The movement that this great ‘hug of solidarity’ generated in the school community was overwhelming. Everyone wanted to contribute, acquiring or sharing whatever was necessary to welcome the families hosted by the Loulé town council.

School supplies, clothes and shoes for children and adults, towels, various kitchen items (crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, fridges, televisions, among other equipment necessary for day-to-day living) were some of the things that arrived at CIV. And the little ones were not forgotten, for whom cots, cradles, car seats, as well as a sea of toys and scooters for children of various ages, were delivered.

Through members of the school community, the Martinhal Sagres Beach Family Resort Hotel donated several sofas, rugs, armchairs and baby chairs, offering a guaranteed job offers with accommodation to refugee families looking for a job opportunity.

"The school is the engine for changing the world! Involving children, young people, families and staff in an initiative like this give body and life to the educational assumptions of the Vilamoura International School, based on the values of Democracy, Peace and Humanism," said Cidália Bicho, pedagogical director of CIV. "The ability to change the world begins in each of us, in small or large gestures, according to the possibilities of each one", she concluded.

The services of the Loulé Municipal Council and the Parish Council of Salir collected all the goods raised and gathered by the CIV´s community, which were then forwarded to the various homes.

The CIV community hopes that this gesture can bring comfort and joy to those who have lived through the horror of war, leaving behind many family members and friends. Together, we will continue to work for world peace and the well-being of all human beings.