Desire for peace

Project description and targets

As a school with a language (especially classical) track we find that it is not always easy for us to justify the – in our opinion –high value of Latin and Greek in the society around us. Since the closing of schools due to Covid regulations not only we ourselves have noticed a still increasing reticence with respect to our main focus. The present and also past Erasmus projects have always been appreciated as a successful interdisciplinary bridge across the gaps between ancient and present-day problems; they were positively connotated with the parents and very attractive for the students. To look into the complex of problems related to ‘peace’ seems, on the background of the Ukrainian war in the present months and probably also years, highly topical to us, the more so because we are housing Ukrainian pupils now. Our projects have already been seen as an aid to encourage talents; we want to open up the projects to those students and also to other students with special needs.

On a technical level, we want to enlarge the students’ knowledge on the topics of war and (above all) peace. The students should get clear ideas on potential sources of conflicts, on realistic methods of resolving them, on utopistic desires for peace and also on political propaganda. By comparison with present topics and also with topics from a time not very long ago (new start after World War II; removal of the Iron Curtain; Ukrainian war) the students will notice common features and differences; patterns of activity should be found out. The idea of ‘Olympic peace’, the motif ‘peace’ in music will be investigated, joint singing and making music and also sports together should have a unifying effect, with also Ukrainian students being involved. Social skills, foreign-language and digital abilities (also including the teachers) will be enhanced.

After a start meeting in Munich (probably) in November 2023, attended by teams from all schools which we will visit later on, we plan to have four group mobilities, each of them including about 7 students plus 2 accompanying teachers. Two group mobilities should be held in scholastic year 2023 / 2024 (Liceo classico in Bolzano; Gymnazium Janka Krala), two in scholastic year 2024 / 2025 (Mytilene, Brasov). Between them, we would like to make investigations on the project topics,attend lessons given by experts, make an exhibition and compose an accompanying document. If possible, an evening with chamber music for the musical subproject can be organized.

At the end there should be an exhibition (also with assistance by external partners), including a related document like a catalogue which will be created in the course of the project.

Targets - for the students:

• Enhancement of knowledge in the field of classical history, politics and contemporary history, history of sport and music
• Enhancement of self-consciousness and critical consciousness, commitment and public spirit
• In-deep discussion with the foundation of a peaceful democracy, but also its endangerment by totalitarianism and militarism
• Enhancement of interest in lessons in classical languages given by the possibility to keep them up to date by participation in the project
• Enhancement of social skills by acquaintance with young people from different countries, with special background, by joint activities (sport, music); sense of values
• Enhancement of abilities in English language (as communication language)
• Joint performance of songs and instrumental pieces
• Material results in form of image material and documentation (exhibition)
• Enhancement of digital abilities for students and teachers