Posted on 19 September 2018
With the beginning of the school year 2018/2019, the Historical Archives of the European Union is preparing a new set of activities targeting primary, secondary and high schools in Florence. This year, the educational programme will focus on the forthcoming European parliament’s election of May 2019.
Since six years, the HAEU is engaging with schools in an active dialogue and educational activities based on its documentary memory. The school programme aims at enhancing students’ knowledge on the history of European integration and at promoting the understanding of European citizenship through tailored educational activities. Witnessing growing participation form high schools of the Florentine metropolitan area in the past years, the objective for this year is to raise again high schools’ enthusiasm, while increasing also middle and elementary school involvement in HAEU educational activities.
“European Elections 2019: for an active democracy” – The middle and high school programme
The high school project is jointly organised with the Metropolitan City of Florence, while the middle school one is managed together with the Municipality of Florence in the framework of its annual project: “Le Chiavi della Città”.
The project consists of two events: the first takes place at the school and is dedicated to the understanding of European integration and the EU institutions’ functioning. During the second event, hosted at Villa Salviati, students simulate a parliamentary group session discussing and preparing an own electoral programme. Students focus on three main themes: European citizenship and school; climate change, environment and energy issues; the institutional reform of the European Union.
High school classes challenge each other in a competition on drafting the most appealing and forward looking electoral programme. A jury will select the three best works, which are presented during a public award ceremony at Villa Salviati in early May 2019.
Within the educational programme of the Archives, high schools have the opportunity to meet former Members of European Parliament. For this purpose, the HAEU works closely with the European Parliament Former Members Association (FMA). Former MEPs take part in high school visits, listen to students’ proposals, share their points of view and give personal advice during the debates.
“Our Europe” - The primary school programme
Pursuing its commitment to elementary students’ education the HAEU launches the project “Our Europe” in collaboration with the Municipality of Florence and within the framework of “Le Chiavi della Città”. School classes will visit Villa Salviati, take part in games and educational activities explaining in simple terms EU integration, geography, and citizenship, while transmitting the role of the European Union in our everyday life.
“Europa ti vedo e ti vivo”- The Erasmus+ Project
The school year 2018/19 will also mark the last round of the Erasmus+ Project “Europa: ti vedo e ti vivo – Living (in) Europe”. In October, a member of the educational team will take part in the fourth student mobility in Valencia (Spain) and conduct a workshop addressing Spanish historical figures who played a role in shaping the EU integration process.
The three-year Erasmus+ project aims at improving the understanding of European citizenship by inviting students to examine both, modern and contemporary European history, and to investigate some of its key values: secularism, dialogue, peace, freedom, equality, solidarity and democracy. Seven high schools from Italy, Greece, Romania, Spain, and France are taking part in the project, which is managed by the “Peano” high school in Florence and which benefits from the partnership with the HAEU and the Opera di Santa Croce. The Historical Archives of the European Union contributes by offering its educational expertise and selections of relevant archival documents.