Our project "How diversity makes us one" wants to address social processes such as discrimination, social exclusion and racism. These are topics that we are daily confronted with when we switch the TV or radio on. Hardly any other topics separate so many as diversity, cultural differences and prejudices against other foreign cultures or languages. However, often it is about the uncertainty and the inexperience of multiculturalism. As part of our daily lives, we are faced with foreign languages, cultures and traditions within our own countries. More and more multicultural societies develop today. Different cultural backgrounds surround each individual. Even in the year 2018 many people are incredulous against cultures they don´t know much about. However, while these processes and fears are still manifested in many people’s minds, our project symbolises a solid chance to create active students and learners who are aware of their chance and responsibility to create an open-minded, tolerant and common European future. Getting to know other cultures and school systems makes our students aware of the differences and similarities of different European cultures and countries. As part of our project, students should understand their own individual role in a European future and they should understand diversity as a key competence in their own lives. This project should banish their fears of different people, countries and languages. Diversity should become a daily and very positive aspect of our students’ lives. We want to make clear that the future and the society lie in their hands. Through globalization and ICT - tools the world has never been closer. Nevertheless, borders, racism and discrimination can still be found in many minds and thoughts. We want to make students aware about these social processes and want to offer help in making them take their chance to create a better future with tolerance and peace. They should understand diversity as an aspect that connects us. Learning languages as well as increasing students’ cultural competences is of utmost importance. We want to discuss the characteristics of diversity. Moreover, we want to work with cultural particularities and we want to create a positive discussion about our cultural differences. Students should increase their acceptance and understanding for other cultural backgrounds and traditions. All in all, our project makes a contribution in connecting people and students from different cultural backgrounds. Our aim is to strengthen students´ key competences and to help them become open-minded, innovative and tolerant European citizens. The future of the world is in our classrooms today. We want to give meaning and substance to the idea that diversity makes us one!
Our project "How diversity makes us one" adresses social processes such as discrimination, social exclusion and racism. These are topics that we are daily confronted with when we switch the TV or radio on. Hardly any other topic separates so many as diversity, cultural differences and prejudices against other foreign cultures or languages. However, often it is about the uncertainty and the inexperience of multiculturalism. These social processes build the mainlink for our project. Within the sope of our project we set the aim to offer multidimensional ways of tolerance and intercultural knowledge. Diversity is a central aspect of our teamwork. Especially during our several mobilities, diversity was the keypoint for all the activities which have been part of the project. A positive and diverse way of communication about similarities and differences between the cultures was conducive for learning. The project influences student´s key competences crucially. While using open educational sources and innovative methods students got the opportunity to improve several of their individual key competences and their own personality. This project led to a central improval of key competences such as mediacompetence, intercultural competences and student‘s competences of an individual judgement. The project tried to teach students in their role as a responsible member of the European Union through the communication and common work with students and teachers from different countries. Intercultural learning acted as one of the central positive effects of the project and should offer experiences of other foreign cultures and languages. Through the project students should learn about their individual role in a society of a European country but also about their responsibilty for their own country as a member of the European Union. Students got to learn about the history of the European Union and social and educational values of an European heritage. They unterstand that international learning and living improves the way of a lifelong process of learning. Moreover the project "How diversity makes us one" opened positive effects on the self - efficacy of students and teachers. Students worked as active participants and learned to organise and plan central parts of the project such as mobilities or additional project activities on their own. Effective learning based on the project ideas brought up active learners with creative ideas and a feeling of importance for students and their work. This progress led to a reduce of racism and the fear of different cultures. Students learned to be curious and open - minded and also open for intercultureal learning processes. This project offered the opportunity to improve the student´s identity independetly from their social and financial background. This led to a higher level of equal rights and opportunities in scope of international learning. A further important learning field of the process is the improval of multicultural language skills. The active process of communication in peer groups from different countries had a remarkable influence on student´s language skills. This process also made up new friendships and social integration which cross borders, language difficulties and intercultural differences. In conclusion this projects led to a multicultural way of thinking and dealing and showed students their resposibility for a lifelong learning process within an international background. Even after the end of our project students will understand the advantages of international teamwork. They will take only responsibiilty for their own cultural heritage but also for European heritage and other European countries which will decrease social processes such as racsism and discrimination.