Olympic Committee is committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land waters and seas and their rich contribution to society and sport Some of Australia's most elite high-fee private schools are receiving taxpayer funding almost three times greater than their entitlements while other schools remain grossly underfunded official Education Department data reveals The finding bolsters Education Minister Simon Birmingham's claim that some schools are "over-funded" and may need to have their funding frozen under a new funding deal from 2018 The federal Department of Education data shows more than 150 private schools across Australia received funding above their Schooling Resourcing Standard in 2014 The Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) - the bedrock principle of the Gonski Review into school funding - measures how much government funding each school is entitled to an elite Catholic girls school in Sydney.Credit: Wade Laube Sources in the non-government school sector said the data amounts to a defacto "hit list" of schools that could have their funding cut under future funding arrangements In NSW 73 private schools schools received more than 100 per cent of their SRS while every public school in the state was funded below the appropriate level an elite Catholic girls school charging almost $19,000 a year in fees for senior students received 283 per cent of its funding entitlement making it the most "over-funded" school in the country an exclusive all girls school in north Sydney received 277 per cent of its SRS level while Saint Ignatius' College Riverview received 263 per cent Melbourne Grammar recorded a $8.3 million surplus more than the $7.3 million they were given in state and federal government funding Other elite schools in NSW that are over-funded include Sydney Grammar School Kincoppal-Rose Bay School and Kambala in Rose Bay The data shows all public and Catholic systemic schools in NSW and Victoria were under-funded compared to 65 per cent of private schools in those states Forty schools in Victoria were funded above their SRS entitlements Over-funded schools include Melbourne Grammar School which received 144 per cent of its SRS despite charging up to $30,360 a year in fees a primary school in South Yarra that charges parents up to $26,005 a year received 130 per cent of its SRS entitlement education program director at the Grattan Institute said the over-funding revealed in the data reflected decades of complicated deals between governments and different school funding sectors The Gillard government's Gonski reforms while offering more money to needy schools had locked in the problem by guaranteeing no school would be worse off and offering private schools generous indexation rates "That went against all principles of needs-based funding and dramatically blew out the costs," Mr Goss said He said emergency action should be taken to stop the disparity between schools worsening "Every dollar that goes to a school funded above its SRS is a dollar that cannot go to a school that needs it more," he said "Under the current legislation it will take decades to return those schools that are significantly over-funded to the needs-based standard schools that are over-funded should not get annual increases - their funding should be frozen." Senator Birmingham said he would not buckle in the face of "scaremongering" from Labor about a schools "hit list" and that he was determined to end the inequalities between states and school sectors Independent Schools Council of Australia executive director Colette Colman said that hitting independent schools deemed to be over-funded would only save the Commonwealth government 0.5 per cent of its total spending on schools Many of the schools that are technically over-funded include low-fee schools and others specialising in students with disabilities The data shows a great level of disparity between schools with some private schools funded well below their SRS entitlement public schools in the ACT were funded at 115 per cent of their SRS and public schools in Western Australia at 99.7 per cent National Catholic Education Commission executive director Ross Fox said: "The number one priority must be to move schools and systems towards funding that reflects their needs not to impose cuts or draw up a 'hit list'." Loreto Kirribilli Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 283% Annual fees (senior years): $18,675 Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 277% Annual fees (senior years): $19,680 Saint Ignatius' College Riverview Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 263% Annual fees (senior years): $25,680 Brigidine College St Ives Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 197% Annual fees $16,330 Northern Beaches Christian School Terrey Hills Government funding to school resourcing standard: 184% Annual fees (senior years) $13,990 special school for students with disabilities Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 165% Fees: NA Melbourne Grammar School Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 144% Annual fees (senior years): $30,360 Al Siraat College Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 135% Annual fees (senior years): $2,732 Christ Church Grammar School South Yarra Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 130% Annual fees (senior years) $26,005 Insight Education Centre for the Blind and Vision Impaired Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 126% Annual fees: NA Follow us on Twitter Some of Australia's most elite high-fee private schools are receiving taxpayer funding almost three times greater than their entitlements while other schools remain grossly underfunded The finding bolsters and may need to have their funding frozen under a new funding deal from 2018 The shows more than 150 private schools across Australia received funding above their Schooling Resourcing Standard in 2014 Sources in the non-government school sector said the data amounts to a defacto \\\"hit list\\\" of schools that could have their funding cut under future funding arrangements making it the most \\\"over-funded\\\" school in the country received 277 per cent of its SRS level while Saint Ignatius' College Riverview received 263 per cent \\\"That went against all principles of needs-based funding and dramatically blew out the costs,\\\" Mr Goss said \\\"Every dollar that goes to a school funded above its SRS is a dollar that cannot go to a school that needs it more,\\\" he said \\\"Under the current legislation it will take decades to return those schools that are significantly over-funded to the needs-based standard schools that are over-funded should not get annual increases - their funding should be frozen.\\\" Senator Birmingham said he would not buckle in the face of \\\"scaremongering\\\" from Labor about a schools \\\"hit list\\\" and that he was determined to end the inequalities between states and school sectors National Catholic Education Commission executive director Ross Fox said: \\\"The number one priority must be to move schools and systems towards funding that reflects their needs not to impose cuts or draw up a 'hit list'.