The Province of Florence in the Festival with “Europe at school”

11 February 2011 – The Province of Florence, together with the Regional Education Office, the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Florence and Agenzia Nazionale LLP Italia (Comenius, Erasmus, Grundtvig), participates in the Festival d’Europa with the project “Europe at school”. Secondary school young students of the Province will be involved in the European Union main issues of interest, with the purpose of stimulating a higher awareness of the integration processes in the continent and increasing their interest in becoming active European citizens. The project will be a true educational path. The University of Florence and the European University Institute have put at disposal of the project their own students to talk about Europe in classrooms. The project has been defined as a “menu” of lectures including “The EU external relationships and development policy”, “The EU cohesion policy”, “Europe in 12 points”, “The European Union and its expansion policy”, “The European Union birth and development”. It will also possible to ask for the presence of an expert who will lecture in a foreign language. At the end of the chosen educational path, the classes will be asked to realize a document on the activities carried out, which will enter a competition ending on the Festival days with the presentation to the public and a final prize-giving ceremony. Classes can develop their works by choosing different artistic languages: photography, video and multimedia, creative writing, drawing, painting or manual arts. Works can be focused on the values perceived and attributed to the concept of Europe or ideas and hints that could better promote the United Europe and its importance for the future. “The Province of Florence has decided to promote this project – explains Giovanni Di Fede, province councillor in charge of education – to foster and promote a European dimension among the young of Florence schools. Today, students know very well the tastes of their European peers, thanks to music, reading and movies. I believe – concludes Di Fede – that is necessary to enhance this link up to considering Europe home of all of us. ”.