ROOTS AND ROADS Erasmus Project

Project Title

ROOTS AND ROADS

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: Migrants’ issues; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

Historically, human mobility has taken place since the beginning of time. For thousands of years the people were forced to leave their homeland for famine, war, exile and economic reasons. While the majority of immigrants migrate for economic reasons permanently, a quarter of them have to get out of their own country for political reasons or by force. As poverty and hunger grow in the world, migration will continue to be hope for the people.

Most European countries have moved from immigrant countries to migration countries. In some parts of the world, immigrants are subject to arbitrary and discriminatory treatment by authorities and other members of society. Immigrants have difficulties due to reasons such as racial, religious, political thoughts and actions not always being the acts of inclusion. Whereas, diversity is a fact and a need that has been experienced in all European countries. Immigrants represent a world culture at the same time.

Intercultural communication is necessary to ensure social adaptation, to develop pluralism and consciousness of living together in order to get more respect and solidarity between different cultures and to eliminate prejudices not only on European, but first of all, personal, class and school levels.

This project is a research into the past of each of the participant countries, through their history, culture, language and traditions. The ultimate goal of the project is to find the links and merging points between different cultures that make up the European Union, compare them and draw conclusions about the differences and similarities that enrich and unite us.

The main aim of this project is to break the barriers between nations that limit the interaction between different cultures caused by variables such as religion, linguistic, racial and cultural differences.

The project’s second aim is to promote cultural diversity in Europe and to enhance the exchange between different cultural traditions present in European societies today. One of the primary motivations behind the project is the strong belief that a higher intercultural competence will contribute to a peaceful world.

The third purpose of the project is to train individuals, to integrate them into the cultural identity of our age at all, to approach them with respect and understanding for different cultures, owing and recognizing cultural richness and diversity, seeing culture as an area creating, not demanding resources, and believing in the necessity of creating economic and social sustainability.

The project’s key areas:
1 Immigration, Globalization and Disappearing Cultural Identities
2 The Challenges of Dialogue in a Multicultural World
3 Multilingualism and Intercultural Dialogue
4 Unity in Diversity
5 Protect Cultural Diversity and Common Cultural Heritage
6 Differences and Similarities

The objectives of the partnership are:
●To foster youth’s cognitive and affective skills needed to cope with the challenges of living together in multicultural societies.
●Promoting equality and contributing to combating all forms of discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.
●To prepare a pedagogical base including reflections and proposals of active methods invaluable to improve the Lisbon Key Competences such as: learning to learn, interpersonal, intercultural and social competences, civic competence, cultural expression and communication in the mother tongue.
●To raise awareness of the importance of intercultural dialogue, especially among young people, thus fostering an active European citizenship – cosmopolitan and with respect for cultural diversity.
●To raise the awareness among Europeans, in particular young people, on the importance of engaging in intercultural dialogue in their daily life as well as fostering the role of education as an
important medium for teaching about diversity and increasing the understanding between cultures.
●To realize and develop a consciousness among the student participants about the system of values linking people and nations together and providing them with a sense of mutual identity.

We believe that our project is compatible with the EU youth policy in attempt to develop young people’s spirit of entrepreneurship. The increased environmental and common cultural awareness in participants, as well as in local communities, will contribute to young people’s desire to keep on developing their personalities and standards.

As a result, the cross-cultural differences actually will come together to find common links and merging points. This will create the first step for a better understanding between cultures. We believe that our world’s chance is in cultural education for contemporary pupils who will be the future adults. Small steps made by pupils and their families in some European countries now, will definitely lead to a better future of the whole world tomorrow.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 189210 Eur

Project Coordinator

Cartesius Lyceum, Onderwijsstichting Esprit & Country: NL

Project Partners

• BAYRAMPASA TUNA ANADOLU LISESI
• Gymnasium Bad Aibling
• Prendergast school
• 3 Geniko Lykeio Galatsi
• Bromma gymnasium