\\\" Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 277% Annual fees (senior years): $19,680 Saint Ignatius' College Riverview Government funding to School Resourcing Standard: 263% Annual fees (senior years): $25,680 Brigidine College A former high school science teacher who used encrypted websites to browse child porn forums with titles like "Magic Kingdom" and "Childs play" has avoided jail over child pornography charges a former science teacher at the exclusive North Sydney private girls school Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College showed little emotion when he appeared at the Downing Centre on Friday He had previously pleaded guilty to both charges of using a carriage service to access child pornography and possessing child abuse material On Friday he was sentenced in the District Court to 18 months and 12 months imprisonment for each charge both to be served by way of intensive corrections order in the community Robert Zitzelsperger leaves the Downing Center District Court in Sydney after avoiding jail over child pornography charges.Credit: AAP The 51-year-old was targeted by Australian Federal Police in May last year when a search warrant was executed at his Naremburn home on Sydney's lower north shore That day officers seized an ASUS laptop computer containing child pornography and a spiral notepad in which seven handwritten usernames and passwords were listed for "TOR" website browsers TOR browsers allow users to use the internet anonymously by encrypting and decrypting internet traffic A total of 12 images were found on the laptop the majority of which depicted sexual activity between children or adults and children Using the passwords in the seized spiral notebook AFP officers accessed four "TOR" websites with names such as "Magic Kingdom," "Childs play," "Princess Jade" and "Video" Each website supported a different password including "Drewl" and "TheyLikeMe" AFP members viewed images of child exploitation material with the tagline "chatting about the girls we love" "AFP members observed live conversations in the chat site with the usernames 'Dante' 'teachergradeseven' and 'teenlover'," a statement of facts tendered to the court revealed In an interview following the search of his home Zitselsperger admitted that he owned the spiral notebook and email addresses that had been used to access TOR website He also admitted that he first accessed the websites a couple of years ago accessing it "for research purposes and [to] read the content on forum discussions" Judge Dina Yehia first delivered her judgment in August this year At sentencing on Friday she said two years or less was an appropriate period of imprisonment for each charge by a senior Corrective Services NSW psychologist .. assessed the offender as low risk of sexual offending He has been assessed as suitable for an intensive corrections order." Judge Yehia described the mandatory conditions of Zitzelsperger's sentence as "very onerous," including only residing at approved premises receiving visits from his supervisor at any time submitting to searches and undertaking a minimum 32 hours of community service each month He is also required to forfeit the seized laptop computer and the notebook the principal of Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College confirmed the Zitzelsperger's employment was terminated in June 2016 when the school was made aware of the charges "I would like to reiterate that the police investigation did not find any connection with any other teacher or member of the Monte staff," she said no criminal activities were conducted during school time or using school equipment." Mrs Christensen said "Monte and its staff find any form of child pornography totally abhorrent and applaud the AFP for its efforts in uncovering and prosecuting such conduct in our society" A former high school science teacher who used encrypted websites to browse child porn forums with titles like \\\"Magic Kingdom\\\" and \\\"Childs play\\\" has avoided jail over child pornography charges a former science teacher at the exclusive North Sydney private girls school Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College when a search warrant was executed at his Naremburn home on Sydney's lower north shore in which seven handwritten usernames and passwords were listed for \\\"TOR\\\" website browsers AFP officers accessed four \\\"TOR\\\" websites with names such as \\\"Magic Kingdom,\\\" \\\"Childs play,\\\" \\\"Princess Jade\\\" and \\\"Video\\\" including \\\"Drewl\\\" and \\\"TheyLikeMe\\\" AFP members viewed images of child exploitation material with the tagline \\\"chatting about the girls we love\\\" \\\"AFP members observed live conversations in the chat site with the usernames 'Dante' 'teachergradeseven' and 'teenlover',\\\" a statement of facts tendered to the court revealed accessing it \\\"for research purposes and [to] read the content on forum discussions\\\" He has been assessed as suitable for an intensive corrections order.\\\" Judge Yehia described the mandatory conditions of Zitzelsperger's sentence as \\\"very onerous,\\\" including only residing at approved premises the principal of Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College confirmed the Zitzelsperger's employment was terminated in June 2016 \\\"I would like to reiterate that the police investigation did not find any connection with any other teacher or member of the Monte staff,\\\" she said no criminal activities were conducted during school time or using school equipment.\\\" Mrs Christensen said \\\"Monte and its staff find any form of child pornography totally abhorrent and applaud the AFP for its efforts in uncovering and prosecuting such conduct in our society\\\" The last time Ornella Byak came to North Sydney’s oldest watering hole was after her year 12 graduation except being here with friends and friends’ parents – and that a difficult phase of her life was over the young entrepreneur and charity warrior was hoping to fulfil a promise she made to herself in Timor-Leste when she was 14 Her peers were getting cars for their 18th birthdays but Byak was thinking that sort of money could build a classroom across the Timor Sea Ornella Byak outside the Rag & Famish Hotel Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College.Credit: Edwina Pickles She would go on to study technology and innovation at the University of Technology Sydney leave a volunteer group she helped found after that trip set up a board of directors and a team of volunteers become a chief executive and build the foundations for a new education system that one day may change the country she now calls home It’s been nearly seven months since the 25-year-old sold her apartment packed everything she owned into four bags convinced her boss she could work remotely and moved to a rural township in Australia’s smallest northern neighbour with her dog She’s back on a short trip to Sydney and Melbourne to speak at the youth event Stand Tall and see donors and her employer I take the opportunity to meet a young woman who has devoted her life to improving the lot of young people in another nation Homesick for a steak and beer on tap: Byak’s 250g rump steak with mash We pick the Rag & Famish Hotel mainly because having settled in Same Byak is desperate for a beer on tap and a good Aussie steak It takes us no time at all to order exactly that She spends a few extra seconds considering the beers “I like to know my options before making a decision,” she says giving me an early clue to her personality Her medium rare 250g rump steak comes with mash a chicken parma with salad and chips and a glass of rosé Making my parma “no ham” is an easy tick on the order; Byak shakes her head with a smile And therein lies the kernel of her drive: Why should she have an easy life and a privileged education while children in developing nations struggle and have little schooling “Just because I was born here and they were born there her blue eyes dancing with animation as she describes the Timorese kids now attending the school she opened a little over a year ago The Bakhita School of Excellence is her love BETTER founder and chief executive Ornella Byak has plotted the charity’s future until at least 2040 We go back a long way for such a short life: she was social justice captain in primary school then attended Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College a private Catholic school immediately across the road from where we sit she was always devoted to causes but was taught by her parents to pitch for her every wish She recounts making PowerPoint presentations to obtain approval for things other teenagers take for granted: a new phone The idea was to appreciate the value of things at the Rag & Famish.Credit: Edwina Pickles She revealed to the Stand Tall audience that she’s been medicated for depression since age 13 and that she She left home at 16 and lived for a while with her aunt former chief executive of the Accor Group in Australia Derry is also Byak’s godmother and something of a mentor to her Byak first went to Timor after finding an ad in a church bulletin promoting a trip to the Saint Josephine Bakhita Centre which was named after