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COMENIUS PROJECT

HUMAN RIGHTS IN EUROPE “HUMAN RIGHTS IN EUROPE BETWEEN IDEAL AND REALITY; RIGHTS AND CHALLENGES FOR STUDENTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY BY MEANS OF POETRY, ARTS AND MUSIC”

RESOLUTION FOR A PROPOSAL TO OUR SCHOOLS, LOCAL AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR

THE RESPECT AND PROMOTION OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS REGARDLESS OF SEX, CLASS, RACE, RELIGION, OPINION OR ANY OTHER ISSUES.

(Final document passed at the last project meeting in Karben, Germany, on Friday 19th April 2013)1

[This document is the result of the compilation of the results in the meetings in Čelákovice (Czech Republic), Limassol (Cyprus), Chieti (Italy), Póraj (Poland), Valence (France) and Karben (Germany)]

Submitted by: Mr. Holger Schmidt, Coordinator, 19th April 2013

Prologue

1 “This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This

publication reflects the views of the coordinator and participating partners. The Commission cannot be made responsible for any use of the information contained therein”

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After two years of work in a good international spirit of understanding and communication, after a preparatory meeting in Karben (Germany) and further project meetings in Čelákovice (The Czech Republic), Limassol (Cyprus), Chieti (Italy), Póraj (Poland), Valence (France) and Karben (Germany)

We, the participating members of the Comenius Project Human Rights in Europe in the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union would like

- To express our gratitude to the European Commission, the Parliament and our National Agencies for having supported us with the funding to enjoy this intensive and productive experience

- To ask the deciding bodies of our schools as well as local and national governments and the European Commission to consider the following document

- To follow a further and more intensive effort on the preservation and defence of Human Rights in our communities as well as in Europe.

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Rationale

In a society, which is more and more affected by individualism, materialism and an overemphasized outward appearance with all its possible consequences like xenophobia or the exclusion of people with different appearance or mental/ physical handicaps, we see a great importance to conduct a project that tries to convey the universal validity and indivisibility of Human Rights within the EU. We want to make our students aware of common European values in order to hinder this negative development.

This project is a powerful tool to educate students in values by making them conscious of their rights and duties as European young citizens. Through this project we believe our students will broaden their minds, not only by understanding their own reality but also the realities in other countries in Europe.

We aim to improve students' creativity and cooperative work by developing their skills in the English language and ICT. Furthermore we intend to help them develop constructive criticism and raise their political responsibility to campaign for freedom, equality and solidarity.

Preamble

WE CALL UPON the following:

- Young people have little knowledge of the actual content of the various articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

- Most schools are confronted with issues of discrimination in all European countries

- In some countries the principles advocated by the declaration are not respected

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- Homophobia, sexism and other issues are not dealt with in the family or the social environment and there is a need for students to tackle these issues

- There is a need for European support and communication in our countries to enhance the values of justice, equality and brotherhood

We, the school community of each partner country are responsible as

- Parents, teachers and management - Students who will become responsible European Citizens

To act with determination

Thus, we move for the passing of the following document as an expression of our resolute and firm will and responsibility to foster tolerant ways of thinking, acting and living in the area of our school at local, national and global levels:

Operative clauses

- To make students aware of their right to self-determination and to free development

- To raise pupils’ awareness of social exclusion as a violation of human rights.

- To work with songs and literature about freedom, equality and solidarity from own and foreign European cultures.

- To develop students' political responsibilities as constructive and critical European citizens.

- To make students realize that only common, international efforts of upholding mutual rights and values are suitable for keeping up a liberal European Community.

- To promote volunteer work.

We promise to do our best:

- To make our school open to a process of discourse and cooperation with the surrounding institutions of our community and area that are willing to support human rights

- To make our local community realize the need to work along those principles - To promote global thinking without ignoring local issues - To regularly revise our work and resolution to adapt it to the permanent changes

that occur in our surroundings

Depending on each school’s situation and ability we express our wish and desire to keep up our contact and cooperation with the other schools of this project, Human Rights in Europe, by means of yearly contact and, time and conditions permitting, exchange of teachers and/or students with the help and support of each country’s Ministry of Education, local governments and the European Commission.