More informationProject website:http://erasmusplusmesimeri.com/

The Erasmus+ Project Results Platform:https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/eplus-project-details/

Erasmus+

Erasmus+Key facts and figures

Project titleLocal reflections of European common cultural heritages and values

Field: School EducationAction: Strategic Partnerships

Lead organisationName: Dimotiko Sholio MesimeriouLocation: Edessa, GreeceWebsite: http://dim-mesim.pel.sch.gr

PartnersÉcole du Centre-Ville Perros-Guirec, France; Šiaulių Gegužių Progimnazija, Lithuania;Szkoła Podstawowa Nr 59 im. gen. J. H. Dąbrowskiego, Poland;Agrupamento De Escolas De Arrifana, Santa Maria Da Feira, Portugal;Colegio Montesclaros S.L., Spain; Abdurrahim Karakoç Ortaokulu, Turkey;Croftcroighn School, United Kingdom

Cross-border cultural partnerships can inspire students and provide teachers with new culturally inspired classroom activitiesThe project ‘Local reflections of European common cultural heritages and values’ brought together schools from eight European countries. Working through online collaboration and meetings, gave the project partners the chance to immerse themselves in a different culture and share teaching materials.

Project coordinator Sotirios Gkalipis explained:

‘ Three times a year we met in one of the partner countries for a week. These meetings involved two or three teachers from each partner institution, as well as some pupils. Being able to see first-hand how things are done in the cultural sphere had a huge impact.’

These meetings focused on identifying similarities and dif-ferences, both between local cultures and in how culture is experienced in different schools. Some 22 cultural activities were created based on local festivals, music, geography and history.

Books on the local traditions and cuisine from each of the partner countries were created, along with a calen-dar depicting local celebrations and CDs of local songs and music. ‘Everything we produced is beneficial to teachers and pupils in learning about different cultures,’ added Gkalipis.

The ‘Local reflections of European common cultural her-itages and values’ project also underlined how even brief cultural exchange can have a long-lasting impact. ‘I love projects like this because they reveal what life is really like in another village or country,’ said Gkalipis.

Cultural exchange therefore continues between the partners, and Gkalipis is keen to maintain his school’s open-minded European outlook.

Taste of local cultures improves teaching tools

Photo: © Tatakis Vasileios

Participants:151

Countries:8

EU grant:€ 179,500

Project duration:2014-2017