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The EU yesterday – today – tomorrow

Europe--first a continent, then a federation of states and now a continuously growing political power in the world. Europe, or rather the European Union, has historically broken through significant boundaries— boundaries between countries, people and their minds. However the future of Europe has never been so uncertain as it is today.

Together with our partner schools we want to raise the question: What will Europe look like in the future? We want to bring these uniquely connecting countries, that are tied so close with their historical roots, even closer together. We want to analyze current, controversial developments within our own countries, but also across borders. We want to take a look at current risks, such as Brexit, and understand the changes that come with it. Above all, we want to find out how we can actively participate in the future of Europe.

In order to reach these goals in the first year of the project, a historical awareness of the EU should be achieved. The pupils of all project schools / partner schools will deal with the origins of the EU in general and the affiliation of one's own country to others. By understanding the historical base of the EU, the students should be able to identify current problem areas, but also show the successes of this association. Different, critical perspectives can be analyzed and taken into consideration because of the unique mix of early European states (Germany, Italy, Great Britain) and later European states (Poland, Bulgaria). At this point, a long term mobility between the partner schools is foreseen. By sending the students to and from different countries we will strengthen awareness as well as promote the dialogue between our countries. Not only should we consider the academic exchange, but also the development of the host country as a member state of the EU.

The second year of the project is a continuation of its chronological structure. This is where present Europe comes to the foreground. Not only will the EU’s current structures and be investigated, but also the current problems. The higher-ranking bodies (eg EU Parliament) will be visualized, but the participation of individual countries will also be taken into consideration. The goal of the second year should be that students develop an awareness of intra-European decision making. They should also learn how to take action in presenting their own perspectives (for example, simulating debates in parliament).

The experiences from the first two years should be utilized in the third year when the students articulate their personal visions for how they think Europe should look in the year 2050. They will formulate their speculations and develop modes of action to create a strong, connected Europe.

The results from the different projects will be displayed on posters, with Power Point presentations, and in short films and recordings of the conference.