Description
The general objective of the project is to promote and make the democratic values and the human rights respected among the students and to raise their awareness to diversity. The project offers the teachers a practical instrument that helps them include elements of diversity and multiculturalism in their daily teaching, in attractive, interactive forms (including new media). A toolkit for teachers will be developed to include the legal framework, model lessons, video-clips or articles form the media that could serve as a starting point in teaching or in extracurricular activities. The teachers will also contribute to their first-hand experience in managing diversity in classrooms. They will organize activities involving their students, other teachers and parents. These activities will be also attended by representatives of the local media. The students will be called to produce their own projects aimed at promoting diversity and tolerance. The toolkit will be posted on the CIJ site, for free distribution by all those interested. 100 teachers and 1000 students will benefit directly from this project. The project will facilitate a know-how exchange in pedagogy from Norway to Romania.
Summary of project results
The general objective of the project was to promote the respect towards democratic values and human rights among high school students, while raising their awareness regarding diversity. The project started from the fact that the civic education in Romania is still limited, that youth are quick to embrace racist or even chauvinistic views, and that the school knows little in correcting these trends. In addition to this, the lack of media competences (both in terms of critical reception and responsible content generation, especially on social networks) makes the youth vulnerable and undermines the teachers’ authority. The project offered teachers a practical instrument that helps them include elements of diversity and multiculturalism in their daily teaching, in attractive, interactive forms (including new media). A toolkit for teachers was developed, in order to include the legal framework, examples of lessons, videos, or articles from the media that could serve as a starting point in teaching or in extracurricular activities. 19 teachers were trained to the use of new teaching tools and methods, during an intensive summer school, with the participation of the education expert Heidi Bisseth (from Norsensus Mediaforum - the Norwegian partner). Following the activities from the summer school, the trained teachers applied the new knowledge and skills in year-long activities involving their students, other teachers and parents. The students were encouraged to produce their own projects, aimed at promoting diversity and tolerance. Journalists, bloggers, and activists working with minority or women's groups attended the activities in schools, sharing their personal experience regarding discrimination and success stories on combating it. Over 2350 students participated directly in project activities, while 197 teachers benefited from its results. All the teachers who were involved in the project organised around 330 activities for students and their families, from class lessons to debates, workshops, a multi-media production contest, artistic displays and flash-mobs. The toolkit as well as other information on the project can be found at
www.predaudiversitate.info.
Summary of bilateral results
The partnership with the Norwegian NGO Norsensus Media Forum has proved to be a fruitful working relation, which has resulted in three different projects so far. On a bilateral level, both organizations have a better understanding of the realities in their partner’s country and both have enhanced their organizational capacity as high-school students’ projects and training providers. CIJ staff is better equipped to deliver training activities for children and adults, following the feedback and information on class management it received from the educational expert Heidi Bisseth. Norsensus Media Forum / the Norwegian experts have a better understanding of the Romanian realities, which allows them to enhance their presence in this part of Europe. They have projects going on in Romania, with partners other than CIJ, and their activities are attended by some of CIJ alumni. Both entities of this growing partnership mutually benefitted from this relationship and significantly contributed to a better understanding and a more complex image of the two countries.