Cultural heritage plays an inevitable part in the identity and everyday life of each country in Europe. Folklore, traditions, cuisine and lots of segments of life include elements deriving from cultural heritage in which we can identify ourselves. That is why we find it important to take part in the events of 2018, the Year of European Cultural Heritage. The aims of our project correspond to the aims of the European Union: preserving the common European identity. Our national heritage joins to that of Turkey, which played an important role in the history of Hungary. Planning the aims of the project was shaped after a school survey. Based on the opinion of the students we have agreed on an activity-oriented project where we use a common language. Intensifying the relationship, getting to know each other’s national-cultural heritage, the possibility of friendships will contribute to initiate solidarity among teenagers of different background. The project will bring people with different cultural background closer to each other, thus everyone will be linked to European heritage more strongly. International cooperation is a benefit for the teachers as well, it opens new dimensions for them, strengthens their methodology. They will obtain an insight into each other’s work; have the chance to adopt good practices, feel the reinforcement that their work is of high value. The activities during the project are varied: -Exchanging good practices, co-operation between partners. -Trying to find answers to current challenges: historical conflicts have been re-evaluated; we have to reinterpret our relationship -Using innovative material, elaboration of new approaches in order to develop key competencies (e.g. presenting ICT tools in grammar, foreign language lessons) -Discovering new dimensions in youth work (system of common service, voluntary work in the two countries) -More “Europe”, focusing on European topics -Promoting active citizenship, entrepreneurship: the Turks have taken part in such initiatives, sharing good practices -Fighting against exclusion, early school leaving: getting to know a different culture resulting in openminded thinking, tolerance -Turning learning activities more professional Creating intellectual/concrete product (e.g. mutual educational material for the syllabus) This way the project will not only have an effect on the actual participants, but surely will influence the professional life of the two schools, and thanked to extensive dissemination the results will reach all the institutions of the region, through the media the town will be informed. The project brings educational, personal and long-term benefits to the participants. The students learn to analyze the events and form their own opinion about the world. A foreign language is improved through practical immersion. The participation enhances cultural awareness motivating students towards acceptance and understanding of a different culture, thus promoting friendship between nations and raising interest in global issues.They move out of their comfort zone opening new perspectives, which might become a source of inspiration for their future pursuit. They develop self-confidence and self-esteem.There is no doubt that students who participate in the program gain skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. They learn how to build bridges between peers of different nationalities, establish new contacts and make friends, take responsibility, learn to respect differences and tolerate the values and beliefs of people from different cultures. Many of the problems we have in this world are due to misunderstandings. When you learn about other cultures, you get to understand that there is more than one approach to life. Being able to tolerate others, and not reproach them for being different is not only a proper way of living in a global community, but it is also the sign of a well-rounded person. The whole experience will encourage students to share their knowledge so that more and more people would like to learn about other cultures which will serve the cause of peace. Cultural-geographical-linguistic knowledge gained in the project, experience picked up through meeting other culture means not only getting information but it also strengthens motivation of teachers and students. It helps to develop social competencies such as improving equality of opportunity as getting knowledge in non-formal environment promotes further studies. The motivation of target groups to preserve European identity and to adhere LLL strengthens. It is not only true for the school environment, but also for the partners, because if the relationship between the sibling towns is stronger, it gives example and social capital to other institutions of the town to cultivate relationships. Participating in programs like this will help to break down barriers and overcome stereotypes, and build friendship between nations.
One of the greatest challenge for a person in the 21st century is to keep their knowledge up to date and to preserve their identity in a way that suits the community’s values. That’s why projects that help achieve these goals are so important. Our project’s programme was open for all personnel of our institute, teachers and students alike. The main goal of the project is to raise global awareness, as part of the EU’s Heritage 2018 programme. The project consisted of 12 months of thematic programmes and 2 mobolities (Hungary and Turkey). The main focus was shared work both extra- and interinstitutally, using the eTwinning interface to keep in touch with teachers and students of partner institutes. We have set our goals respecting the EU’s priorities: to form an open-minded perspective, to learn the EU’s values, to raise global awareness and to raise more conscious students. During our activity-oriented project we organised programmes both in- and outside of the school. It appears that we were able to shift the values of the pupils: they spent their off-time exploring the many attributes of cultural life, while developing many new competences (lingual, ICT, social, entrepreneurship). The project was made cooperatively, as a joint effort with our pratners. Its main goals are to educate on the Turkish and Hungarian culture and history, to categorise our knowledge, and to avoid prejudice. All of these are effective means of teaching tolerance, acceptance, respect for other cultures and other european values. Such as: - more conscious learning - learing about the culture and customs of a country with similar historical roots, helping to build a more coherent world view - going against age-old prejudices - making partnerships, sharing knowledge - developing the competence of teachers and students alike - getting basic knowledge about a country outside of the EU - fighting against discrimination, setting equal opportunities General goals: • Impoving the competences of the group ( lingual, ICT, entrepreneurship ect.) • Improving the social cohesion and integration of Vác and its agglomeration The students have gained new competences, experiences and self-confidence, and made friendships, that hopefully live on after the project has ended.