Project

Summary of the Project in your Language

Here you can download the summary of the project "weReurope" in your language [Format: pdf]

Who is Europe?

The expanding EU needs innovative instruments to promote social cohesion among member states. (Everyday) culture and art can serve as intermediaries for a sustainable approach to learning and for bridging cultural gaps. Can we identify a common cultural heritage on which a shared future vision of Europe can be built, and can we convert such findings into transferable training tools that help to overcome xenophobia and favour diversity? We are Europe.

Coming together: ICD-Conferences

The project consortium will jointly develop, test and evaluate a model of "Intercultural Dialogue Conferences" (ICD) as a branded tool, which helps to create pathways for adult learners to improve their knowledge about the EU and their intercultural and key competencies via Adult Education Agencies. A learner-centred approach and the use of art and culture as intermediaries provide a rich methodology (successful in former GRUNDTVIG projects, e.g. ARTEMIS) to motivate learners' activities, to raise their self-confidence and support creative expression, communication and intercultural exchange. Five regional ICD-Conferences will involve participants via partners' regional/national networks and experts from all 27 EU member states. They are not only invited to discuss relevant questions and obstacles related to European integration (e.g. border conflicts/resolution, work-migration, the Lisbon Treaty…), but also to take an active role in developing the pedagogical strategies and the ICD-Conference Script. All participants of ICD-Conferences will act as multipliers to reach out to an EU-wide audience via their institutions, disseminating the project idea in everyday work, through postcards, newsletters and lectures. As a result Adult Education Institutions will be provided with an ICD-Conference Script (brochure, CD) as a methodical and didactic concept developed for further use: The ICD- Conference Script comprises ICD-methodology for the hosting (Adult Education) Institutions and motivating methodology when learning processes with target audiences from various cultural backgrounds are initiated.

The Carpet of Symbols and Memories

Throughout the duration of the project an inspiring "carpet of symbols and memories" (real and virtual) will be created to emblematise diversity in unity. All participants of the 5 ICD-Conferences will be asked to bring along an object, related to one of the neighbouring countries, together with a story, explaining the significance of the object, in their native language and its translation into English. By the end of the project, symbols and stories from all member states will be collected, thus showing the rich potential for international communication contained in objects, and their meanings for individuals and collectives. This "carpet of symbols and memories" will be launched on the project's website and continued beyond the lifetime of the project.

European Pedagogical Strategies

One of the major issues in the debate about the EU's future development is the key to motivate learning, especially among marginalised groups of society. Project partners of weReurope and experts will discuss and jointly develop a European pedagogical strategy to motivate learning by means of culture and art, by inspiring a sense of ownership through active involvement of learners, and will undertake to devise a strategy for recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning.