Each year, the EU chooses a theme for a campaign to draw attention to a specific issue. 2009 will be devoted to creativity and innovation. During the year, hundreds of conferences, projects and exhibitions will take place across Europe, all intended to raise awareness of the need for imaginative solutions to today’s challenges.

The EU has long recognised creative thinking as key to success in a global economy. Innovation is an essential part of both the commission’s climate change package and its plan to revive the EU economy, now suffering its worst downturn in decades.

The world today thrives on rapid innovation. As the EU moves to a knowledge-based economy, it must develop its potential for creativity. In particular, Europeans must learn to embrace change and be receptive to different strategies.

Teachers have a critical – and difficult – role. Increasingly they will have to balance traditional education requirements with the need to give young people “soft” skills like a sense of initiative, according to education commissioner Ján Figeľ.

The campaign will help shape the EU’s agenda for cooperation between its member countries on education and culture. It will also feed into policy in other areas, like business and employment.

Will be organized a number of campaigns and initiatives at European, national and local level. Sourse: European Commission website

More information on the European Year of Creativity and innovation can be found on its official website: http://www.create2009.europa.eu/

Project- Plan D of General Directors “Communications” A2-1/2007 in Representation of European Commission in Bulgaria

Contractor: European Commission in Bulgaria

Performer: European Information Center, Veliko Turnovo

Duration of the project: 11 months

“Plan D”is a plan for democracy, dialog and debate. It’s started in 2005 and lays the foundations for extensive discussions about the future of Europe. It aims to bring more democracy to the union, to stimulate broad public debate, to built a new consensus for the future of European Union. There are prospects for the introduction of a discussion programme for the future of Europe with the assistance of national governments in all 27 countries in the Union. The aim is to built a new political consensus with regards to the correct policy as Europe must deal with the challenges of 21 century. European Information Center’s project aims to improve the provision of information and knowledge for European Union policy- social inclusion, social solidarity of women and girls through the formation of active civil regional network. Through discussion being led, it provokes a debate among the community about the identification of problems and formation of local community decisions by presenting practices for active involvement of the groups in the process of decision making on local, regional, national and EU level by creating real terms for transmission and institutionalization at all suggested levels. As a result of the project a stable regional women forum and a network for dialog and exchange of good practices linked with social inclusion were established. The project was organized in partnership with EIC, which exists and works since 1999 and covered the territory to north Bulgaria. Many regional dialogical forums, national Round Table and scientific-practical conference and others applied and information activities were held over the time period of 11 months

Regional dialogical forums

– “Lifelong education like a mechanism for social inclusion – realities and possibilities for the young woman in Bulgaria” ( 18-th October 2007 – Veliko Turnovo)

– “Dialog culture for social solidarity and the bulgarian woman – what we know and how we apply it” ( 15-th Novomber 2007 – Ruse)

– “The access to new technologies – reality, challenge, real opportunity for the bulgarian woman” ( 13-th December 207 – Sofia)

– “Feigned” or “Real” unemployment and labor market – challenges of bulgarian society for social inclusion” ( 24-th January 2008 – Gabrovo)

– ” The social entrepreneurship, homework and small business creation like alternative for social inclusion for the bulgarian woman” ( 21-th February 2008 – Pleven)

– “The relation periphery – centre and the acts of social inclusion of the bulgarian woman” ( 20-th March 2008 – Silistra)

– “Social inclusion- does it have it sex, ethnicity, profrsional and educational qualification?” ( 17-th April 2008 – Sliven)

– “Mixed communities, the relationship minority – majority and the projection of woman in the process of social inclusion” ( 8th May – Lom)

National Round Table “Aspects of social inclusion of the bulgarian woman and girl’

National scientific and practical conference “European dimensions of policy for social inclusion and social solidarity in bulgarian social life through the eyes of the bulgarian woman”

European year of intercultural dialog was launched on 8th January in Slovenian capital Ljubljana. The initiative aims to promotion understanding between cultures and give opportunity to the european citizens for harmonic life in a richer and complicated cultural environment.

Today the world is a rich mosaic of languages, religions, different thinking. The topic of harmonic existence of such civilization plays an important role in intercultural dialog. 2008 was the year of European interculture dialog, European institutions, member state’s governments, different organisations and societies. They would try to attract the attention for the necessity for understanding between nations. Here you will find information about the activities in different countries in Europe to achieve the objective.Read more

See more:

European year of intercultural dialogue – website EU

European year of intercultural dialogue in Bulgaria

European year of intercultural dialogue – Europe Direct Veliko Turnovo

European year of intercultural dialogue in European Government

European year of intercultural dialogue in European Commission

142129- LLP -2008- IT – GRUNDTVIG – GMP

www.europeanmemories.eu

European Information Center is a partner in Project “European memories”. The project is won by UNIEDA – Italian Union of Adult Education по Програма UE – DG EACEA ( Education , Audiovisual and Culture , Executive Agency ) – Lifelong Learning Programme : Grundtvig Multilateral Project.

Duration:

October 2008 – September 2010

PARTNERS:

UNIEDA – Italian Union of Adult Education – Italy

ADN – National Archive of Diaries of Pieve Santo Stefano – Italy

European Information Center – Veliko Turnovo – Bulgaria

VIDA – Associacio Valorizacao Intergeracional e Desenvolvimento Activo – Lourusa – Portugal

DPU – Danmarks Pedagogisk Universitetsskole, Aarhus Universitet – Denmark

FDC – Fundacio Privada Desenvolupament Comunitari – Spain

Sozial Label – Sozial.label e.v. – Germany

AIMS:

– Creating a constant instrument, European memories, in the form of digital archives of European citizen’s stories in different languages (text, photos, audio and video format) and in the main European languages.

