Our cultural diversity – our common strength Erasmus Project

Project Title

Our cultural diversity – our common strength

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

Context/background
The idea of international cooperation is vital to the development of responsible citizens of tomorrow. The three partners in this project have always encouraged international exchanges and the sharing of experiences, and have put the focus on relevant values in society and the understanding of our cultural heritage. Differences exist, but getting to know them and understanding their origins, discussing and appreciating them, presents an enrichment for all the people involved. The activities that have been going on at our schools for many years prove witness to that. However, it is important to set frames and goals, made possible thanks to this Erasmus+ project, in order to associate new partners and provide greater opportunities of exchange.

Objectives
European cultural heritage has an impact on everyday life and on education systems. The objectives are therefore to bring teachers and pupils from three completely different regions/countries of Europe together to establish new bonds and to indirectly improve language and communication skills. It is motivating for the pupils to study the cultural heritage of their region and country, to work on it and share those experiences with peers from abroad. The discovered differences and points in common will add a rich dimension to the pupils’ development and enable them to develop new strengths when travelling or in daily encounters with people from different countries.

Number and profile of participants
There will be three schools participating; the Athénée de Luxembourg will be in charge of the coordination, and two teachers will form the core team for Luxembourg, together with the coordinator. They are going to participate in the mobilities, with each time 8 to 10 pupils. The same number of participants will represent the Italian school and the Swedish school. Around this team of teachers, experienced in projects and international exchanges, there will be a number of teachers and pupils involved in activities around the topic of cultural heritage throughout the time of the project. The pupils will be aged 16 to 18, and selected according to classes they are in, optional courses they follow, or else outstanding commitment in matters of citizenship, European projects, or for the school community on general.

Description of the activities:
Each partner is going to do activities at their school, be it in regular courses, in optional courses, debating clubs or during field trips, that familiarize the participants with the regional and national cultural heritage, and core values and objectives of the project. When meeting as an entire group, all three schools together, we shall visit historical and cultural sites, places linked to and important for the European community, spend time at the respective school with staff and pupils to write or create works of art, make video clips or set up a blog or prepare an exhibition, material to be used on TwinSpace.

Methodology used in carrying out the project
It is important to leave to each school the freedom to organize and implement activities and events as suits their timetables and proceedings best. Still, the three schools should try and focus on the same keynotes at the same time, so that the sharing of experiences is facilitated.
I could imagine sharing the experiences with the entire school community thanks to a series of events organizes in the three participating schools.

Short description of results
The results will be visible in the productions made by the participants: questionnaires and surveys, reports, video – and audio productions, as well as artistic productions can show the findings of the participants. The pupils will have a much better understanding of their own cultural heritage and that of their new friends; the travelling and meetings abroad will have broadened their horizons, they have developed new or improved skills in communicating in a foreign language, their organizational skills may have been empowered and they will be more responsible citizen in the European construct.
The teachers, too, will be aware of the added value of the project, for them personally as well as for the school. Exchanges of new working and teaching methods may be of interest and on the human level, new friendships may develop.
All the participants will be happier to use eTwinning after this and operate as multipliers of the Erasmus+ and eTwinning philosophy.

Impact envisaged
The participants will have acquired new skills and an increased knowledge of cultural inheritance of their region or country. The project will be awareness-raising as to the impact our cultural background has on our daily lives, and how important it is be learn about culture and history from other countries, in order to become informed, critical, tolerant and responsible citizens.

Potential longer term benefits
Discovering common grounds with peers abroad thanks to Erasmus+ marks the participants for years to come.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 80574 Eur

Project Coordinator

Athénée de Luxembourg & Country: LU

Project Partners

• LICEO STATALE “AUGUSTO MONTI” – CHIERI
• Gymnasium Skövde Västerhöjd