The Mysteries of European Capitals Erasmus Project

Project Title

The Mysteries of European Capitals

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 : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

The capitals of different countries are the most beautiful and fascinating cities with lots of interesting sights and historical mysteries. Therefore the main idea of the project was to explore and present the originality and uniqueness of the national capital, at the same time observing and tackling common issues and strategies for the preservation of monuments supervised by UNESCO.
During the project there were revealed common ground historical and cultural facts of the capital cities. As it was planned, young people from different schools, of different nationalities and religious beliefs were discussing the topic joint, never inexhaustible cultural secrets, introduced the uniqueness of their country and expanded their horizons. Each participating country examined the uniqueness and originality of their capital, explored interesting, historically important sites and monuments which were unknown by pupils until that moment. They developed strategies how to preserve the cultural heritage for future generations.
A target group of participants was 7-15 year old students and their teachers. The project involved the paerticular schools of Lithuania, Latvia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Spain, and Romania. For partner countries it was a unique opportunity to introduce and promote their capital cities internationally, to express pride in their cities, and for guests – a truly unique experience in knowing and discovering not only Europe‘s cultural heritage and its diversity, but also people, time-honoured traditions and customs.
The aim of the project was to promote international cultural communication between different countries and their educational institutions, and provide an opportunity to improve their English skills, acquainting them with the latest technologies, expanding the understanding of school communities about European cultural differences and similarities, making them get interested in less widely spoken languages. During the project there were developed partnerships between studying school communities of the EU countries; students‘ knowledge about the partner country‘s historical, geographical and cultural heritage were extended; the project offered additional opportunities for foreign language teaching (learning) and for the development of language skills; with the help of innovative information technologies all the information was shared with partner countries about the carried out activities. During the project a number of topics were discussed: a situation of the school in the context of the capital; legends, stories about the capital; UNESCO-protected monuments in the capital and its surroundings; what does the secret history of the capital hide? the capital‘s architecture and landscape; how to preserve the cultural heritage for future generations? Ecological problems in the capital; capital „under ground“.
The project participants designed a logo; they made presentations and movies about their schools; each partner compiled a glossary of words and phrases in their language needed for visits; released paper and electronic calendars; selected and translated into English 5 most interesting legends about their capital ; released a common electronic book of legends of all the participating countries; created illustrations for the book of legends; each partner role-played 1 legend, filmed it and shared it with its partners; also gathered information and prepared presentations on the first capital of the country; picked up information and made presentations on the UNESCO protected monuments in the capital and its surroundings; held a photo exhibition, every country captured 4 lessons, in which the secrets of capitals and monuments were revealed; organised a travelling exhibition of drawings „Capital Secrets“; gathered information and prepared presentations on architecture and landscape attractions in the capital; found out how countries protect their monuments; what the procedures are and gave presentations to other countries. Participants took interest in ecological problems in the capital; students organised an exhibition of recycled materials; they collected information and made presentations about the archeological findings in the capital; a sculpture representing the unity of participants was created.
Throughout the project an intellectual product, a book – a collection of methodical articles was compiled, in which the ideas of how to work, what to teach children in the lessons, what methods, techniques and innovations to apply, are described, as well as the history, architecture and culture of the capital city. At the end of the project dissipation of the results is achieved and their products are carried out. Links with other similar institutions in the country have been established and their experiences gained in international cooperation, knowledge, ideas and products have been shared. This project brought substantial benefits to all participants.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 85955 Eur

Project Coordinator

Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universiteto inzinerijos licejus & Country: LT

Project Partners

• Osnovna skola Sesvetska Sopnica
• SU Vasil Kunchov Vratsa
• Fundacion de Santamarca y de San Ramon y San Antonio
• Liceul Teoretic “Lucian Blaga”
• Salaspils novada pasvaldibas iestade “Salaspils 1. vidusskola”