We wanted to benefit from several aspects of this Erasmus project. On the one hand, we wanted to promote the cultural exchange of our students and offer them the opportunity to make international friends and familiarise themselves with the linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe. They should have the opportunity to socialise with students from other countries and get to know other school systems and their everyday life. On the other hand, we wanted to give space to the topic of ‘water, drinking water, water utilisation, etc.’, as water is a vital resource. Due to climate change, this resource will become increasingly scarce and therefore more precious in the coming decades. We would like to prepare our pupils for this dynamic by creating an increased awareness of this now, through this project. At the same time, we want them to learn about ways in which they can actively contribute to sustainable water management.
We applied for this project because we, as schools, aspire to educate our pupils to become responsible European citizens. This includes a pro-European, cosmopolitan attitude, for which the foundations must be laid at an early age. As personal development is primarily achieved through personal, real-life experiences, we wanted to facilitate this through a joint Erasmus project. This enables pupils to familiarise themselves with everyday life in other countries and to engage in cultural exchange. They are also given the opportunity to communicate with other people who do not speak their own language. We also recognised the need to raise awareness of water as a resource. In order to understand the global dimension and importance of this, we believe it is essential to look beyond our own national borders. Climate change, which affects us all, is a global problem and its consequences are also reflected in the drinking water supply and water management. As the effects vary depending on the geographical location, it is necessary to address this issue in an international context.