Protecting the diversity of cultural expressions is more important than ever. Held every year on 21 May, UNESCO leads the celebration of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development highlighting not only the richness of the world’s cultures, but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development. With 89% of all current conflicts in the world occurring in countries with low intercultural dialogue, to forge effective cooperation and sustain peace, strengthening intercultural dialogue must be a priority. (Source: https://www.un.org/)
Based on the above, we decided to design and take part in a collaborative eTwinning project, aiming at bringing together teachers and pupils from different countries in an educational collaboration that combines cultural heritage and digital skills. The participating schools came from Hungary, Croatia, Türkiye, Greece, Poland, Spain, Italy, Romania and Ukraine, each one of them representing countries with different cultural backgrounds. We worked together in transnational teams and created common products which are used for the dissemination of our project.
Our firm belief is that only if our students learn about other cultures and express their respect towards them, collaborate with peers while promoting cultural diversity and by becoming cultural ambassadors of their countries, will they be able to adopt a similar mindset in life. Moreover, it is commonly accepted that students who interact with people with various cultural backgrounds are more open minded and become active global citizens, embracing cultural elements regarding history, language, food, tradition, music, landmarks etc. As a result, conflicts are smoothed out, and the lifestyle they adopt becomes more peaceful.
What we tried to do as educators, while designing and implementing the project, was to engage students in collaborative activities that involved research, creativity and the use of digital tools. Consequently, the students enhanced their interpersonal and life skills through working in international teams and expressing themselves in creative and original ways. Needless to say, they also promoted their own cultural heritage, learning about the features that make them unique.
You can find the products from our project if you click on the following link https://content.e-me.edu.gr/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=h5p_embed&id=1357081.
So, follow us in our cool cult-tour around the world and let us all remember our motto:
“The best way to preserve your civilization is to share it with others”.
-Maria Tsiamtsiouri,
English language teacher
4th Primary school of Karpenissi, Greece
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