The Past Meets The Future Erasmus Project

Project Title

The Past Meets The Future

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; Social dialogue

Project Summary

The description of the project started with the announcement of 2018 as the “Year of Cultural Heritage”, a year with plenty events, celebrations and activities all overe the continent. Even in 2019 we had the chance to enjoy the richness of european culture and heritage and celebrate our traditions in international meetings with Erasmus+. After our last meeting in January, suddenly the situation changed due to the Corona virus. Because of the uncertain circumstances the next school year, the team decided to close project as planned this summer, even though we can’t hold our last meeting in England.

On one hand, the cancellation of our final meeting is very disappoiting. Not only for the students, that has been looking forward and preparing the meeting, but also for the teachers, that have become close colleagues and friends during the project. Reservations that had been made, must be cancelled, plans that had been thought, can’t turn into actions. Especially the get-together in the final meeting helps to review the project together and reflect about highlights and things that could improve. It’s a pity that our last meeting cannot take place.

On the other hand, the lockdown of our daily life and also the sudden cancellation of all kind of exchange activities reveals plenty of positive aspects. Things, that had been taken for granted for years, suddenly seem precious and in danger. Open borders are not a matter of course, either is the freedom of travelling. We realize how strong our european relationships have become and how lucky we are to being able to share international experiences.

We had defined the following goals for our project, but they have now got a significant new meaning:

1-Globalization and disappearing cultural identities
1a) Reflection of our own culture in times of disease
2-The meaning of learning to live together
2a) The real meaning of learning to live together, not only at home in quarantine, but also as european partners
3-Cultural traditions (Intangible Cultural Heritage)
3a) What is it that we all miss most? Are we really so different from each other?
4-Common Cultural heritage (tangible Cultural Heritage)
5-Active European citizenship
5a) What does Active European citizenship mean to us? How can we show solidarity?
6-Enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training
7-Digital competence

Especially the content of our project -cultural heritage and traditions- seem to have an ambigous meaning at the end of project. Theaters are closed, museums are closed, concerts are cancelled, celebrations of all kind as weddings or traditional festivities can’t take place. Other things seem to be more important right now. Life is reduced to very basic needs of the human being. But being deprived from all the culture, the beauty and the freedom, we realize another time, how much we have been taken these goods for granted.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 156528 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gymnasium Hoheluft & Country: DE

Project Partners

• LYCEE MAURICE GENEVOIX
• BAYRAMPASA TUNA ANADOLU LISESI
• I.T.E.S. “A. Fraccacreta”
• IES TIRANT LO BLANC
• BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN COLLEGE