Schools from different parts of Europe by Turkey have decided to initiate the Erasmus plus partnership. Today, young people express themselves more comfortably in all areas, but part of them live as a society which lost their cultural treasure somewhere. Loss of the intangible cultural heritage is similar to the extinction of living species in nature.Common memory,shared experiences and protection of historical continuity is required for conscious struggle with monotype in society. This two year project (2014-2016) outlines key areas of Understanding Culture and Diversity, Building Relationships with People from Different Cultures, social exclusion and early school leaving,Lack of awareness of common heritage due to migration, globalization and cultural assimilation, Lack of communication, mutual respect and understanding, healing the past and embracing the future,the impact of popular culture on other cultures,Acknowledging there is a difference: We’re not all the same,Ethnic and Religious Dates Intercultural dialogue is the basis for real, long lasting understanding and respect, which can only be built up through the acquisition of knowledge about other cultures. In this way, intercultural dialogue can combat ignorance, prejudice, racism and xenophobia. Under the influence of concepts, such as not to recognize the different cultures, apathy , modernization, globalization; young people are no longer interested in the outside world, traditional culture , even they may think that the modernization is to overthrow traditions. With this project, we will give the chance to the target group of young people recognizing different cultures and their own culture. Our project represents a necessary approach to address the questions, how religions and values can contribute to dialogue or tension in Europe, how European citizens of different religions, cultural and political backgrounds can live together and enter into a dialogue of mutual respect and understanding. The project examines their belonging to Europe while discussing their outward cultural identity, thus opening the debate to include issue of the integration, mutual understanding and acceptance of everyone in Europe. The basic purpose of the project is to break the barriers between nations such as religious, linguistic, racial and cultural differences. The aims are to build a cultural support to the students, teachers and local community and to help them in crossing the barriers which are forced upon them by concepts such as different races, languages, and cultural values. Second aim of the project is to advance cooperation between partner countries and international institutions competent in the field of education and culture with respect to diversity of cultures and to develop synergy to encourage the ways of protecting the intangible and tangible cultural heritage. Third aim of the project is to train individuals, integrated to the cultural identity of our age at all, approaching with respect and understanding to different cultures, owing and recognizing cultural richness and diversity, seeing culture as area for creating not demanding resources, and believing in the necessity of creating economic and social sustainability. The action's overall objective is to contribute to implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Common Cultural Heritage. The basics of this project fit with the general framework and principles of European Union‘s Lisbon Convention and UNESCO's Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions (20.10.2005); objectives concerning recognition and promotion of cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and sustainable development. Our target group will be teachers, students and their families. Our project has a strong focus on pupil participation. A Lifelong Learning Programme supposes intercultural dialogue, as partners from different countries and cultures are involved. Any discrimination, national or religious is excluded. This project will offer the occasion of a better acquaintance between countries, their residents, as well as the way of promotion of intercultural education against the racism and xenophobia. The project shows a dynamic way in which the power of the modern technology can establish understanding between students from different countries. It offers students and teachers alike a unique cross-cultural approach for gradually constructing knowledge of other values, attitudes, beliefs, eating habits and daily routines of past and present, in an ever-widening approach for understanding the foreign culture.
The whole project represented a team’s work and if, at first, it all started with four coordinators, then it grew to 50 teachers that are officially on the project’s website and, gradually, more than 500 people across Europe have joined the activities of this project. The nucleus of this project was the coordinators’ team that was highly efficient, its members’ being very prompt, hardworking, respecting deadlines, coming with new ideas and solutions. I would like to personally thank all the coordinators for being so effective and efficient, for communicating so well on our whatsapp and e twinning group, for organising, responsibly and impressively, relevant activities during mobility and bringing all their teams closer together for the same goals, for being so professional and at the same time, so friendly. General Review: We have been working together for nearly two years now and we have successfully achieved the objectives of this project. All participants observed the similarities and differences among cultures, adopted a respectful attitude towards other countries, raised cultural awareness, developed their language skills and multicultural competences. Teachers enhanced their personal and professional growth and supported their students’ involvement in the activities of the project. Students established and maintained new relationships, improved their interpersonal and emotional intelligence. Local communities grasped the need to be a part of the European Union and got actively involved in the educational activities of this project. In order to reach the above-mentioned objectives the tasks have been evenly distributed among partners. There are 4 final results and all made with the contribution of all partners. All partners: Have organised mobility with activities relevant for the cultural theme of our project. Our project had a total number of 4 mobility 23 teachers 68 students in the 4 countries, although we had initially applied for 24 mobility (8 teachers/ 16 students). The mobility followed the pattern from the application form; arrival day, school visit and activities, observation of the local surroundings from a cultural/historical/geographical/economical point of view. We have involved a great number of students, teachers and local authorities in the planning, developing and the assessment of the activities. Students have been communicating on the Internet: e-mails, e twinning Instagram, Skype. In all countries, they prepared, in turn, performances such as folk/local/national/ modern dances, plays, songs etc. They have worked together in workshops or group activities, such as: In Poland they baked traditional cakes during the “home economics class” at school;-they attended scout camp. In Romanian host students together with guest students, discussed the school systems of the 4 countries, they reported early school leaving created power-point presentations about bullying. In Spain students observed and practices specific activities such as making and playing sling, Cultural diversity European Music Group, sport competitions. Students also had a workshop called “Different and the same” where they presented the mobilities in their countries and, on a flip chart paper, they have written impressions, opinions, draw conclusions together. In all countries students visited places of interest, very important from a cultural or historical point of view, such as museums, art galleries, Roman Theatres, workshops, observed traditional cuisine and be active in the traditional and cultural introduction etc. They created power point presentations about their local customs and traditions/mobilities and presented them Teachers have been communicating efficiently on a whatsapp and Facebook group also in twinspace: (over 2200 messages, up to now) and on Facebook and Net log. They helped organising students’activities, planned open-classes, performances, workshops. Examples of activities: Round tables/meetings: during each and every mobility; They visited the school and observed the organisation of the school systems, equipment, curriculum, staff etc. – in all countries; E twinning uploaded all the documents such as presentations, workshop, photos where teachers presented the mobility, worked in groups, discussed and draw the final conclusions of the project. In all countries teachers visited places of interest, very important from a cultural or historical point of view, such as museums, art galleries, Theatres, historical sites, observed traditional cooking etc. Local community/authorities: Visits to local Town Halls, municipality Participation of local authorities at the activities organised during mobility, such as performances, contributions, official statements, etc - in all countries; Parents were involved in the organisation of the activities such as: hosting students, costume making, performances’ preparations, etc – in all countries.