13-16 November 2017 | Ljubljana, Slovenia
The forum gathers various stakeholders in the field of youth to explore relevant policies and practices connected to the education for democratic citizenship with a European dimension, gain new insight on the topic and develop inspiring responses.
The attempt to advance European political integration further beyond intergovernmental cooperation leads to the question, to which extent civic identification and will for collective political action is possible at European level? Do young Europeans have opportunities to become socialized to European citizenship? How do we understand the concept and what are the mechanisms to practice it? Is the European dimension promoted using appropriate pedagogical approaches to citizenship at the national level? Further on, what is today the role of youth work in developing young people’s sense of civic engagement for Europe and current European concerns?
The aim of this forum is to promote the European dimension in education for democratic citizenship with young people and contribute to the recognition of European citizenship. The activity will gather various stakeholders –youth work practitioners and youth policy-makers, teachers, educators, and activists– from the Erasmus+ Programme Countries and Partner Countries of the Western Balkan region to explore relevant policies and practices in the field, gain new insight on the topic and develop inspiring responses.
Background
Education for democratic citizenship in contemporary Europe -changing baselines:
Citizenship is a notion, which can be hard to grasp entirely. In a mere legal sense, it frames the relationship of an individual and the society through institutionalized memberships and specific rights frameworks. Looking from a broader perspective, however, citizenship can be understood as a dynamic practice of societal rights in a sense of civic-mindedness, in which one takes an active role in shaping the society. Citizenship education therefore ideally pursues a learning process, which extends beyond acknowledgment and exercise of particular civic rights and rather aims at learners’ empowerment to govern their lives and influence their surroundings through active participation. In the contemporary European context citizenship, education takes a variety of forms, yet democracy remains an underlying value.
