Being European… to be or not to be?!

The concept of European Citizenship is what young people actually lack and look forward to having opportunities of exploration, understanding and applying in their daily lives in interaction with and respecting each other. The idea came from the observation of young people’s attitudes towards other people belonging to different cultural groups and their learning needs to become an integral part of society, such as: awareness and competences to cooperate in multicultural groups, identification of one’s values and their origin, understanding one’s senses of belonging and identifications with many communities, understanding the intersections of one’s values with other individuals within a given community and the society as a whole, the ability to articulate one’s values without causing oppression of others, ability to navigate and negotiate civic, political and social life in one’s immediate environment and to see one’s role in that of the State, Europe and the world.

Based on these needs, 4 promoters from Sisli Vocational School Istanbul Turkey, Orce Nikolov Gymnasium, Skopje Macedonia, Ernst-Reisinger Gymnasium Landheim Schondorf Am Ammersee, Germany and NEHEMIA School Bucimas Pogradec Albania discussed in August 2008 on the project idea by defining the main project objectives and activities for submitting the application to Education Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency in Brussels, which proved to be successful on December 16.2008.

   Project idea was based on 2 main directions:
1. Learning about each other, through each other and with each;
2. Rooting awareness, interaction, exchange, reciprocity, solidarity and breaking barriers among diverse cultures and religions.

   It helped particiants to:
1. explore their value orientations, personal identity and senses of belonging of the community or communities of their choice;
2. see that the recognition of diversity is rooted in equality, recognizing the different cultural identity and promote mutual respect by dismantling barriers;
3. become active protagonists (in defence and in promotion) of their values;
4. develop the civic, political and social awareness and competence of young citizens in Europe.

The project “Citizenship in Us” comprised of 2 main phases:

1. An Advanced Planned Visit (AVP)
During AVP the project coordinators of 4 partner schools (promoters) met together in NEHEMIA Centre, Buçimas Pogradec Albania to settle down the Youth Exchange Activity Schedule as well as methods of facilitation and means of implementing it.

2. The Youth Exchange
The activities took place on July 01.-09.2009 under the facilitation of Mrs. Ana POPRIZOVA, Mr. Mustafa ÖZCAN, Mr. Jens Holger Michael MAYR, and Ms. Eralda JESKU. The activities comprised of presentation of the schools, countries and culture in general, of games to get to know better each other as well as 4 different cultures during the first 2 days, friendly matches, group works to encourage cooperation and team communication between participants, visit in Korca, the main cultural centre during XVI-XVII century in the South-East of Albania, mountain climbing, simulations and role playing, “open space” to discuss teenage problems in different cultural environments and settings, interviews with local government and non-government leaders, comparison of issues subjected in their home countries as well as action planning for improving the situation and/or questions arisen and visit to Ohrid and Struga to compare the culture and traditions of both sides of Lake Ohrid and of both countries, Albania and Macedonia.

The participants were fascinated by the concept of European citizenship as it was quite a new idea to them. It helped the participant to change their way of thinking and considering others, to accept and respect everyone for what s/he is no matter the gender, race, nationality, ethnical belonging etc.

The question “Being a European… to be or not to be?!” found a positive answer at the end of the project and all participants enjoyed sharing the same citizenship together as they believed that only in this way they could accept and respect the diversity and equality intermingled in mankind.