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photo, Sophia Pereira

by Sofia Pereira and Melanie Miranda

Geneva, Switzerland (Collège Voltaire student newspaper) – In 2009 there are some important birthdays and events to celebrate them: the 500th birthday of John Calvin and the 450th anniversary of the Collège de Geneve. Can you imagine them being so old?! Let’s go back in time: during the 16th century some people, inspired by Martin Luther’s ideas, wanted to establish what would become the Protestant religion. Calvin didn’t agree with the Catholics of the day because he felt they obliged believers to pay for their salvation. He believed that salvation was a gift from God. Calvin, a French reformer, arrived in Geneva in 1536.

He established the Reformation in Geneva. He planned to build a free school for all the boys in Geneva, and in 1559 he founded the Collège de Geneve for boys. It offered all educational degrees from primary to university.

Over the years the school evolved to improve the quality of studies offered to students. In 1969 the Collège de Geneve became a co-ed school and was named Collège Calvin. The “Ecole supérieure de jeunes filles” became the College Voltaire.

Several events have been organized in Geneva to celebrate these anniversaries. Among them:

• plays in the Am Stram Gram theater, performed by students from different schools, 4-10 May, 20:00
• a musical by Collège de Saussure’s students, 4-8 May at 20:00, 9 May at 14:00.
• a concert at Victoria Hall, 11-12 May, 20:00.
• exhibit at the University of Geneva, including “Origine de la matière”(“The Origin of Matter”) at the Dufour campus, 2 April-28 June, Tuesday-Sunday, 09:00-19:30.

To celebrate the 500^th anniversary of Calvin there are conferences about him, and his books are on display, with an exhibition called “Une journée dans la vie de Calvin” ( A day in Calvin’s life) at the Musée de la Réforme (24

April-1 November). In the parc des Bastions, where Calvin is still looking at us, there will be an outstanding show (1-26 June at 21:00).