Over the past decade extremism, racism and terrorist attacks have increased across Europe, threatening the safety of European citizens and the fundamental values of freedom, democracy, equality and respect for the rule of law. In response to these threats, and in order to support fundamental values that lie at the heart of the European Union, our schools aim at promoting democratic citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education to make our future world a better place. Our multilateral project “SEE & ACT – Active Citizens Together” aims at encouraging secondary school students, to see and experience democracy in social and political life on different levels: democracy in their lives, in their local communities and in European institutions, thus, promoting active citizenship. However, they will also see and experience challenges to democracy and reflect on their impacts. We will ensure that our students acquire social, civic and intercultural competences, by promoting democratic values and fundamental rights, social inclusion and non-discrimination, as well as active citizenship. Moreover, our students will enhance their critical thinking skills and media literacy resulting in a resistance to all forms of discrimination and indoctrination. We will ensure to promote intercultural dialogue through different forms of learning in cooperation with schools from Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain as well as stakeholders from different fields. We aim at preparing our students to become citizens who will preserve and shape European democracy in the future.(see: ‘Promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education’, European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2016).
Our schools have aimed at promoting democratic citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education to make our future world a better place. Our multilateral project “SEE & ACT – Active Citizens Together” has encouraged secondary school students, to see and experience democracy in social and political life on different levels: democracy in their lives, in their local communities and in European institutions, thus, promoting active citizenship. They have also experienced challenges to democracy and reflected on their impacts. We have ensured that our students acquire social, civic and intercultural competences, by promoting democratic values and fundamental rights, social inclusion and non-discrimination, as well as active citizenship. Moreover, our students have enhanced their critical thinking skills and media literacy resulting in a resistance to all forms of discrimination and indoctrination. We have promoted intercultural dialogue through different forms of learning in cooperation with schools from Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Spain as well as stakeholders from different fields. We feel confident that we have encouraged our students to become citizens who will preserve and shape European democracy in the future.