PARÍS, France.
The Foyer Universitaire Du Dóme (the university residence of the TA in Paris) has celebrated its fiftieth anniversary of its inception on April 6th.
Maria Antonia Somoano, directress of the Dóme, and a team from the residence, report in a cordial manner the process of the preparation for the celebration of such festivity.
“Speaking of Spring time, says Pablo Neruda”… I see you coming, enter into my home…” Any observer passing lately by the <<Foyer universitaire du Dóme>> could say that something was being gestated in this house. And that life was particularly manifested on the 6th of April, a day in which the house was filled with festivity.
As it often happens, the period of preparation was very important. From the start, we worked with the students welcoming their suggestions.
We formed many teams: welcoming team, team of facilitators, space organizers, dressing room team, interior and exterior decoration team, logistics team, media, liturgy, music and catering teams.
Meetings multiplied and they count among the most beautiful moments. Everyone had something to do.
The days before the celebration we watched a stairway become a “time wall” of the Dóme from its beginnings. On this wall the students from each floor depicted ten years of the history of the world, one decade for each of the five floors of the residence and the five decades of its existence.
The first floor covered the years of the inception of the Dóme, the sixties; the second floor covered the seventies and so on until this year 2013. The decoration, submitted to a contest, was won by the 5th floor which covered the years 2000 and on. But the jury, seen the high participation of the residents in the celebration, decided to grant the first prize to the student body, inviting them for a walk in the “bateau mouche”, a decision that was highly applauded. The winning floor also received its reward.
On Friday April 5th a substantial group of invitees was already in and the festivities commenced with a welcoming buffet dinner. The guests were arriving from Germany, England, Belgium, Costa Rica, Spain, Luxemburg, Bordeaux, etc. It was a most moving experience for the students and for us to meet again with people that had lived in the Dóme many years and now they returned to celebrate life. We belonged to different generations, but one and the same Spirit united us.
Many other persons that were unable to travel manifested their caring presence through phone calls, e-mails, sending flowers or candies. The students were impressed by the strength of history. At a given moment during the celebration, a letter from the TA President, Maite Uribe, was read.
The Dóme...
The Dóme is a friendly welcoming house; its spaces are small and polyvalent. That´s why, on Saturday morning everybody was busy: the library and the “Poveda Space” were converted into lecture salons, the façade flourished with balloons of different colors, the technicians installed cameras, screens etc.
Sylvie and her team were able to video transmit the round table conferences in two salons simultaneously. Each one was at her post and at the fixed time everything was in order.The academic act started with a few welcoming words and a presentation by Maria Antonia Somoano, the actual Manager of the house. She recalled the names of the teams that carried their mission there with so much competence and availability. She also recalled so many young people, more than 1.700 that had spent there more than one year of their university studies. 
Then, María Enriqueta Soriano, who was present at the time of the purchase of the building and was the first manager of the residence, presented the life of the beginnings of the Dóme with much grace and loving kindness.
At one of the round tables, Claude Plettner, the coordinator, granted the word first to three students: Francois, from the first promotion; Anne from 18 years ago, and Sirine that is actually in the Foyer. Each commented this thought of Poveda: To participate in the construction of society is a responsibility that concerns all of us, no matter what our age, qualities and gifts maybe.
After that, took the word Guy Aurenche, director of CCFD and former President of ACAT, along with Marc Rolinet, architect and town planner, author of cultural and religious works of great prestige; among these the modernization of the Dóme. The dialogue established with the audience witnessed the great interest that these interventions aroused.
The musical spaces were very appreciated due to the quality of our Ukrainian pianist and the fact that it served as a fitting transition among the different parts of the celebration.
The Thanksgiving Eucharist was celebrated in the Parish of Notre Dame des Champs. It was the evening mass enliven by the university students of our Dóme. Several played instruments, and we could not only form a choral group but even an orchestra. The Mass well sung and festive was a great moment of the celebration.On our return to the Dóme we shared a catering, some champagne, candles, laughter… time to chat, to greet people, to offer a toast, to share memories and to make new projects. Marie France and one student offered the toast.
About 200 persons, students and families, friends and parish members and companions participated in this anniversary. The atmosphere was one of family and friendliness, of gratefulness and joy for so much life as this house generates.
Happy anniversary!
We wish the Dóme a fruitful and long life.On Sunday in the “Poveda Space” we gathered as family around a table to interchange impressions. A simple and beautiful time before we concluded the encounter with a cultural visit: the exhibit of Chagall in the Museum of Luxemburg.Thanks for your participation!
María Antonia Somoano and team
Translation by Maria Teresa Cuervo