the Sudanese saint who lived in Italy Bakhita was Byak’s own confirmation saint and her mother’s name is Josephine She highlighted the coincidences in the presentation to her parents and I managed to sell it.” And so mother and daughter set off with other churchgoers on the trip as the group was leaving with notes on needs ranging from sanitation to health and education Byak threw herself head-first into the idea of improving education in the country because “I was getting a very expensive education here in Sydney a pitch she has made again and again to investors After that project and another launching an e-learning program she realised she needed to reform the curriculum she founded BETTER (Building East Timor Through Education and Resources) to establish her own K-12 school She then wrote to 700 potential sponsors and was met either with silence or remarks about her young age But, as Derry says, Byak does not take no for an answer. Now the school is in its second year (Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta, its patron, opened it along with Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva) and the foundation has raised more than $350,000 she wrote back to 300 of those on the original list with proof of results and a plea for more She needs more money because she has already plotted the charity’s business case until 2040 there will be a larger Bakhita School of Excellence built on five hectares donated by ancestral landowners in Same staff accommodation and brick-making facilities Its partial opening is slated for April 2025 there will be two more schools in 2026 and 2028 which has been developed by volunteer educators in Australia based on the Timorese curriculum with elements of the Australian one Ramos-Horta has no doubts that Byak will achieve those goals she actually works hard every day,” he says Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva and Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta officially open the Bakhita School of Excellence in Same Timor-Leste, with a population of 1.3 million, is a young nation that became independent only in 2002. Its population is also very young—some 50 per cent are under 19. In 2020, UNICEF estimated that 47.8 per cent of Timorese children were living under the national poverty line If Byak succeeds in helping remake the education of the current generation and set up that of the next she will likely make a much bigger contribution to the country than she ever thought possible we were taught to think about reaching for the stars and the moon you could get an outcome in the middle here,” she says adding that it would already be a lot more than if one’s sights were set lower Her motivation is a set of census and UNICEF numbers she takes with her everywhere: 58 per cent of the Timorese population left or never attended school; 92 per cent of students don’t make it to year 10; 70 per cent of year 1 students fail basic learning outcomes Ornella Byak and staff with school kids in Same Her goal is to teach 650 K-12 students a year in each of three schools to provide a standard of education not dissimilar to the one she experienced but for very little – parents contribute four hours of service or $8 worth of farm produce a month “I’m very pleased and touched that Ornella has become so committed to Timor-Leste and young people’s education and has made an effort in Timor-Leste and Australia to build this English language school in Same,” Ramos-Horta says of the charity worker on whom he bestowed the Order of Timor-Leste last year She constantly has to prove that her methods achieve results and aren’t just the pipe dream of another well-intentioned Australian Ornella Byak received the Medal of Order of Timor-Leste for her services to education The school currently operates out of a church-donated building that BETTER renovated and adapted for purpose It provides two nutritious meals a day for 101 students in four classrooms where lessons are taught in Tetum and English and where they also learn Portuguese Byak’s progress report says it has already achieved an average attendance of 93 per cent compared with the census figure of 36 per cent for six-year-olds across the country They and the staff are her new family and friends whom she watches over like a mother-hen even driving them back after monthly staff parties at her house I don’t want them to drive.” So she takes them home late She is hoping to make a contribution to the parents’ education too The school offers English classes to adults and holiday homework is also designed with them in mind who sleeps an average of four or five hours a night to learn how to be a good chief executive in a hurry I look for different ways to solve problems I need lots of different perspectives and different approaches “My thinking is very different and challenging I want to roll it out to the entire country.” “I watch reality TV so I can escape to someone else’s world and not mine Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here. The last time Ornella Byak came to North Sydney\\u2019s oldest watering hole was after her year 12 graduation, nearly seven years ago. She doesn\\u2019t remember much of that day, except being here with friends and friends\\u2019 parents \\u2013 and that a difficult phase of her life was over. Then, the young entrepreneur and charity warrior was hoping to fulfil a promise she made to herself in Timor-Leste when she was 14. \\u201CIt was a weird time, to be honest,\\u201D she says. Her peers were getting cars for their 18th birthdays but Byak was thinking that sort of money could build a classroom across the Timor Sea. She would go on to study technology and innovation at the University of Technology Sydney, leave a volunteer group she helped found after that trip, establish a charity, set up a board of directors and a team of volunteers, forge a career in private equity, build contacts, become a chief executive and build the foundations for a new education system that one day may change the country she now calls home. We pick the Rag & Famish Hotel mainly because having settled in Same, rural Timor-Leste, Byak is desperate for a beer on tap and a good Aussie steak. It takes us no time at all to order exactly that, via QR code, of course. She spends a few extra seconds considering the beers. \\u201CI like to know my options before making a decision,\\u201D she says, giving me an early clue to her personality. She picks a schooner of Asahi Super Dry. Her medium rare 250g rump steak comes with mash, a creamy mushroom sauce and green beans. She\\u2019s rapt. I take the other pub staple, a chicken parma with salad and chips and a glass of ros\\u00E9. Making my parma \\u201Cno ham\\u201D is an easy tick on the order; Byak shakes her head with a smile, things are so different in Australia. And therein lies the kernel of her drive: Why should she have an easy life and a privileged education while children in developing nations struggle and have little schooling, if any at all? \\u201CJust because I was born here and they were born there? That\\u2019s not right.\\u201D Byak is all in black with no make-up, her hair natural and flowing, her blue eyes dancing with animation as she describes the Timorese kids now attending the school she opened a little over a year ago. \\u201CMy kids, yes, they are my kids\\u201D, she says, beaming. The Bakhita School of Excellence is her love. \\u201CI learnt transactional skills,\\u201D she says. \\u201CIt was very much tough love.\\u201D Adolescence was complicated. She revealed to the Stand Tall audience that she\\u2019s been medicated for depression since age 13 and that she, too, has self-doubts, but her goals keep her going. She left home at 16 and lived for a while with her aunt, Sarah Derry, former chief executive of the Accor Group in Australia, and her cousins. Derry is also Byak\\u2019s godmother and something of a mentor to her, but she says, \\u201CIt works both ways.\\u201D \\u201CShe\\u2019s an incredible young woman, and I\\u2019m in awe of her,\\u201D Derry says. \\u201CShe\\u2019s a force of nature.\\u201D \\u201CEver since she was a little girl, she\\u2019s had a need to make a contribution, to help other people.