Our journey around Europe began in September 2017.... It was then that seven schools from seven different countries decided to embark on an adventure that would bring them closer to young people living all over Europe and that would allow them to explore what it is that makes or could make young people feel at home in Europe.
Over the next two years, students and educators from the following schools would work both laboriously and creatively in order to meet the requirements of an approved Erasmus+ project and, at the same time, enjoy interacting and learning from each other:
- Städtische Realschule Broich in Muelheim ander Ruhr, "the city on the River" in Germany (Coordinating school)
- Instituto di Instruzione Superiore "Paolo Carcano" located in Como, in Northern Italy
- “Jean Aicard” Lycée d’ enseignement général et technologique, in Hyères, in the Côte d'Azur region, in Southern France
- Osnovna šola Antona Ingoliča Spodnja Polskava, near the city of Pragersko, in Slovenia
- Hitra Videregående Skole, situated in the islands of Hitra and Filan, in Norway
- Escola Básica e Secundária da Madalena, in Madalena do Pico, in the Azores islands of Portugal
- 2nd Exprerimental Junior High School of Thessaloniki, in northern Greece.
The main objective of this Erasmus project was to seek those aspects that unite Europe and turn it into a home for young Europeans. Taking into account, therefore, that Europe is much greater than the sum of its parts, the students and teachers involved in this project delved into the following topics:
- the notion of "home" or "heimat" in a world where techonology overrides borders
- the aspirations and problems of young refugees reaching Europe, looking for a new "home"
- the common motivating past or homely experiences and dreams of youth living in Europe
- the daily routines of young Europeans, which reflect their cutlure and presence in this continent they call "home"
- their dreams and fears, doubts and certainties about the future of Europe and their connection to their sense of "belonging"
- the artistic and technological empowerment of the youth that do feel @home in Europe.
The means and activities employed to explore all the above were countless.
Whether during a music performance in Slovenia...
or a lesson in Greece,
... a workshop on art and fashion...
or a thetrical performance in Italy,
... admiring the castle of Hyeres...
... or attending school in Pico,
... or even planting "roots" from all over Europe in Greece...
bringing together the youth of seven countries on a stage...
or a speed boat in Norway...
... the activities designed and implemented in this Erasmus project revolved around interaction and cultural exchange. The past, present and future of European identity, therefore, were not discussed in abstract terms, but rather as the result of joint human activities that breathe life into the European ideals of unity and collaboration.
Created within this framework, the final products of this Erasmus project include a language box with various words and phrases in the languages spoken in the seven partner-countries, a book tracing the amazing journey that students and educators took together during this two-year project, and, finally, an episode film that portrays the diverse and yet compatible lidestyles of youth in Europe.
The seven partner schools created memories, nurtured friendships, share feelings and ideas. All in all, it is our firm belief that the significance and driving force of the "youth@home-in.europe" project can be eloquently summarised in the following words of a student participant: