Objectives of the project

2008-09-11

Our objectives and expected results

At a glance

Simulations of the European Parliament Elections will be held in 4 border-crossed towns and involve about 400 pupils from 5 countries from Central Europe (Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia) in common work, giving them opportunities to exchange their opinions and ideas about European Parliament and its future.

“European Parliament for Youth” project:

promotes the European values by gathering at one time about 100 pupils from neighbour’s countries who are working together at common project with common goals beyond any linguistic or cultural barriers. The project “European Parliament for Youth” is an innovative and complex action, which aims at promoting European Parliament Elections within students from 5 different countries as an Election of MEPs who represent not only national interests but above all represent European citizens and stand up for our common good.
has a transnational character and gives an opportunity to bring together varied ideas about future of European Union and their institutions. Common work during the simulation at the same task raises and confirms European community spirit. The main beneficiaries of the project are young people, which is particularly important for long-term effects of the activities – project will engage pupils in promoting European Parliament Elections in their local communities and organizing youth elections in their schools – those activities could have an impact on bigger youth turnout in June 2009 and make a lasting contribution to encouragement youth to participate in elections and political process.
gives an opportunity for students to train political skills by using political knowledge and forming political opinions through work in political groups within simulations. Thanks to the project, young people who are still unable to vote in a state elections could experience democratic processes.
presents trans-nationality aspects of youth participation in public life through organization of the election to the supranational institution, involving 5 countries in the project and 4 border-crossed towns (with their local communities informed about effects of the project by local media), building international cooperation between 400 pupils from different countries and have a local dimension by involving participants of the simulations to conduct their own local promotional campaigns of the European Elections addressed to adult citizens of their local communities aim in encouraging local communities to vote during European Elections.
promotes cultural and linguistic diversity by encouraging participants from different countries to communicate beyond linguistic barriers during simulations. Moreover, educational project method of the simulations requires active listening and acceptance of different opinions – therefore, pupils will have the opportunity to develop their intercultural communicative skills. The simulation gives also a possibility to exchange experience between pupils about their national political traditions, political culture and methods of leading political campaign.
promotes among teachers an innovative project method – election’s simulations involving about 100 people in one time.

Expected results of our project:

organising 4 international youth simulation of European Parliament Elections,
creating fundaments for future editions of the project (publications, movie, English web-site),
promotion and distribution of simulation’s scenario,
promotion and distribution of the movie documenting the project’s results,
creating an interactive web-site in English to promote the idea of organizing youth election in school and support teachers with methodology of this task,
establishing international cooperation between schools and pupils involved in the project,
establishing cooperation between local communities and authorities in border-crossed town involved in the project.