Different Cultures-Common Ideas

Different Cultures - Common idealsThe project`s fundamental idea is that students should become acquainted with their own culture, with that of the nationalities of the partner countries, value them, they should practice mutual acceptance and look for what they have in common. On the one hand they should understand that cultural diversity is a gift, which enriches us, and on the other hand they should look for similarities in culture, in art, that connect us, and that enable us to promote acceptance and the inclusivity of various groups (persons with disabilities, minorities, religions) respectively. In the first year students gather information, become acquainted with the diversity of cultures, and in the second year they are engaged in the challenges they had to face when analyzing inclusivity in and through art. It is important for us that students should learn to use an independent access to cultural institutions (exhibition halls, museums, and so on) in their environment and when traveling to other countries. We have noticed that our students take little to no interest in places of culture and they do not wish to visit them of their own accord. One of the aims of our project is to create new ways of access for young people to cultural facilities, and that they should learn to get excited about these facilities. A further aim is that students should discover what cultures have in common, and that they should discover for themselves art as medium for promoting inclusivity. The five schools participating in this project are from Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania and Turkey totaling 125 students and approximately 20 teachers. We all have many socially disadvantaged students form educationally challenged families, and we wish to make the diverse European culture accessible for them, so that they should take an interest as European citizens both in their own culture, and in cultures and countries previously unknown to them. This way they should feel even more that they belong to the European community and should learn to value it more. In the long run an important aim is to motivate young people to feel responsible for the future of whole Europe and to participate in the processes of solving challenges that we face together. On account of this we will involve them in activities that, in addition to making them acquainted with the various cultures, create an awareness for the reasons and effects of exclusion and prejudices, motivate them to fight these prejudices, promote mutual acceptance and inclusivity, and assume responsibility in the process. We are planning the following activities: visits, workshops, traditional day, thematic activities (about inclusivity, culture, art). Students’ social, language and ITC-skills are also promoted in the process. They will practice teamwork, discuss the topic in German and compile materials using ITC.One key aspect of the project is the creation of an interactive suitcase in the form of an eBook (OER). This ensures the project’s long-term benefit.On the one hand background information will be gathered regarding the cultural facilities of each place, the exhibition or museum will be visited, and then a digital presentation form like an advertising film, a video clip or a strip cartoon will be opted for. At the end the digital product will be made available online in the common interactive suitcase. On the other hand students will also discuss the topic of inclusivity and will search for possible forms of inclusivity with the help of art. These materials (advertising, graphic art, photo collage, poster), too, will be published in the eBook, so that later on all interested parties can have access to them.