Promoting National Identity in European Context through Customs and Traditions Erasmus Project

Project Title

Promoting National Identity in European Context through Customs and Traditions

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 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Creativity and culture; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

Liceul Tehnologic Economic de Turism, Iasi, Romania, received the Certificate of European School in 2012, 2015 and 2018 and will apply in November for eTwinng School, being an efficient and responsible partner in carrying out educational projects and contributing to the development of the European dimension in education. The project was implemented for a period of 24 months starting with September 2016. The aim of the project was addressed to the common needs of all the countries in the project and it focused on rediscovering, valuing the customs and traditions that are specific to each project partner as well as cultivating feelings of respect for national and European values.The project objectives were:1. Multicultural development which will determine the students’/teachers’ integration into the European educational system;2. Improving the participants’ communication skills in a foreign language (English) – students and teachers;3. Developing ICT skills to promote the activities and the results of the project;4. Stimulating creativity, critical thinking and teamwork.The participants in the project activities (direct and indirect beneficiaries) were students, teachers, parents, members of cultural organisations, artists, specialists in practical activities (6,000 participants). The target group included approximately 100 people (high school students aged 15 to 18 and teachers). The project coordinator from Romania selected three partners from different countries (Hungary, Sweden and Portugal) so that the project activities were carried out efficiently. Throughout the project implementation there were four learning/teaching activities and four transnational project meetings.The project activities focused on four important life events in the context of European multiculturalism: Wedding, Baptism, Winter and Easter Celebrations. Each project partner ensured the organisational aspects in order to carry out the specific activities for the chosen life event: Hungary – Wedding; Sweden – Baptism; Romania – Winter Celebrations; Portugal – Easter Celebrations. During learning/teaching activities, each partner promoted the customs and traditions from each country connected to the life event. The specific activities of the mentioned life events were centred on the following aspects: history, rituals, gastronomy, decorations, dance and music.The methodology of the project implementation included: workshops, interactive lessons, discussions /interviews, contests, practical, administrative activities and research visits.Some of the achieved results are: using the information provided by the educational systems of the project partners in order to enhance modern education, developing students’ European values and attitudes, promoting a tolerant attitude towards other opinions and arguments.The achieved intellectual outputs are: the project logo, the project website, the Facebook project page, the online album that include information about the customs and traditions of the specific life events, the annual calendar published online, the monthly gastronomic magazine, the cultural festival, culinary exhibitions and exhibitions with specific/traditional decorations.The achievement of the objectives and results was assessed by quantitative and qualitative indicators. Some of the quantitative indicators are: four intermediate reports, one final report, online questionnaires using Survey Monkey to assess satisfaction after every transnational meeting, graphs, articles (students’ impressions after project learning/teaching activities), one online magazine, noticeboards, four culinary exhibitions, four cultural festivals and four exhibitions with decorations.Some of the qualitative indicators include: monitoring and evaluating the IT and teamwork skills after writing the leaflets of the Language Survival Guide; monitoring and evaluating the practical skills acquired by students by preparing dishes, decorative elements and organising exhibitions; improving communication skills in English; increasing knowledge of European cultural heritage apart from the school curriculum.The impact of the project on participants is connected to their professional and personal development. The project aimed to enhance an innovative dimension by stimulating creativity, the need to preserve the local characteristics through elements of history, culture, traditions and customs that accompany important life events. The impact at European level is reflected in the exchange of experience and of good practices within the project, developing cultural collaboration, facilitating the transition from theory to practice and increasing the level of integration into the labour market. The project sustainability is given by the subsequent use of the album and of the gastronomic magazine as teaching support materials and by implementing a new eTwinning and Erasmus project.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 113205 Eur

Project Coordinator

Liceul Tehnologic Economic de Turism & Country: RO

Project Partners

• Björknäsgymnasiet
• Agrupamento de Escolas de Rio Tinto Nº 3
• Budapesti Gazdasági Szakképzési Centrum Csete Balázs Szakgimnáziuma