The European Wergeland Centre

Launching Schools for Democracy

To change mentalities and build a democratic culture you need to start with education. That was the clear message from participants at the launching conference for Schools for Democracy.

Changing schools across Europe

56 school projects in more than 20 countries. The Regional Summer Academies are having an impact across Europe.

Student interest in Competences for a Democratic Culture

EWC’s Claudia Lenz gave a lecture on Council of Europe work on EDC/HRE for about 100 student teachers at the “Week of Democracy” organized by the Norwegian School of Theology in Oslo.

Dembra goes national in Norway

Dembra is expanding into a national Norwegian programme with the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Education. On January 7-8, EWC co-organized a workshop for staff from the Rafto Foundation in Bergen and Falstadsenteret in Trøndelag to transfer knowledge and exchange ideas to prepare their regional Dembra-activities starting autumn 2016.

Trained for Schools for Democracy

On January 24-29, EWC carried out a training of trainers for 30 experienced Ukrainian educators in Lviv, Ukraine. The training marked the start of the first cycle of the three year National Programme in Education for Democratic Citizenship "Schools for Democracy" in Ukraine. The program is a partnership between EWC, the Ministry of Education and Science in Ukraine and the Council of Europe.

Summer Academy alumni trained to be trainers

A selected group of alumni from the Regional Summer Academies in Poland and Montenegro participated at a training of trainers seminar January 16-22, at the Council of Europe European Youth Center in Budapest. The training was organized by EWC and the Council of Europe.

Contribution to Norway’s strategy to prevent hate speech

EWC Director Ana Perona-Fjeldstad gave a talk at the round table conference organized by the Norwegian government in January in preparation of the upcoming governmental strategy on prevention of hate speech.

Prevention of hate speech in Bergen

EWC gave a talk and invited the 300 teacher students present to discuss how teachers can prevent hate speech at Bergen University College.

Citizenship competences for adults

EWC contributes to the Lithuanian project "Improving Citizenship Competences in adult education". Early in January adult educators from Lithuania participated at a training for trainers in Oslo, Norway.

Looking towards the future

The final conference for the project "Promoting citizenship education in the Russian Federation 2013-2015" took place in Istanbul 2-4 November. Participants looked back at what had been achieved while at the same looking ahead at new possibilities for the future

Kosovo* Academy for change

Amid huge challenges Kosovo* is facing such as raising corruption, distrust in political institutions, inclusion of minorities, 33 school heads, teachers and parents’ representatives from the Pristina municipality met in Prizren, to learn, to exchange, to identify human rights challenges faced daily in schools. And to plan for changes.

Teaching about religions

On November 12 and 13, the Centre for Inclusion in Education (ZBI) at the University of Hildesheim staged two events related to the topics of the topics of teaching about religions and non religious convictions and of religious diversity as an element of intercultural education in general. Both events were co-organized by EWC and the Coordinating Group for Religion in Education (CoGREE).

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