With the “Minorities Matter” project, we aimed to raise awareness among our students about the importance of protecting minorities in democratic societies - both historically and today. We wanted them to recognize mechanisms of exclusion, question prejudices, and take an active stance against discrimination. More than just conveying knowledge, the project sought to shape attitudes: empathy, a sense of responsibility, and the courage to stand up for others. Another goal was to connect historical remembrance with personal engagement - through the cleaning of Stolpersteine and the research of individual biographies of victims of National Socialism. Through international exchange, students were also meant to experience that the protection of minorities is a shared European task that transcends borders. We wanted to give them the opportunity to see themselves as part of an active, value-based European community and to experience their own impact - both locally and internationally. In this way, the project served as character education, democracy building, and lived European cooperation.
We applied for the “Minorities Matter” project out of a deep need to strengthen historical awareness and a reflective attitude among our students in the face of current societal challenges. In a time when minorities - whether religious, ethnic, or cultural - are once again becoming scapegoats, even within Europe, we wanted to promote the importance of protecting minorities and encourage civil courage. Especially at our diverse school, it was important to reinforce shared values such as human dignity, respect, and democratic responsibility. The project also aimed to empower students to see themselves as active European citizens who recognize historical patterns and take responsibility for the present and future. In doing so, it addressed a central educational need: fostering democratic competence in an inclusive and diverse learning environment. Through international exchange and shared historical reflection, we hoped to strengthen our students’ ability to engage critically and empathetically in democratic society.