This is my Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

This is my Europe

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: Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

Today’s Europe is a result of our long history, not only after World War II and the establishment of the European Union but also a history of trade, migration, cultural and scientific exchanges that have taken place alongside local and national traditions. In a time where populist and nationalist movements are rising and nurturing dissatisfaction with European decisions, we want to focus on our young people and what kind of Europe they are dreaming of. How much are they aware of European values, politics and institutions and to the extent to which they influence their lives?

The main aim of this project is to engage students‘ but also teachers‘ awareness of European cooperation through the EU and other international organisations which have secured the rights that they meanwhile take for granted. Free travel, trade and cultural exchange are common examples. We will also focus on what young people are dissatisfied with, e.g. current issues like handling environmental problems or migration. Therefore, we have asked our students what their main ideas and concerns concerning the future of Europe are and we have selected topics and activities according to their answers.

Our target group are students aged 14-16 at our schools who will be invited to participate actively in the project. 4 students and 2 teachers from each country will participate in each meeting, which means that altogether there will be 20 students and 10 teachers attending project weeks abroad. At each meeting, there will be 20 host students and families that together with the guests create an international week at each school during the project. As a result of our work, students and teachers at each school should benefit from the guidelines and activities we intend to work out.

The project is separated into six different topics with ensuing activities.

*Environment – Climate: Students should become aware what they can do against climate change on different levels, from the individual one to the European level l but most importantly how they can influence European policy e.g. the “European Green Deal” (climate strikes etc)

*Arts and Culture: We will focus on how traditions have been exchanged between people through history and how most of them are not unique to one country only. We want to put emphasis on practical activities that show how art and culture highlight what we Europeans have in common.

*Traditions – migration: Teachers and students will work on topics concerning traditions and migration, focusing both on the need to preserve traditions as a demonstration of local identity as well as on the importance of migration providing added value to society.

*Travelling: We will be looking at the four fundamental freedoms in Europe, focusing on the freedom of movement of people and goods. Students will become aware of how easy travel in Europe without borders has become due to efforts by the EU, but they should also know about the environmental consequences of transportation.

*Values – jobs – education: The students will be invited to think about what could be done to help Europe grow even closer together, working on a common European curriculum with which students can be prepared to cooperate and live with people from other European countries.

*Food: The survey among students has shown that this is the most popular topic, aksing for activities targeting food-related issues. We will work both on traditional food and on the consequences of open borders and cultural exchange of food.

Concerning the methodology, several approaches to the different issues will be offered, including talks by experts, who will give information on various issues, as well as independent student research or the examination of the material provided. Furthermore, we will also use our students‘ creative potential with appropriate tasks and invite them to express and reflect on their own experience and points of view in different ways.

In this context, it will also be interesting to see how the issues mentioned above have an impact on students and teachers in different European countries. We aim to show how our topic “This Is My Europe” will help the participants to see how the different regions and cities have benefitted from the fact that they are a part of Europe, and that it will give them the opportunity to study, live and work all around Europe.

Our project should not only result in a better understanding among students and teachers of how Europe is influencing their daily life, but we want to encourage them to become active European citizens who have acquired a profound knowledge of European history and what is going on today. We will focus on young people’s chances to change this continent they live in and deal with issues they would like to tackle in the future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 192480 Eur

Project Coordinator

Skeiane Ungdomsskole & Country: NO

Project Partners

• Lycée Jean Moulin
• Liceul Teoretic Onisifor Ghibu
• ISIS DE NICOLA
• BG/BRG/BORG Eisenstadt
• Gymnasium Penzberg