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Description
The aim of the project is to strengthen the awareness of human rights and the culture of tolerance in the school environment. In order to achieve the aim of the project, educational and creative activities will take place. A study of will be performed on young people’s attitude to tolerance and discrimination in 10 schools and communities of the project. The conclusions of the study will be used to prepare a training programme for promoting the human rights competence in the educational environment. Teachers and students from 10 project schools will acquire the training programme in the cycle of seminars. After the seminars, the training materials will be piloted in the project schools, and teachers of other schools will also be introduced to them. The meetings of culture will take place in project schools, where creative initiatives will bring together people of different cultures and nationalities. The experience of initiatives will be published in the school tolerance calendar, thus contributing to the visibility and sustainability of the project ideas. The project will result in providing the content and methodological support for teachers in teaching the human rights and young people’s awareness of human rights will be raised in schools. The project will promote the intercultural dialogue and understanding of the importance of tolerance in the interaction. The training programme will continue to be used also after the project thus ensuring the long-term impact.
Summary of project results
In Latvia''s education system, the content reform was nearing completion, and a new competency-based curriculum had been introduced. The new education standards significantly expand the scope of human rights topics. To implement the new curriculum, a repository of educational resources was created in the country - unfortunately, the teaching materials on human rights in the repository were fragmented and covered less than 10% of the content required by the standards. Teachers had insufficient knowledge of human rights. The teaching of human rights in schools often occurred superficially, resulting in low youth competence in human rights and incomplete knowledge of regulatory frameworks, the rule of law, and actions to take in cases of violations. Issues related to tolerance towards minority populations had become more prominent in schools.
It was necessary to develop a program that provides teachers with substantive and methodological support in teaching human rights. These challenges were particularly relevant in the context of global events, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and support for Ukrainian refugees, and these issues were critical in fostering social cohesion, tolerance, and intercultural dialogue within Latvian society.
1. Research on young people''s attitudes towards tolerance and discrimination: the aim of the research was to prepare a data-based understanding of human rights competence and a culture of tolerance in schools. The research was necessary in order to develop further project activities – curriculum and cultural encounters – on its basis in a content-oriented manner. The research was an essential prerequisite for ensuring knowledge-based solutions to the problems defined in the organization''s strategic area of activity – education (lack of human rights understanding and teaching materials, risks of discrimination in the educational environment). The activity helped achieve the project''s goal, as the needs identified as a result of the research were included in the curriculum content and in the preparation of cultural encounters. 500 Latvian and minority youth from the project''s participating schools participated in the research.
2. Curriculum for promoting human rights competence in the educational environment: the aim was to promote human rights competence of educators and young people by ensuring the development, acquisition and approbation of the CT curriculum in educational institutions. 10 educational institutions participated in the project. The curriculum and materials solved the problem – they provided teachers with substantive and methodological support in the implementation of the new educational content in the field of human rights. The program is suitable for focused and immediate use, as it was created in accordance with the requirements of new educational standards, as well as was based on the real needs of schools, which resulted from the conclusions of the research. Teachers and young people mastered the curriculum in project seminars under the guidance of the authors of the program - project experts. Educators and young people who mastered the program ensured its approbation in their educational institutions.
3. Meeting of cultures and tolerance calendar: the goal was to promote the strengthening of a culture of tolerance in educational institutions through joint creative initiatives of people of different nationalities. 10 meetings of cultures were held and one “Tolerance Calendar 2024” was created.
In summary, the project included three main activities: a study on youth attitudes towards tolerance and discrimination, whose findings informed the development of a human rights education program and cultural meetings; an educational program to enhance teachers'' and students'' human rights competencies; and cultural meetings along with the creation of the "Tolerance Calendar 2024" to strengthen a culture of tolerance in schools and promote intercultural dialogue.
The project reached 1,452 residents that were educated on human rights, alongside over 800 community members engaged in cultural meetings.
-Short-term impacts focused on teachers and students, with interactive human rights lessons encouraging students to actively oppose intolerance and discrimination. Teachers reported increased professional confidence and competence in teaching human rights, strengthened through collaboration with colleagues and professional development events. Many teachers became human rights ambassadors, promoting awareness in their schools and communities through various communication channels.
-Parents also played a significant role by participating in feedback sessions and cultural meetings, contributing to a broader culture of tolerance. The partnerships established among schools during the project laid the groundwork for long-term collaboration in human rights education. Sustainable project outcomes include a human rights program, teaching materials, research findings, and a methodology-rich calendar for ongoing educational use. These resources align with national education standards and remain practical for diverse teaching contexts.
-The project also created tools for monitoring students'' knowledge and attitudes, ensuring adaptability for future use by other schools. Participating schools now serve as regional centers for human rights education and resources, reinforcing long-term benefits and fostering a culture of tolerance and civic engagement in their communities.