The courage to stand up for diversity in Europe – then and now Erasmus Project

Project Title

The courage to stand up for diversity in Europe – then and now

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: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

The project is based on A. Merkel’s observation that ‘each generation has to learn democracy anew’ and extends it:
– Developing true European awareness and actively standing up for the ongoing formation of the ‘house of Europe’ are integral aspects of this learning process.
– Closely considering the horrors of the history of the National Socialist regime uncovers the valuable, sustainable insight that everything has to be done to avoid such atrocities ever taking place again.
– This insight sets free impulses for collaborative and reconciling action.
This is why, on the one hand, the project focuses on the Nazi atrocities against people in the four partner countries who, on the other hand, stood up against the destructive, racist and inhuman Nazi ideology and often gave their lives for their courage.
Considering both individual biographies of people who opposed the Nazi-regime and the different over-all situation in the four countries during that time will link with our days, for such considerations provide an insight in the importance of standing up for European diversity and experiencing cultural pluralism, especially today, in view of surging radical, racist and nationalistic movements throughout Europe.
It is the experience of collectively witnessing and celebrating cultural, social etc. diversity that strengthens opposition to these movements. This will be achieved, among other activities, by exploring european cities as well as uncovering, presenting and discussing different forms of civil commitment that is found in the respective regions and/or countries.
In order to do so, 15 students (5 from each visiting school, aged 15-18; grades 10 to 12, plus 2 teachers from each visiting school) will get together with 15 students (plus their teachers) of the hosting school for one week of project work at each school (8 days incl. arrival and departure). The students are chosen according to
– their interest in history and commemoration/remembrance work as well as in exploring other European cultures and meeting other Europeans,
– their willingness to deal with the atrocities of the National Socialist regime as well as with individual biographies of opponents against the Nazis.
– They will make up a timeline of the events in the four partner countries (four steps, put together in the end),
– compose narrative texts based on the biographies of the victims, and
– visit (concentration camp) commemoration sites.
In order to experience European diversity, the students will
– live with their host families during the exchange weeks, and
– thus gain valuable first-hand insights into the cultures, societies, living conditions and lifestyles of their partners,
– collectively explore the history and present of European cities,
– uncover, present and discuss several forms of civil commitment of a regional and/or national scale,
– and learn about structures of the European Union during a guided tour at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Thus they strengthen
– their intercultural, personal and social competences, and
– especially their language competences while having to speak English as the only common language,
– their civil commitment/courage to stand up by actively experiencing and defending a diverse and yet unified Europe, as well as
– their awareness of the importance of democracy and responsibility for a peaceful Europe in the present and the future in dealing with the darkest chapter of history.
The products developed during the three weeks of exchange (texts, posters, time line, narrations etc.) will be exposed in all four partner schools and in the end put together and published in a workbook along with paedagogical guidelines (proposals for didactics, methodology etc. on intercultural communication, multinational project work and on the theme of addressing National Socialism) for further use in classes.
The topic of civil commitment/standing up for one’s convictions and opposing the National Socialist regime is but one small field of looking back on and reappraising our common European history with the aim of joint reconciliation in order to create and sustain an open-minded and colourful Europe in the present and the future. Therefore, the partner schools aim at continuing their cooperation, dealing with similar topics and possibly with further partners.

Project Website

https://twinspace.etwinning.net/101762/home

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 31552,05 Eur

Project Coordinator

BBS 1 Technik Kaiserslautern & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Gymnázium, Stříbro, Soběslavova 1426
• 1o EPAGGELMATIKO LYKEIO LECHAINON
• ASS ENSEIGNEMENT CATHOLIQUE DE BRESSUIRE LYCEE POLYVALENT PRIVE ST JOSEPH