Posts

Thursday items in Madeira: migration and Regional Assembly

Image
The Erasmus+ K220 Project, “The New Values of Democracy in Today’s Europe,” continues its inspiring journey in Madeira. Participants engage in meaningful discussions and activities that highlight critical democratic values and social challenges. Students have the unique opportunity to join their hosts in classes, fostering cultural exchange and collaboration. A key highlight of the day was the conference on migration led by Dr. Regina Cruz, representing the Regional Direction of Communities and External Cooperation (Regional Government of Madeira). This session has explored historical and modern migration challenges, shedding light on integration, societal impacts, and evolving issues such as refugee crises and labor migration. Students and teachers were actively engaged by preparing questions and promoting critical thinking and dialogue. A visit to Madeira’s Legislative Assembly, the House of Democracy, deepens understanding of regional governance. Students tour the Assembly and engag...
Post a Comment
Read more

Excited to Embrace and Celebrate Our Democratic Values

Image
Wednesday in Madeira was an emotional day. Our host, Professor Marcos Leitão, delivered a heartfelt talk about the International Day of Democracy and the April 25th Revolution in Portugal. This revolution was a military coup carried out on April 25, 1974, against the dictatorship of Marcelo Caetano, who had been in power since 1925.   During the revolution, a flower seller, Celeste Caeiro, symbolically armed the soldiers with carnations instead of bullets. This poignant and colorful gesture went down in History (with a capital "H") as a symbol of peace and democratic freedom in Portugal.   The participants of the K220 Erasmus Project, The New Values of Democracy in Today's Europe—from Greece, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Spain, and our host country, Portugal—share a historic bond. Each of our nations experienced a recent past marked by dictatorial regimes that subjected their citizens to abuse and oppression. Although the paths we followed to achieve freedom and democra...
Post a Comment
Location: Funchal, Portugal
Read more

Music: The Best Medicine for Intolerance

Image
In Book III of The Republic , Plato highlights the importance of music as the gymnastics of the soul, suggesting that certain melodies promote harmony, order, and goodness. At the Dr. Horácio Bento de Gouveia School, music plays a key role in accelerating the integration of foreign students into their community. As part of the K220 Erasmus Project: The New Values of Democracy in Today's Europe , students from each participating country presented a song that is iconic or representative of their nation. Thus, Tuesday Morning became a vibrant musical festival, showcasing diverse musical styles. Because music is a powerful bridge for cultural integration, we enjoyed various performances—some in traditional attire, others more modern. Among the highlights was Francisco Escórcio Melim da Silva’s performance with the Portuguese guitar, an absolute delight for the ears. To deepen their understanding of Madeira's culture, students participated in a scavenger hunt exploring the local s...
Post a Comment
Location: Funchal, Portugal
Read more

Next Stop: Madeira - Enjoy the Island by Air, Land, and Sea

Image
The K220 Erasmus Project: The New Values of Democracy in Today's Europe has landed in Madeira, home of the Portuguese partner school EB 2, 3 Dr. Horácio Bento de Gouveia. Landing at Funchal's challenging airport offers a breathtaking aerial view of the island’s natural beauty. The opening ceremony happened in the school’s auditorium, where each team introduced themselves and shared insights about their school and country. After touring the school, the integration among students continued with the delightful idea of sharing snacks from the different participating countries. Professor João Batista led a learning and awareness-raising activity on preserving the island's rich marine fauna. Students explored the diverse species inhabiting Madeira's waters using paintings, tablets, and augmented reality AR. Following the technological approach, we moved to a real-life experience with a catamaran excursion to observe dolphins and whales. We were lucky to spot dolphins up close...
Post a Comment
Location: Funchal, Portugal
Read more

Friday in Athens: A Rainy but Warm Last Day

Image
The Boomtown Rats don't like Mondays and Athenians people don’t like rain. From the very start of the day, the receptionist was complaining about the bad weather. A waiter at a café protested about the rain. “It never rains to everyone’s liking” is a saying in Spain. Water was the main character of the morning. The day at the school began with a creative writing activity. Participants in the Erasmus+ project “The New Values of Democracy in Today’s Europe” created poems filled with deep emotions that celebrated the values of equality and respect. The teachers attended a fascinating English class by Ms. Maria Gerokomi, where students explored various aspects of the Erasmus project. Later, the teachers gathered for a management meeting to discuss issues to improve communication and administrative tasks, such as managing the project’s website and Google Drive service. The final workshop of the day focused on presentations from each country about their water usage practices. It was a v...
Post a Comment
Location: Atenas, Grecia
Read more

Thursday in Athens: From Syntagma, the Heart of the City

Image
Syntagma Square is the heart of modern Athens. All major routes, activities, and demonstrations begin here in the city and the country. The esplanade in front of the Parliament Building is the stage for the most significant protests advocating for improvements to the country’s democracy. If you want to make your voice heard, Syntagma Square is the place to do it. As part of the Greek mobility program for the K220 project “The New Values of Democracy in Today’s Europe,” we witnessed the guard's changing. The Evzones performed their characteristic choreography beside the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. From there, a friendly tour guide led us through the National Garden of Athens, once the park of the Greek kings in the first third of the 19th century. With its diverse vegetation, flowers, and trees, the garden offered a captivating and serene walk. We also visited the esplanade of the Zappeion Megaron, a neoclassical building constructed to host the fencing competition during the f...
Post a Comment
Location: Atenas, Grecia
Read more

Peloponnese, Antigone, and Democratic Values

Image
Theater is a perfect educational tool for shaping our students because it engagingly fosters communication skills while also developing many essential abilities such as coordination, teamwork, and emotional intelligence. For this reason, the group of teachers from Greece has wisely chosen to use the rich theatrical heritage of Classical Greece. In this context, Sophocles offers invaluable material to convey lessons closely aligned with the goals of our Erasmus+ project, “The New Values of Democracy in Today’s Europe.” The only workshop of the day featured the performance of a fragment from Antigone, the Theban tragedy in which the daughter of King Oedipus and Jocasta confronts the current king of Thebes, Creon. While Creon defends his political decisions, Antigone fights for her family and her duty to the gods, declaring, “I was not born to hate but to love.” The students put into practice the thorough rehearsal conducted at school last Monday. The chorus of the Greek tragedy served as...
Post a Comment
Location: Epidavros 210 52, Grecia
Read more