As part of the Eramus+ project KA229 entitled From Tradition to Innovation, a group of three teachers and five 8th grade students from Aver-o-Mar School participated in an exchange mobility held in Kamionki, Kornik, in Poland, from the 9th to the 13th of May, together with its counterparts from Poland (host country), Lithuania and Czechia (former Czech Republic).
During five intensive working days, the students, guided by their teachers, were able to actively participate in a set of diversified and multidisciplinary initiatives, mobilizing knowledge, skills and competences, in close collaboration with their fellow students from the other Polish, Lithuanian and Czech schools involved.
In this way, work previously done at School could be continued thus contributing to the achievement of the objectives outlined in this project, namely:
- Valuing the intangible (inter)cultural, national and European heritage, namely, with regard to traditional crafts/professions vs. innovative activities/professions (new companies/professional areas).
- Contribute to a more informed and conscious vocational choice for young people, based on the knowledge acquired through carrying out the project’s activities and through regular dialogue with other partners.
- Discover new professional opportunities as well as the technical and technological development inherent to them, based on the activity proposals and the realities presented by each of the partner countries.
- Expand students’ linguistic competence – English – either through communication established in academic situations – written assignments – or through real communication – virtual and physical meetings, provided for in the project.
- Promote the use of digital applications and tools, expanding students’ technological and digital competence.
- Promote values of respect, solidarity, sharing, equality and collaboration.
- Promote critical thinking, responsibility, creativity and perseverance.
- Contribute to European citizenship and the condition of European citizen, rights and duties.
Among the various activities implemented, there was a guided tour by the CEO of a leading agricultural and livestock company, which seeks to enhance the traditional ecological practices of Polish agriculture with the most modern contributions of agronomic science, aiming at a balance between productivity and profitability besides using sustainably the planet’s limited natural resources; a visit to Skoda car brand safety testing center; pastry workshops in the confection of croissants, out of a traditional Polish recipe in the old city of Poznan, and the famous ginger breads of Touran; furthermore, guided tours to the millenary historical and cultural heritage of this Central European country, entitled Great Poland , the facilities of the host school and moments of conviviality and fraternization, enhancing the strengthening of relations among European students, the young generation of its citizens, who will certainly disseminate, in their respective countries, in their families and relationships, the desirable spirit of solidarity and peaceful that is at the genesis of the European project, born after the Second World War.
As a result of the travelling option, a brief stay in the German city of Berlin was still possible, allowing the group to quickly immerse in the cosmopolitan reality of this European capital. The group (re)visited emblematic places of German civilization such as the Reichstag or the Brandenburg Gate, built in the 18th century, symbol of reunification, and, especially, historic landmarks from the Second World War and the post-war period such as the Berlin Wall, the Check Point Charlie, the open-air exhibition about the Nazi terrors from 1933 to 1945 or the Holocaust Memorial, as well as some symbols of modernity such as the Sony Center.
Back home, certainly more awaken to the value of interculturality, it is now time to start preparing the reception for our European counterparts, who will visit us next October and for which all, as an educational community, should be mobilized.
Conceição Costa | Ilídio Machado | Marta Antunes
Ana | Filipa | Maria | Margarida | Sabrina