\\u201D Byak first went to Timor after finding an ad in a church bulletin promoting a trip to the Saint Josephine Bakhita Centre, which was named after the Sudanese saint who lived in Italy. Bakhita was Byak\\u2019s own confirmation saint and her mother\\u2019s name is Josephine. She highlighted the coincidences in the presentation to her parents. \\u201CThat was my sales pitch, and I managed to sell it.\\u201D And so mother and daughter set off with other churchgoers on the trip. After five days, as the group was leaving with notes on needs ranging from sanitation to health and education, a girl approached her and said, \\u201CPlease don\\u2019t forget about us\\u201D. Byak threw herself head-first into the idea of improving education in the country because, \\u201CI was getting a very expensive education here in Sydney, surely I can do something with that\\u201D. It\\u2019s a story she has told many times, a pitch she has made again and again to investors. With the church group, she helped redevelop a senior school. After that project and another launching an e-learning program, she realised she needed to reform the curriculum, not just the infrastructure. At 19, she founded BETTER (Building East Timor Through Education and Resources) to establish her own K-12 school. She then wrote to 700 potential sponsors and was met either with silence or remarks about her young age. But, as Derry says, Byak does not take no for an answer. Now the school is in its second year (), and the foundation has raised more than $350,000, she wrote back to 300 of those on the original list with proof of results and a plea for more. Ramos-Horta has no doubts that Byak will achieve those goals. \\u201CYes, it can happen. She is a very smart and pragmatic person. She doesn\\u2019t just daydream about something, she actually works hard every day,\\u201D he says. Timor-Leste, with a population of 1.3 million, is a young nation that became independent only in 2002. Its population is also very young\\u2014some 50 per cent are under 19. In 2020, that 47.8 per cent of Timorese children were living under the national poverty line. If Byak succeeds in helping remake the education of the current generation and set up that of the next, she will likely make a much bigger contribution to the country than she ever thought possible. \\u201CAt UTS, we were taught to think about reaching for the stars and the moon. If you\\u2019re thinking out there, you could get an outcome in the middle here,\\u201D she says, gesticulating, adding that it would already be a lot more than if one\\u2019s sights were set lower. Her motivation is a set of census and UNICEF numbers she takes with her everywhere: 58 per cent of the Timorese population left or never attended school; 92 per cent of students don\\u2019t make it to year 10; 70 per cent of year 1 students fail basic learning outcomes. Her goal is to teach 650 K-12 students a year in each of three schools to provide a standard of education not dissimilar to the one she experienced, but for very little \\u2013 parents contribute four hours of service or $8 worth of farm produce a month. \\u201CI\\u2019m very pleased and touched that Ornella has become so committed to Timor-Leste and young people\\u2019s education, our young children, and has made an effort in Timor-Leste and Australia to build this English language school in Same,\\u201D Ramos-Horta says of the charity worker on whom he bestowed the Order of Timor-Leste last year. It hasn\\u2019t been without its challenges, of course, infrastructure and politics included. She constantly has to prove that her methods achieve results and aren\\u2019t just the pipe dream of another well-intentioned Australian. The school currently operates out of a church-donated building that BETTER renovated and adapted for purpose. It provides two nutritious meals a day for 101 students in four classrooms, where lessons are taught in Tetum and English and where they also learn Portuguese. Byak\\u2019s progress report says it has already achieved an average attendance of 93 per cent, compared with the census figure of 36 per cent for six-year-olds across the country. She draws strength from the children, their smiles and accomplishments. They and the staff are her new family and friends whom she watches over like a mother-hen, even driving them back after monthly staff parties at her house. \\u201CI just want them to relax. Most don\\u2019t have cars, some have motorbikes, I don\\u2019t want them to drive.\\u201D So she takes them home late, and waits until they go inside. \\u201CIf they\\u2019re out, I wait up for their text messages, or they get a call from me.\\u201D She is hoping to make a contribution to the parents\\u2019 education too. The school offers English classes to adults and holiday homework is also designed with them in mind. Byak, who sleeps an average of four or five hours a night, says she \\u201Cthinks differently\\u201D. She has mentors, two or three at a time, to learn how to be a good chief executive in a hurry. \\u201CI don\\u2019t think in a box. I don\\u2019t believe there is a box. I look for different ways to solve problems, particularly in a developing context. I need lots of different perspectives and different approaches. \\u201CMy thinking is very different and challenging. I have aspirations ... I don\\u2019t just want to look at one school. I want to roll it out to the entire country.\\u201D Does Byak ever relax? The question is met with laughter. It takes her a minute to find the answer. \\u201CI watch reality TV so I can escape to someone else\\u2019s world and not mine. It turns my brain off for a bit. And I drive around the country a lot. \\u201CSo, no, not much.\\u201D More laughs. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what\\u2019s making headlines around the world. . The Government say some wealthy private schools get too much Commonwealth money. (www.freeimages.com: datarec) Link copiedShareShare articleSome of Australia's top private schools receive nearly three times the taxpayer funding they are entitled to under the Gonksi model, Federal Government data has revealed. Meanwhile public school systems in every state and territory — except Western Australia and the ACT — get less than the minimum amount. Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham earlier this week said some wealthy private schools get too much Commonwealth money, which he indicated could be cut. Loreto Kirribilli — a Catholic girls' school metres from Sydney Harbour that charges more than $18,000 per student in year 12 — receives 283 per cent of its entitlement under the School Resourcing Standard (SRS). North Sydney's Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College — a Catholic girls' school that charges nearly $20,000 per year for senior students — gets 277 per cent of its entitlement. The SRS is the minimum amount each student should receive and is made up of federal and state ongoing funding. The SRS system started when Labor implemented the Gonski school funding model and is adjusted for each school based on need. But the former government also promised no school would be worse off, meaning taxpayer support for some independent schools would remain above the SRS for decades. Education Department figures — provided after questions in a Senate estimates hearing — show public funding schools received in 2014 relative to their SRS. In the ACT, Anglican school Radford College receives nearly 200 per cent of its SRS, while Brisbane's Hillbrook Anglican School in Brisbane gets 178.1 per cent of its SRS entitlement. Melbourne Grammar School — where annual tuition fees exceed $30,000 from year nine — receives 144 per cent of its entitlement. Catholic school systems nationwide are also below the minimum standard. The Friends' School (TAS) 92 per cent Topic:Food and Beverage Processing Industry CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) A monumental steel sculpture by Anglo-Indian artist Anish Kapoor (Mumbai 1954) has been placed at the exit of the Monte Sant’Angelo subway station on Viale Traiano in Naples.The sculpture pairs with another made by the same artist in Corten steel and placed in 2017 