(C)all for tolerance, acceptance and understanding – Building bridges, not walls Erasmus Project

Project Title

(C)all for tolerance, acceptance and understanding – Building bridges, not walls

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

„The EU looks like the Soviet Union in 1991 – On the verge of collapse“ (George Soros, The Guardian, 12.02.19)
In times like these when the media is full of dystopian nightmares about the future of the EU because of the pressure from right and left-wing parties growing ever stronger, when breaking news about the menace of Brexit, permanently reactivated border controls in Hungary or even – although temporarily – reactivated border controls in Germany are pushed on your mobile phone on a weekly basis and it looks like the EU is about to collapse, it is our duty to bring the main idea of the EU and with it the dream of an ever peaceful Europe back into people’s minds. We want to start this movement in our schools. We want to shift the focus back onto the main ideals and values of our european society: tolerance, acceptance and mutual understanding. The mere existence of the EU cannot be taken for granted. It is fragile and needs to be protected. Although, from a historical point of view, the EU emerged from an economic community its main objective has always been the promotion of peace. Thus the notion of the declaration of Paris „Europe is our home“ must be revived in each and every European citizen. The complex concept of the „European Community“ is not just an empty word – it has become part of our everyday life and goes far beyond affordable international roaming: „Europe belongs to us and we belong to Europe.“
It is the aim of the Erasmus+ project „(C)all for tolerance, acceptance and understanding – Building bridges, not walls” to raise conscience for the European central theme in times of the rise of right-wing populism and nationalism across European countries. The participating partners – teachers and students – should recognize the value of the European Union and its central ideas and guiding principles. In the course of the project we will deal with the history, politics, culture and future of the European Union member states and we are getting to know the European Union and its cultural diversity. Thus, we intend to motivate the students to participate actively in shaping, defending and re-creating the European society and transfer the guiding principles of tolerance, acceptance and understanding to daily life. As a result, we want to focus on the advantages of a united Europe, create more tolerance, acceptance and understanding among the participants and plan to unclench ideas such as “us and them” and “friends and foe”.
A „Bridge-Mosaic“ is created during the entire project by all participants as a steadily developing product. The mosaic will evolve from the participants’ work during the LTTs in all partner countries and is designed to be provided to every partner after the conclusion of the project to present all achievements. Therefore, the „Bridge-Mosaic“ is planned as a digital-interactive piece as well. During each LTT one important component will be created and added to the piece. The base will be made of pictures and stories of important bridges from European history and present, the pillars will show the diversity of European nations and so on. „The Bridge“ is the central theme of the whole project. In addition to the digital „Bridge-Mosaic“ real bridges will be built, created or designed by the participants. The stories and pictures of these events will also find their way into the digital „Bridge-Mosaic“. To have something tangible „to put your hands on“ the result will be transformed into a multi-piece puzzle and made available for each partner school.
The participating schools represent the diversity of the European Union in an excellent way. This diversity can be regarded as one of the many reasons to take part in our project. Two of the project partners – the Dutch and the German schools – are located right in the heart of Europe and simultaneously integrate characteristics and mindsets of urban institutions. The Portuguese school, in contrast, as a member set on the Western outskirts of the European Union integrates a rather rural and agricultural background into the project group. Moreover, the Romanian school will be first introduced to the dimensions of such a long-term, international project. The partnership’s value is also increased by the young Romanian membership and their recently made experiences of entering the union which at the same time symbolises the union’s continuous, dynamic development. Additionally, Romania is on the brink of introducing the single European currency and thus offers immense opportunities in actively participating in the convergence process. The Spanish partner school, on the other hand, is an example of reviving old relationships, as it has already successfully participated in an earlier European project together with the German school. Besides the school’s location in the city of Melilla on the African continent offers a tangible experience of the EU’s appeal in terms of peaceful living conditions to the young European participants.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 160410 Eur

Project Coordinator

Integrierte Gesamtschule Osnabrück & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Scoala Gimnaziala Mihai Eminescu Zalau
• Agrupamento de Escolas de José Relvas Alpiarça
• CEIP Pintor Eduardo Morillas
• OSG Schoonoord