The project was initiated to encourage a sense of unity and to celebrate diversity among primary school students and their teachers. It aimed at developing tolerance, mutual respect and intercultural competence while strengthening their relationships with international partners. We wanted our pupils to understand that the other countries within Europe are able to work together without prejudice that Europe has a number of different countries, but common aims and values. We desired to boost their motivation in school activities, to improve their communicative skills, their competences in group work and to make a profound study of cultures, foreign languages, native languages, etc, of the partner schools. Our aim was also to involve in the project students with fewer possibilities from rural area who very often grow up in a narrow minded society closed for the rest of the world. Including them in project actions was the milestone in the process of shaping their worldview. We also wanted to affect the whole school and local communities even by not direct participation but by observation of our actions. We also aimed to boost digital competences and foreign language skills of young learners and shape multiple key competences.
The formers of the project: Poland and Türkiye, applied the project because they successfully completed their eTwinning project “Unity in Diversity” with National and European Quality Label and wanted to take a step further in a cultural exchange of practices. ETwinning projects like this create a great opportunity for young learners to get familiar with other European cultures and understand the similarities and differences between them but as virtual projects provide schools only with limited opportunities. Students may have difficulties in imagining and acknowledging a particular tradition or belief. We wanted to get sts involved in authentic dialogues, as direct contact with culture is irreplaceable. Moreover, to our disadvantage, our schools are located in a rather rural area, our students have less opportunities to have contact with the target language. We wanted to involve pupils with fewer opportunities to participate. Before we decided to apply for the Erasmus + all partners conducted interviews with students, teachers and parents about their readiness to welcome this kind of affair in our insitutions. We got a positive feedback that made us sure to take a step and establish "Unity in Diversity" project in our schools.