L'Europe, un continent de migrations contemporaines - Allemagne, France, Slovaquie

The theme of population migrations in the 20th and 21st centuries was designed to give participants an opportunity to open up to others and to mobility, to build and share memories and to combat p...

The theme of population migrations in the 20th and 21st centuries was designed to give participants an opportunity to open up to others and to mobility, to build and share memories and to combat prejudice. The tri-national exchanges were to provide a cross-fertilised and enriched viewpoint on migratory phenomena that are both singular, in that they are linked to national histories, and common, in that they form part of a shared European history since the Second World War. The two horizontal priorities chosen for this partnership (inclusion and diversity, shared values, civic commitment and participation) had been identified jointly by the teachers from the three partner schools, as they provided an opportunity for young Europeans to discuss and reflect on family or collective journeys that may seem different and remote, but which are essential and shared elements of the construction of Europe or issues at the heart of the contemporary and future European project. Our aim was to get young people talking to each other, reaching out to others, confronting their differences and trying to understand them, while overcoming language and cultural barriers.

As planned in the dossier presented, visits to places of remembrance, exchanges between pupils on the theme of contemporary migration, interviews and life stories of people who have experienced migration, and talks by qualified specialists on the issue of migration were carried out or organised. Oral, written and digital activities were organised for each trip, punctuating the days and the entire duration of the 3 trips. These activities enabled all the participants to play a role, building on their own and developing others. The exchanges and encounters were both concrete: at specific sites (museums, schools, migrant reception villages, for example), transport and/or walks together to build group cohesion and mutual support, and the sharing of knowledge using digital media, notice boards, links and messages on Instagram or by email for those who were able to exchange in English. For the others, these exchanges were supervised by the teachers.

The participants appreciated the exchange of ideas organized around three main languages: English first, followed by German and French. Slovak was very difficult to access during oral exchanges. This language was highlighted in the lexicon tables created at each meeting (see appendices). The young people all showed great satisfaction in preparing, living and reinvesting several elements of these mobilities. Here are some concrete examples: keeping in touch via the instagram created, wishing to reinvest in a future Erasmus mobility, reinvesting skills in the classroom on return or at the end of these different activities. The Erasmus+ exchange program successfully explored Europe as a continent shaped by migration, highlighting its cultural richness and societal complexities. Although faced with logistical and linguistic challenges, the program achieved its objective of promoting intercultural dialogue, academic research and the personal development of participants. In the future, the continued support and expansion of such programs will undoubtedly contribute to building a more interconnected global community.