at the station’s main entrance the Campania region’s transportation company the work is "a descent to the underworld through symbolism reminiscent of the female genital organ." The monumental sculpture was placed in its final position in an exceptional transport carried out by the company Webuild with the collaboration cell Naples Municipal Police “After two years since Eav took over the commissarial management,” says President Umberto De Gregorio “we can say that we have given a positive turn to the work that started back in 2003 The goal of opening the first section of the line is within reach: by 2023 if there are no other bureaucratic hiccups or with the construction company Citizens are interested first and foremost in the entry into service of the line that will finally connect Montesanto with the University of Monte Sant’Angelo.” The Monte Sant’Angelo station is not yet active: the intervention has been in the works for many years Band society ‘Għaqda Madonna tal-Grazzja Banda San Mikiel’ of Żabbar has just experienced its eleventh visit abroad the St Michael’s band was invited during its 135th year of its foundation as a Żabbar philharmonic society to play at the great festivities organized in devotion to St Michael the Archangel in Monte Sant’Angelo in Foggia Monte Sant’Angelo is a picturesque village at the heart of Gargano National Park and is a great attraction to tourists with two sites listed as World Heritage Sites The place also attracts any pilgrims as Monte Sant’Angelo houses the Basilica Sanctuary of St Michael the same place where legend says that he made three appearances A procession was held with the ‘Sagra Spada’ and the St Michael statue which lies in the cave where ‘Banda San Mikiel’ participated in the procession and played various musical compositions The procession was accompanied by a number of different fraternities from various localities and with the participation of the Diocese bishop and children dressed as angels Thousands of people from various localities in Italy and other countries attended the feast Banda San Mikel was invited to participate again in the closing of festivities during a parade consisting of four bands: the Bands of Citta’ di Monte Sant’Angelo San Severo Symphonic Band and the ‘Għaqda Madonna tal-Grazzja Banda San Mikiel Żabbar’ the Banda San Mikiel will be participating in musical events in three different countries PREPARATIONS for actress Nicole Kidman and country singer Keith Urban’s anticipated June 25 wedding have helped guide her back to the Catholic Church coming back to the Church and her faith in her old parish,” said Jesuit Father Paul Coleman a longtime friend of the Kidman family who advised them on the annulment of Nicole’s marriage to Tom Cruise Fr Coleman is chaplain at Mary Mackillop Chapel in North Sydney one of two Jesuit-run parishes in Sydney archdiocese Nicole mentioned the chapel as a possible wedding venue and the parish is where Nicole and her sister attended Good Friday and Easter Sunday services there Fr Coleman said the chapel has no booking for the wedding Fr Coleman said Nicole’s other speculated pick for her wedding “I don’t believe either chapel is large enough to accommodate such a social wedding,” he said it has been reported that Nicole has studied theology at Pepperdine University in Malibu as “a return to her Catholic roots” The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929 accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians who have walked upon and cared for this land for thousands of years We acknowledge the continued deep spiritual attachment and relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader A recent experiment conducted by American researchers examining the relationship between girls’ only schooling and competitive behavior found girls from a single-sex school are more competitive than their female peers at a closely-matched co-educational school The competitive behaviours are comparable to that of co-educated males Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College students are accustomed to an empowering environment Risk taking and competition in all-girls’ schools further investigated the developmental nature of this behavior by comparing choices made by younger students (grades 7 and 8) with those of older students (grades 11 and 12) finding that although girls educated in a single sex environment are the most risk averse The researchers note the results lend ‘texture’ to the hypothesis that nurture matters in debates about gender differences The experiment adds to a body of research showing diverse benefits for girls attending single-sex schools where girls are encouraged to take positive risks that can lead to personal triumphs – and greater confidence The research comes as no surprise to Australian educators working in the field.“In all-girls schools the expectation is that females can and will do it all,” says Mrs Nicole Christensen the principal of Sydney’s Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College.Pymble Ladies’ College principal Dr Kate Hadwen agrees Pymble Ladies’ College principal Dr Kate Hadwen also indicate girls from a co-educational school perform better within majority-female groups The findings support earlier research including studies that found pupils educated in an all-female environment were more likely to take chances and push past bias than their co-ed peers “When it comes to taking risks to achieve their potential girls’ schools play a key role,” says Mrs Christensen “Not only do they provide invaluable role-models for their students but they equip them with an education that can serve as an inoculation against the more damaging elements of a patriarchal society.” Learning the value of pushing past your comfort zone is part of the Pymble philosophy “Instilling a competitive spirit may explain in part, why researchers Watson, Quatman and Elder found that girls at single-sex schools had higher real career aspirations than girls at co-educational schools,” she says “Our teachers do not have to be reminded of the potential inequity in classroom experiences the domination of attention and voice that can skew teaching towards the males in the classroom in co-educational environments,” she says “These classrooms run the risk of being a microcosm of Australia’s prevailing blinkered view of men and women’s contribution and capacity.” A recent experiment conducted by American researchers examining the relationship between girls\\u2019 only schooling and competitive behavior found girls from a single-sex school are more competitive than their female peers at a closely-matched co-educational school Risk taking and competition in all-girls\\u2019 schools The researchers note the results lend \\u2018texture\\u2019 to the hypothesis that nurture matters in debates about gender differences where girls are encouraged to take positive risks that can lead to personal triumphs \\u2013 and greater confidence The research comes as no surprise to Australian educators working in the field.\\u201CIn all-girls schools the expectation is that females can and will do it all,\\u201D says Mrs Nicole Christensen the principal of Sydney\\u2019s Monte Sant\\u2019 Angelo Mercy College.Pymble Ladies\\u2019 College principal Dr Kate Hadwen agrees \\u201CThe research shows that single-sex schooling is immensely beneficial for girls not only in terms of character development but also academically,\\u201D says Dr Hadwen.\\u00A0She goes on to reference British academic Dr Alice Sullivan who found that girls from all girls\\u2019 schools are at school and pursue university studies and careers in STEM fields \\u201CWhen it comes to taking risks to achieve their potential girls\\u2019 schools play a key role,\\u201D says Mrs Christensen \\u201CNot only do they provide invaluable role-models for their students but they equip them with an education that can serve as an inoculation against the more damaging elements of a patriarchal society.