Monday

We had a formal opening in which the coordinators of every school and the authorities supporting the project locally had short speeches of presentation and declaration of intentions.

There was also a short presentation (using PowerPoint) about Earth Charter and the importance of this project.

The assignment for this week was explained. The pupils had to make photos and or video’s for a video report about Earth Charter that they had to make on Friday. This had to be an informative video report about the fourth pillar of Earth Charter: Democracy, Non violence, and peace. They worked together with their host partners and they had to decide this day what they were going to make on Friday.

 

Tuesday

We had an excursion to the House of Humanity in The Hague.

The pupils experienced the journey of a refugee and they took part in the Humanity Game. On the Journey of a Refugee, the pupils stepped into the footsteps of a refugee.

In the afternoon was an Excursion to the Hall of Knights and visit to the House of Representatives in The Hague. Through the centuries, The Hague’s Binnenhof has always been the heart of Dutch politics – a role that it fulfils to this very day. The focal point of the square itself is undoubtedly the Hall of Knights. They have seen the Hall of Knights, the Dutch Senate and the House of Representatives (Lower House). These tours are preceded by a video that sheds light on the history of the Binnenhof.

This day the pupils learned the importance of peace and got to understand what it is like to be a refugee and therefor show them more compassion and respect.

Also the pupils learned the importance of a democratic society that is just, participatory, sustainable and peaceful.

 

Wednesday

The pupils, divided into two groups, participated in two workshops.

The first workshop was about Debating.

The pupils learned to debate to develop skills to be heard.

It helps them to feel comfortable speaking in an unknown situation and can build their confidence. Furthermore, debate can be a way for them to communicate how you feel about issues.

The second workshop was about Business Drawing.

In a few hours’ time, they learned to draw based on their own personality and handwriting. They developed the courage they need to communicate ideas quickly using rapid visual representations. Through simple tips and examples, they learned to be visual too. The results were amazing.

The pupils gained knowledge and developed skills through these workshops about debating and Business Drawing, which they could use on Friday.

 

Thursday

In the morning the pupils got an explanation and an assignment about visiting an elderly home. After that the pupils visited an elderly home in Oisterwijk for a talk with an elderly using photo’s as conversation material.

After the lunch they had an excursion to World War II Concentration Camp Vught where they got a tour with explanation, a film and some free time to look around.

This was really an eye-opener for some pupils from abroad because they had never seen a concentration camp before.

After that the coach took us to s’Hertogenbosch where the pupils experienced the culture of this beautiful historical city.

This day the pupils learned to appreciate the historical value of the past and the importance of peace.

 

Friday

The pupils made the Europass at the Study Centre Durendael.

The Europass are five documents that make the skills and qualifications from the pupils clear and understandable in Europe. The Europass guarantees the sustainability of the whole experience they have gained.

After that the pupils made their video report, ready for the International evening. Friday afternoon the pupils prepared for the evening.

Parents, coordinators of every school and the authorities supporting the project locally  were invited. The pupils had to make and prepare food from their own countries, enough for themselves, their guest(s) and their parents.

Everyone had dinner together in the auditorium.

After the buffet they first held a debate with their (host) parents about Earth Charter. After the debate they watched a short movie with an explanation about Earth Charter, followed by showing the best pupil video reports.

 

In general

Because the spoken language is English the pupils increased  their competence  in this language and they learned to work in the digital era.

By bringing together pupils from four different countries and cultures, the pupils  shared and experienced the fundamental values of our global society and learned about the importance of Earth Charter.

The pupils were provided with a platform to enhance themselves as global citizens in a diverse world. Both staff and pupils gained a greater understanding of the important of democracy, nonviolence and peace. This will have an impact on current and future generations.