Des jeunes Européens qui font l’histoire Erasmus Project

Project Title

Des jeunes Européens qui font l’histoire

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: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

Our democracies and the construction of Europe are in doubt. Issues of engagement and citizenship are topical today. These questions are at stake in the project “Young Europeans making history”, whose theme is young people’s commitment in the contemporary history of Europe. This commitment allowed democracy to prevail during hard times and today we are these young people’s heirs.
The main aim of the project was to make both young and older people aware of the European citizenship. An innovative project pedagogy has sought to motivate students, while promoting the learning of the key competences defined by the EU in 2006. It also aimed to bring together the various actors linked to the educational community and to open the school to its local, regional and European environment.
More than 400 students aged 15 to 18 years therefore actively participated in a transdisciplinary project in 5 schools: Lycée Berthelot in Toulouse (France, coordinating school), Instituto Olivar Gran in Figueras (Spain), Liceo Marco Belli in Portogruaro (Italy), Schloss-Gymnasium in Düsseldorf (Germany), Pilaites gimnazija in Vilnius (Lithuania).
The work was structured around three areas of activity.
1/ The co-direction of a documentary film by the students and a professional director crossing the eyes of five young people from the era of the clash of ideologies (Spanish Civil War, Second World War…) and our young people today on the issue of commitment. A 77-minutes film entitled Pathways of Commitment was produced, for which students were trained and participated in all stages (except the investigation and final editing): sequencing (synopsis), interviewing witnesses, preparing and shooting memorial sequences, editing trailers, promoting and presenting the film. The documentary was selected for the Cinespaña 2019 festival in Toulouse.
2/ An annual theatrical creation providing an interpretation of the question of commitment. The group from each partner school presented its show during the first two years, while the third year a joint show was presented under the title “Crossing through Europe” at the theatre hall La Brique Rouge during Europe Week 2019 in Toulouse.
3/ A European film forum exchanging and selecting films related to the issue of engagement and coming from the cinematographic heritage of each of the five countries. A European selection of films was made by a jury and gave rise to the closing ceremony of a festival during the last mobility.
Overall, the project has significantly increased student motivation and contributed to the acquisition of key skills. The participating institutions have been boosted by the very strong involvement of the staff involved in the project. Many parents of students have contributed, particularly for the organization of the mobilities. Participating schools have also significantly increased their openness by increasing their relationships with external partners.
The project has been widely disseminated through the presentation of the creations (documentary and theatre), but also through events organised with institutional partners and through media coverage.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 198148 Eur

Project Coordinator

lycée général et technologique Marcelin Berthelot & Country: FR

Project Partners

• ISTITUTO STATALE MARCO BELLI
• Schloss-Gymnasium
• Vilniaus Pilaites gimnazija
• Institut Olivar Gran