\\u201D \\u201CInstilling a competitive spirit may explain in part Quatman and Elder found that girls at single-sex schools had than girls at co-educational schools,\\u201D she says \\u201COur teachers do not have to be reminded of the potential inequity in classroom experiences the domination of attention and voice that can skew teaching towards the males in the classroom in co-educational environments,\\u201D she says \\u201CThese classrooms run the risk of being a microcosm of Australia\\u2019s prevailing blinkered view of men and women\\u2019s contribution and capacity.\\u201D By Christopher Harris and Angus Thomson The state’s public school children will be the first in Australia to be banned from accessing the powerful artificial intelligence robot ChatGPT in the classroom after the NSW Department of Education put the controversial technology behind a firewall But private school principals approached by The Sun-Herald will allow students to access the sophisticated tech when school begins in just over a week’s time – saying teachers had a duty to prepare pupils for the future could easily spot plagiarised writing and said the new technology would reduce teacher workload ChatGPT has sent the education world into a spin since it was launched less than two months ago because of its powerful ability to compose convincing pieces of human-like writing in response to almost any prompt or specific instruction ChatGPT has prompted universities to alter how they assess students been used for plagiarised and banned in New York City schools.Credit: istock New York City’s department of education blocked access to it earlier this month on school networks because the tool did not help students build their critical thinking and problem-solving skills Australian universities last month updated their academic integrity policies and from this year will make students sit more pen and paper exams so there are less opportunities to plagiarise work with ChatGPT – which has already occurred at a handful of universities in the US the NSW Department of Education’s acting deputy secretary for learning improvement said the ban in schools would be in place while a review was under way “The Department of Education will be restricting student access to generative AI applications on student devices or using their own device on the department’s network,” she said “This will take effect from the start of the new school year and will be in place while we review how to safely and appropriately use this emerging technology in the classroom “The department will also be providing further guidance to teachers on our robust assessment practices in place to ensure all students play by the rules.” One of the central reasons for the ban by the department is the threat of exposing children to explicit and harmful content while its terms and conditions say users must be over the age of 18 Sydney Catholic Schools chief executive Tony Farley said there would be no blanket directive to ban ChatGPT at the 149 schools in his diocese while the Diocese of Parramatta also has not issued a ban Queenwood principal Elizabeth Stone said teachers could spot plagiarised work and said ChatGPT was limited when it came to higher level critical analysis or evaluation Queenwood principal Elizabeth Stone said teachers could find ChatGPT useful to save time.Credit: James Brickwood have real potential to reduce teacher workload by quickly producing draft worksheets quizzes and simpler tasks which establish the foundation of knowledge,” she said “More efficiency here releases teachers to apply their expertise to the higher level tasks – and that’s a win for both students and teachers.” St Andrew’s Cathedral School head Dr Julie McGonigle said while the technology appeared to make cheating easier she said a heavy weighting on final exams meant it was not a significant issue hand-in tasks are first crafted in the classroom and submitted in draft form before final submission,” she said “If a final submission was quite different to the draft worked on in class it would raise a red flag with the student’s teacher.” Monte San Angelo principal Nicole Christensen said teachers would recognise immediately if a student had used artificial intelligence “We thought Google would change everything it has made students more curious,” she said Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College principal Nicole Christensen.Credit: Australian Council for Educational Research deputy chief executive Dr Catherine McClellan said moral panics about technological advances threatening education went back as far as education began has been called the death of learning,” she said “So I don’t think panicking and saying ‘you can’t touch that’ is the way to go – it is how we use it so it is valuable for students.” We collected sample questions from the Australian curriculum and answers written by real students We then asked ChatGPT to answer the questions to the standard expected of a year 6 student Don’t be fooled by spelling and grammar mistakes artificial intelligence can make those too ChatGPT can write like a primary school student Here’s what English Teachers’ Association of NSW president Eva Gold made of the responses: The state\\u2019s public school children will be the first in Australia to be banned from accessing the powerful artificial intelligence robot ChatGPT in the classroom after the NSW Department of Education put the controversial technology behind a firewall But private school principals approached by The Sun-Herald will allow students to access the sophisticated tech when school begins in just over a week\\u2019s time \\u2013 saying teachers had a duty to prepare pupils for the future New York City\\u2019s department of education blocked access to it earlier this month on school networks because the tool did not help students build their critical thinking and problem-solving skills so there are less opportunities to plagiarise work with ChatGPT \\u2013 which has already occurred at a handful of universities in the US the NSW Department of Education\\u2019s acting deputy secretary for learning improvement \\u201CThe Department of Education will be restricting student access to generative AI applications on student devices or using their own device on the department\\u2019s network,\\u201D she said \\u201CThis will take effect from the start of the new school year and will be in place while we review how to safely and appropriately use this emerging technology in the classroom \\u201CThe department will also be providing further guidance to teachers on our robust assessment practices in place to ensure all students play by the rules.\\u201D and not likely to be effective,\\u201D she said quizzes and simpler tasks which establish the foundation of knowledge,\\u201D she said \\u201CMore efficiency here releases teachers to apply their expertise to the higher level tasks \\u2013 and that\\u2019s a win for both students and teachers.\\u201D St Andrew\\u2019s Cathedral School head Dr Julie McGonigle said while the technology appeared to make cheating easier hand-in tasks are first crafted in the classroom and submitted in draft form before final submission,\\u201D she said \\u201CIf a final submission was quite different to the draft worked on in class it would raise a red flag with the student\\u2019s teacher.\\u201D Monte San Angelo principal Nicole Christensen said teachers would recognise immediately if a student had used \\u201CWe thought Google would change everything it has made students more curious,\\u201D she said \\u201CEvery advance in learning technology has been called the death of learning,\\u201D she said \\u201CSo I don\\u2019t think panicking and saying \\u2018you can\\u2019t touch that\\u2019 is the way to go \\u2013 it is how we use it so it is valuable for students.\\u201D Don\\u2019t be fooled by spelling and grammar mistakes Here\\u2019s what English Teachers\\u2019 Association of NSW president Eva Gold made of the responses: A growing number of NSW private school students are opting to sit the International Baccalaureate (IB) instead of the HSC with a record 739 receiving their final results on Wednesday While the candidature has doubled over the past decade fewer students were expected to receive the so-called perfect score of 45 out of a possible 45 marks on last year’s exams after IB authorities stopped granting students hardship adjustments due to the pandemic Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College had two students achieve the “perfect score” of 45 out of 45.