What kind of Civic Education for a true European Citizenship?

General objective was: to define a path of "Civic Education" functional to Europe and the culture of peace, progress and nonviolence. Specific objectives were: 1) building a civic culture based o...

General objective was: to define a path of "Civic Education" functional to Europe and the culture of peace, progress and nonviolence. Specific objectives were: 1) building a civic culture based on information, education and the will to create together both an advanced, more just and supportive society based on the culture of respect for oneself and for others; 2) insist on the possibility of a life in common beyond ethnic, cultural, ideological and religious diversity; 3) closely coordinate the different realities so that young students can compare the different living conditions, dimensions and local habits. Other objectives were: 1) facilitate dialogue starting from the micro-reality; 2) evaluate and know the different behavioral models; 3) establish a European youth council that constantly monitors the civic "norms" that facilitate cultural and occupational exchange between nations. These objectives seemed to meet most the selected priorities: either horizontal (common values, civic engagement and participation) or specific for higher and school education: promoting the interconnection between educational institutions; promoting innovative practices of learning and teaching; developing key competencies.

Besides the 2 general activities of Management and Quality assurance and Dissemination &Sustainability, the implemented project activities have been 3: 1) Knowing Europe to be European - the activity consisted in the definition and implementation of training actions on the subject of European citizenship. 2) Working together – the activity provided the organization of working groups within each involved school. Students worked together for planning and implementing a common project on the subject of European citizenship and the values that underlie it. Each involved school was able to choose the most appropriate working methods internally: each class could prepare a project that would be presented during the final event in Reggio Calabria and could choose among composing a poem; a short tale; taking a picture; writing a sociological research in paper or video format. 3) Citizenship International Contest – the activity took place in Reggio Calabria between 17 and 21 May 2023 and more than 100 students and professors from different European countries met to work and enjoy themselves together.

The expected results of the project were: 1) organization and implementation of a first phase of training by teachers and students of the University of Genova for the students of the Italian, Romanian and Polish schools involved in the project; 2) selection and collection of materials on the subject of European citizenship and upload of materials on the project site; 3) organization and implementation of working groups in each school involved and definition of project ideas to be implemented and presented during the final event in Reggio Calabria; 4) organization of the final event in Reggio Calabria with awarding of the best projects in each category (poetry, stories, sociological research, photographs), workshops, debates, moments of free time dedicated to socializing.