The aim of the project was to provide educational materials that could be used to address the conflict-laden ethical and political issues surrounding the treatment of animals in our society in schools and other educational settings. The target group was teachers and other educational staff (also outside schools), and secondarily pupils aged 10 and over. Although people constantly come into contact with questions of animal ethics through their daily actions, such topics have so far been given little space in schools. Without indoctrinating, the ALICE project aimed to provide up-to-date scientific knowledge and demonstrate ways in which this difficult topic can be dealt with and discussed controversially in educational settings without reducing it to individual consumer decisions. The aim was to explicitly address not only individual, but also political, economic and cultural dimensions of the topic, so that everyone has the opportunity to reflect on their own assumptions and behaviour, become aware of the problems, for example with regard to animal rights and environmental destruction, and find their own answers.
Animals co-operate, communicate and solve problems, so they are more intelligent than long assumed. Nevertheless, many millions of animals in the EU are kept in factory farming, which causes great animal suffering and places excessive demands on environmental resources. Animal husbandry takes up most of the agricultural land, contributes to the destruction of ecosystems and the climate crisis, and pollutes soil, water and air. At the same time, animal products such as meat, milk and eggs are still an integral part of the diet for most people in Europe and agriculture is subsidised with enormous sums of money. Measures to reduce meat consumption and improve animal welfare are the subject of controversial debate and are being implemented only hesitantly. As the treatment of animals, for example in the area of nutrition, affects very personal areas of life, debates are often emotional. These questions have not yet been given enough space at school. When the topic is discussed in an educational setting, the accusation of being overwhelming quickly arises. The ALICE project aimed to address key animal ethics and political issues arising from this debate and to develop educational programmes and materials.