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone The change comes after the Universities Admissions Centre last year said it would apply “an improved conversion schedule for IB scores” for students applying for tertiary study That decision was made in part to address the disproportionate number of IB students receiving a university admissions rank equivalent to a top ATAR of 99.95 when compared to those sitting the HSC said the demand for the IB was driven by the fact it was designed to prepare students for university “It is important for students to have the skills the IB diploma develops which are critical and creative thinking,” he said That was the reason Ravenswood School for Girls student Vicky Chen She received the perfect score of 45 out of 45 Three other students at her school received a score of 44 which equates to ATAR of between 99.45 and 99.75 it allows you to develop a lot of skills the HSC doesn’t and it prepares you better for university,” Chen said The program runs over two years and students’ work is externally assessed through a mix of examinations (typically 75 per cent) and school-based assessments Students also complete a 4000-word research essay in addition to community service and a subject called theory of knowledge which develops critical and creative thinking skills “It required a lot of patience and perseverance there were a lot of mistakes along the way … but I felt a lot of support from the Ravenswood community,” Chen said More schools are expected to offer the IB in the coming years including St Ursula’s College at Kingsgrove and The King’s School in North Parramatta Last year the NSW government said it would lift the ban on public schools from offering the IB to  students in a bid to attract and retain families of bright students in the public system, bringing NSW into line with other states such as Queensland. Westbourne College in Ultimo, a sister school of a UK institution which was developed in 2007 as a STEM-focused, IB only model of schooling, had its second graduating class in Australia this year. A total of 24 students from Westbourne sat the IB in 2023, with 25 per cent of the cohort achieving a mark of 42 points or more – equivalent to an ATAR of more than 98.45. Westbourne dux Sonia Pillai, centre, who scored a perfect 45, with Preethika Mathan, left, and Elaine Li, who both scored 44. Credit: Oscar Colman Westbourne student Sonia Pillai, 17, received a 45 out of 45 and wants to pursue a career in medicine. “I was a bit numb,” she said. “It felt not real but I was really happy.” Her classmate Preethika Mathan, 17, scored 44 out of 45. “It was pretty hard, I learnt a lot about myself,” she said. Samuel Stoddard, 18, is planning to study at Oxford this year. He said the best part of the IB was the research essay, in which he wrote about BHP and Rio Tinto, as well as Mandarin which he described as “really fun”. His classmate Leonardo Martinez, 18, hopes to study economics in the United Kingdom while Tristan Ting hopes to study aerospace engineering. Thien Nguyen, 18, plans to study environmental science. He said the IB had been very helpful because the program “really pushes you to do your best”. Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College in North Sydney had 36 pupils sit for the IB and two students received the perfect score of 45; Queenwood in Mosman had two students receiving a mark of 44 out of 45. At Redlands in Cremorne, 71 students completed the IB program in 2023 with one student receiving a score of 44 and a further four students achieved scores of 43. The school estimates more than 75 per cent of students will receive an ATAR equivalent over 90. The dux of Trinity Grammar Luca Ratnavadivel made plenty of time for extracurricular activities including drama, athletics and cadets last year - and also scored 45. “But in all honesty marks don’t mean that much,” he said. St Andrew’s Cathedral School recorded the best IB results in the school’s history. One student had a perfect score, five scored 44 out of 45 while 83 per cent of the 47 students achieved an ATAR above 90. Of the cohort, 17 per cent achieved an ATAR of 99 or above. At MLC School in Burwood, 81 students completed the IB this year, with one girl receiving a perfect score and five receiving 44. While the number of IB students has increased, the number of students completing the course is still dwarfed by the 55,523 HSC students who were eligible to receive an ATAR in December. The total number of perfect marks issued across NSW and the rest of Australia is not publicly released by the International Baccalaureate. IB students from NSW and the ACT are expected to receive an ATAR equivalent, known as an IB Admissions Score, from 9am on Thursday. A growing number of NSW private school students are opting to sit the International Baccalaureate (IB) instead of the HSC, with a record 739 receiving their final results on Wednesday. While the candidature has doubled over the past decade, fewer students were expected to receive the so-called perfect score of 45 out of a possible 45 marks on last year\\u2019s exams, after IB authorities stopped granting students hardship adjustments due to the pandemic. The change comes after the Universities Admissions Centre last year for students applying for tertiary study. That decision was made in part to address the receiving a university admissions rank equivalent to a top ATAR of 99.95 when compared to those sitting the HSC. The secretary of IB Schools Australasia, Antony Mayrhofer, said the demand for the IB was driven by the fact it was designed to prepare students for university. \\u201CIt is important for students to have the skills the IB diploma develops, which are critical and creative thinking,\\u201D he said. That was the reason Ravenswood School for Girls student Vicky Chen, 18, decided to do the IB. She received the perfect score of 45 out of 45. Three other students at her school received a score of 44, which equates to ATAR of between 99.45 and 99.75. \\u201CIt focuses a lot on personal development, it allows you to develop a lot of skills the HSC doesn\\u2019t and it prepares you better for university,\\u201D Chen said. The program runs over two years and students\\u2019 work is externally assessed through a mix of examinations (typically 75 per cent) and school-based assessments. Students also complete a 4000-word research essay in addition to community service and a subject called theory of knowledge, which develops critical and creative thinking skills. \\u201CIt required a lot of patience and perseverance, there were a lot of mistakes along the way \\u2026 but I felt a lot of support from the Ravenswood community,\\u201D Chen said. More schools are expected to offer the IB in the coming years, including St Ursula\\u2019s College at Kingsgrove and The King\\u2019s School in North Parramatta. in a bid to attract and retain families of bright students in the public system, bringing NSW into line with other states such as Queensland. A total of 24 students from Westbourne sat the IB in 2023, with 25 per cent of the cohort achieving a mark of 42 points or more \\u2013 equivalent to an ATAR of more than 98.45. Westbourne student Sonia Pillai, 17, received a 45 out of 45 and wants to pursue a career in medicine. \\u201CI was a bit numb,\\u201D she said. \\u201CIt felt not real but I was really happy.