Action-packed start of the ERASMUS+ project “Schools joining up for Communities of Peace”

Action-packed start of the ERASMUS+ project “Schools joining up for Communities of Peace”

Have you ever written a project proposal? Have you? Then you’ll know how far it is from the first idea to the drafting and approval of the application to the actual start of the project… But: Slow and steady wins the race! This was proven by the kick-off event of the EU-funded project “Schools joining up for Communities of Peace”, which took place on October 24 and 25 in Berlin.

14 coordinators of the nine project partners from six European countries (Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom) met in the middle of Berlin to get to know each other, to work together on the project vision, the contents, milestones and the distribution of responsibilities. In particular, the output of the project, a digital map that enables interactive journeys to places of peace and conflict by means of the “Actionbound” application, was the subject of lively discussion. The workshop of Lotta, who works for Actionbound, caused a lot of hustle and bustle: With “The Roof is on fire” and “Who is my sib?” the participants themselves developed their own digital rallies, which led to a wild hunt through the conference room and the whole building.

The project will start with a video conference for the participating teachers in December. We are looking forward to great action!
The 32-month project “Schools joining up for Communities of Peace” is aimed at both teachers and students: Teachers explore innovative possibilities of teaching Peace Education (digitally); students learn about new opportunities for (digital) participation in a globalized society; the participants of both target groups see themselves as peacemakers and work as multipliers for a peaceful coexistence.

Thereby the focus is on the development of two products: The “EduMaP” (Education makes Peace!), an (initially European) online map, enables digital, interactive journeys to places of peace and conflict that can be viewed in 360-degree images. Photos, videos, audios and texts provide in-depth insights; tasks, quiz questions and mini-games encourage reflection. The “Actionbound” application will be used for the technical implementation.

The handbook “Experiencing European Peace and Conflicts with Students! supports teachers in addressing the topic of Peace Education using digital tools and in applying the “EduMaP” in teaching.

The project is funded within the framework of the EU ERASMUS+ program.