Feel free - Be Europe!

Feel free and feel invited: Democracy, the rule of law and freedom of expression are not only core values of the European Union, but the basis for the entire European continent. Only when you can be sure that your own opinion is protected and even desired can you develop yourself and your environment. Seien Sie Europa und gestalten Sie ein Europa, wie Sie es wünschen!

Because what does it mean to be “free” in Europe? What about freedom of travel when pandemics lead to border closures? How much consumption can our environment take? Do minorities get the same freedom rights as majorities? What opportunities do young people want in student exchanges or in their choice of education? How much freedom does a European vaccination passport promise, and what about those who don’t have it?

“Freedom” is always concrete: find an example and show how we can live together openly and freely in Europe. What could be better, what should stay? What issues should the European Union or national governments regulate?

The idea of freedom is lived differently in every country – all the more exciting when three school classes from different European countries exchange ideas about it. They not only deal with the topic in their own classes, but also share their ideas and findings virtually with school classes from other Danube countries and implement an idea together.

Target group

The German-language project is aimed at students aged 16 and older. A total of 27 school classes can participate. As far as possible, all Danube riparian states should be represented with classes/groups in the project. Participation is only possible from language level B1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Exchange of teachers

The project will start with a virtual get-to-know-you session for the participating teachers from Baden-Württemberg and the Danube riparian states in a shared course room in January 2022. From January 31 to February 3, 2022, the kick-off event (depending on the infection situation) will take place present in Bad Urach or online. There, teachers plan to implement collaboration among their students.

Trinational cooperation of school classes

In the spring of 2022, three teachers will work together with their classes for a period of four to five weeks. In the spring of 2022, three teachers will work together with their classes for a period of four to five weeks. The school classes work together to implement a thematically appropriate idea. They present the results on the Internet.

Project completion and presentation of results

Following the cross-national virtual collaboration, the project groups present their results – live as a web talk and livestream or on a real stage. If a low infection level allows it, individual selected students (16 years and older) from each participating school class can participate in the International Danube Youth Camp “Europe is us” in Ulm/Neu-Ulm (June 30 – July 6, 2022). They present their project results there and participate in workshops.

Goals of the project
  • Meeting of the school classes of the Danube riparian countries.
  • Establishing and supporting cross-border cooperation between teachers.
  • Promotion of the cooperation of the school classes on the above-mentioned topics
  • Establishment, support and further development of school partnerships.
The project offers participating teachers
  • the cooperation with teachers from the Danube countries at the kick-off event and during the project work with the school classes
  • didactically prepared teaching materials.
  • tutorial support for the virtual encounters.
  • If necessary, accompanying the young people to Ulm and taking part in the Danube Festival.
cooperation partner

It is a project of the Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Baden-Württemberg together with the Europa Zentrum Baden-Württemberg, the Danube Office Ulm/Neu-Ulm and the Cultural Officer for the Danube Region at the Danube Swabian Central Museum, supported by the Ministry of Culture Baden-Württemberg.