\\u201D Her classmate Preethika Mathan, 17, scored 44 out of 45. \\u201CIt was pretty hard, I learnt a lot about myself,\\u201D she said. Samuel Stoddard, 18, is planning to study at Oxford this year. He said the best part of the IB was the research essay, in which he wrote about BHP and Rio Tinto, as well as Mandarin which he described as \\u201Creally fun\\u201D. Thien Nguyen, 18, plans to study environmental science. He said the IB had been very helpful because the program \\u201Creally pushes you to do your best\\u201D. Monte Sant\\u2019 Angelo Mercy College in North Sydney had 36 pupils sit for the IB and two students received the perfect score of 45; Queenwood in Mosman had two students receiving a mark of 44 out of 45. The dux of Trinity Grammar Luca Ratnavadivel made plenty of time for extracurricular activities including drama, athletics and cadets last year - and also scored 45. \\u201CBut in all honesty marks don\\u2019t mean that much,\\u201D he said. St Andrew\\u2019s Cathedral School recorded the best IB results in the school\\u2019s history. One student had a perfect score, five scored 44 out of 45 while 83 per cent of the 47 students achieved an ATAR above 90. Of the cohort, 17 per cent achieved an ATAR of 99 or above. Available in other languagesShare this with family and friends This post deals with child sexual abuse and sexual assault that could be triggering for some readers A number of additional New South Wales private schools have found themselves in muck-up day 'scavenger hunt' scandals after Sydney's Shore School's 'Triwizard Shorenament' shone a light on the end-of-year celebrations The Shore list included 'sex with a 80kg+ woman' 'spit on homeless man' and 'catch a pigeon and proceed to rip its head off' students at Sydney's exclusive Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College filmed themselves carrying out a series of points on their muck-up day lists and uploaded videos to TikTok Included in their list was pee in the aisle of a Woolworths and kissing strangers Pymble Ladies' College's list included streaking Milson Point's St Aloysius' College Rector Father Ross Jones SJ sent a letter to Year 12 parents last Friday saying it was "difficult to express the degree of disappointment I feel" after he discovered plans for the school's scavenger hunt we have been made aware of an overnight competition that invites criminal and highly offensive behaviours (a number of which are acutely sexist in nature)," Father Jones wrote on September 18 He said if any student engaged in the activities the College would have no hesitation in contacting the police The scandals have not been confined to Sydney The Quicky goes inside Australia's private boys schools a sexual abuse survivor was taunted by a group of schoolboys as part of Merewether High School's muck-up day pranks Students at the school were challenged to send an 18-year-old messages "defending pedophiles" to score points The teen had confided in one of the boys that she had been abused from age four to 10. He betrayed her trust, turning her trauma into a challenge, the Daily Mail reported. She received a Facebook message last week from one of the boys saying, "I really think paedophiles aren’t that bad". "Because my uncle was one, and I think he's a good bloke? Is there anything bad about that?" Part of the Shore school muck-up list.  The girl's mother told the Daily Mail her daughter felt "humiliated and exposed" by the 'prank'. "The boy who created the challenge, she confided in him. She thought he was her friend and instead he's turned her trauma into a joke," the mother said. The daughter felt forced to publicly share her story on Facebook, despite not feeling ready. Other challenges in the school's hunt included flicking a dog's testicles, filming sex acts and approaching new mother's to say their baby was "ugly". Parenting author and host of Parental As Anything Maggie Dent told Mamamia's daily news podcast,The Quicky, muck-up days had been around for years, often involving poor decisions such as streaking, graffiti and burnouts. But the current environment for teens - not exclusive to but especially boys - with phones at their fingertips and access to age-inappropriate porn, violent entertainment, etc, it "marinades" them into people who lack empathy and consider things, such as those on the Shore list, okay. She said the privilege of many private school students fuelled these instances - where teens can dare each other to do illegal activities or get arrested, without fearing any long-term consequences or having a thought of how their actions could impact others. To curb this behaviour, we need to prioritise and fund programs in schools that teach empathy and kindness. "That really deconstructs things and helps to shift the mindset, because the adolescent brain is really easy to manipulate sadly," Dent explained. At home, Dent said one of the most powerful things she'd seen was when a sister or female relative can explain to boys the personal impact and feelings they experience when men call them derogatory names or disrespect them. With muck-up day lists like those leaked to media this year, we certainly need an entire cultural shift. If this post brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home. The night between 10 and 11 December 2022 was installed second part of Kapoor's installation on the avenue Trajan. After 17 years of financial and technical hurdles, the work was installed in its entirety. The works of Kapoor installed in the Neapolitan area are, therefore, two: The new art stations of Line 7 of Monte Sant'Angelo have done discuss since the presentation of his project primordial. The author is the famous Anish Kapoor, Bombay sculptor and architect born 1954. A name that will make Napoli even more international, as the UK-raised artist's installations are recognised, as well as visited, from around the world. Stations should open their "doors" in second quarter of 2023 or at the latest by the end of the year. The main goal, as announced in 2017, is to allow and students to reach the cultural pole easily, finally breaking the isolation that exists around this university and area of ​​Naples. At the moment, in fact, to reach the university it takes approx 70 minutes. Beyond the University of Naples Federico II and will benefit areas of Naples such as Rione Traiano, Parco San Paolo di Fuorigrotta and many other neighboring areas that will finally all be connected thanks also to Cumana and Circumflegrea. It is therefore important not to confuse this line EAV (Volturno autonomous body) with the famous Line 1 managed by ANM and already renowned throughout the world with its art present within the various stations. A very long tube of corten steel (able to protect itself from corrosion) will connect culture, but artistically what symbology this work that has done so much discuss? It has been called “a descent into hell through a symbolism that reminds the female genital organ. " This is the official description by Kapoor: In the city of Mount Vesuvius and Dante's mythical entrance to the Inferno, I found it important to try and deal with what it really means to go underground. The idea was to turn the tunnel inside out, like a sock. Of course, this relates to my interest in turning space inside out. An escalator going down into that felt right. In the city of Vesuvius and Dante's mythical entrance to Hell, I felt it was important to try to confront the true meaning of going underground. The idea was to turn the tunnel inside out like a sock. Of course this ties back to my interest in space flipping. An escalator going down to that place seemed right to me. Without any doubt Kapoor's most famous work, installed in Chicago between 2004 and 2006. Also called The Beam, the beandue to its particular shape. It has a weight of 124 tons, perfectly made of stainless steel polished which represents liquid mercury in order to transmit various realities of life which, reflected in this great work, come out altered. See this content on Instagram A post shared by Lil' Budget Traveler (@lilbudgettraveler) Un Cannon developed by Kapoor together with a team of engineers. An air compressor shoots 11-kilogram balls of wax into the corner of the room; in total, 20 tons of red wax "shot away" for the duration of the exhibition. It symbolizes aggression noisy on one side and silent growth on the other. There performance it is repeated every 20 minutes to actively represent a real disconcerting massacre. See this content on Instagram A post shared by Anish Kapoor (@anish.kapoor) Among other works we also mention Leviathan (2011) descent (2014) Sky mirror (2006-2010) and Napoli with its Line 7 it adds to a series of works of incredible global importance we earn a commission from qualifying purchases through ticketing links This commission does not entail any additional price for the user.