– Organizing education activities for adults by telling worldly stories, this would promote social and civilian competences. Through consolidation, widening and qualifications of network of institutions and volunteers in the field of autobiography, memory, social activity, language teaching and translations, to create interdisciplinary exchange of production and valorisation of autobiographic and worldly stories.

– Creating products and activities for their spreading (European festival for autobiographic memories and final publication)

RESULTS:

– Portal “European memories”

– Experimental social network by “ Storytelling Groups ”.

– Other activities and products:

– European competition “Telling Europe”

– Meeting for propagation, conducted by narrators

– European autobiographic festival

– Final publication

– Education sessions for technical development, used during social activities through digital archive stories.

See more:

1. Questionnaire for institutions, working in the field of European memories

2. Contest invitation “Let’s Talk Europe”

3. “Let’s Talk Europe” (electronic brochure)

4. Registration form

5. Works of art, picked out to continue the competition on the international phase of “Let’s Talk Europe”

6. Final publication (art’s project)

7. Atelier “Live memory in Europe” (electronic brochure)

8. Final press-bulletin of the project

http://interc-edu.hit.bg/

Project: “Teachers in a multicultural environment” was won by European Information Centre – Veliko Turnovo and Zlatarica Municipality, under the Operational Programme “Human Resources Development” of the Ministry. Financial subsidy of 56 160 Levs is provided by the European Union through the European Social Fund.

DURATION:

17 months (June 2008 – November 2009)

OBJECTIVES:

General objective – improving professional skills of teaching staff from schools in small villages with ethnically mixed population and improving the quality of education in terms (conditions) of multiculturalism.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE:

Mastering intercultural competence by teaching staff as a basis for effective dialogue with students in cultures different from their own.

Learning the key techniques and Change the Primary set of methods used in the classroom and in extracurricular activities.

Enriching the professional competencies of teachers by forming relations of susceptibility to the “other” and “the other culture” and empathy; or openness to students’ problems and receptiveness to their “other” culture; develop skills of dialogue, nonviolent communication and conflict resolution.

TARGET GROUP:

Teaching staff of the school “St. st. Cyril and Methodius “- Zlatarica; School “Hr. Botev “- Gorski Novo Selo; PGMSS “N. Jewelers ‘- Zlatarica; Primary School’ C. Levski “- Sredno selo; Kindergarten”Nightingale “- Zlatarica; Kindergarten” Sun “- Gorsko Novo Selo; Kindergarten “Spring” – Rodina vilage; Kindergarten – Average village village.

Indirect beneficiaries:

– Students and children from kindergartens in the Municipality of Zlatarica involved in the implementation of micro-projects developed by teachers.

– Educators from Pavlikeni participating in the approbation of the distance learning course.

ACTIVITIES:

Related to the need to master and implement specialized methodology that takes into account the specific needs and difficulties of working in an integrated environment excluding division of language, ethnocultural or other status.

UNITS OF ONGOING TRAINING OF TEACHERS:

• Psychological mechanisms of social integration (From ethnocentrism to

multicultural).

• Intercultural Education.

• Interactive methods in an intercultural environment. Development of

student projects.

• Culture and identity in a multicultural society.

• Gender Education and European citizenship rights.

• Conflict resolution in multiethnic environment.

• Receiving a supplementary written information on each of the thematic areas developed by experts from the European Information Centre training packages;

• practical and applied learning through the development of individual micro by every teacher and approve them within a year in different forms of education for students (GFA, PIU, EPA and extracurricular activities);

• forms of remote individual training and educational consulting for all direct and indirect beneficiaries using the potential of school computer cabinets and site of the European Information Centre;

• psychological counseling – locally and distance of direct and indirect beneficiaries, on dealing with ethnocentrism as a type of social attitude.

RESULTS:

• The current training of teachers in Municipality Zlatarica intercultural education.

• approbated two modules of the program for intercultural education through distance learning with teachers from PAVLIKENI.

• Development of teacher’s portfolio by participating in the target group (didactic works, individual micro-projects).

• Training packages – presentations slips with methodological guidelines for teachers and worksheets for individual working students.

• Reader intercultural education.

• Training material for teachers “United in differences”.

• Website of the project: http://interc-edu.hit.bg/

SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROJECT:

• Development of modules for continuing education for teachers working in a multicultural environment, to be proposed to institutionalize the Center for the qualification of the University “St. Cyril and Methodius.

• Institutionalization of the school celebrations associated with the traditions of the different ethnic communities in order to update individual ethnic identity through stored in the traditional culture of ethnic mythology.

• Create models for extracurricular activities and EPA-s for multicultural education in individual subjects.

• Development of remote sensing for individual training and ongoing training of teaching staff in the region, working in terms of multiculturalism.

Project “2009 – All to the ballot box”

Client: European Commission

Artist: European Information Centre, Veliko Tarnovo

Duration: 12 months

Project “YOU KONOW THE EUROPEAN UNION” in which EUROPEAN INFORMATION CENTRE is a partner, was won by UNIEDA – Italian Union of Adult Education Programme UE – DG EACEA (Education, Audiovisual and Culture, Executive Agency) – Lifelong Learning Programme: Grundtvig Multilateral Project .

DURATION

October 2008 – September 2009

PARTNERS

CARITAS AMBROSIANA, Italy

ECOSE, Greece

PROMOCION EDUCATIVA SOCIEDAD COOPERATIVA, Spain

SERUS, Sweden

POLISH ROBERT SCHUMAN FOUNDATION, Poland

• European Information Centre – Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

OBJECTIVES

Project Does the European Union?, Like many other projects within the program “Europe for Citizens” was seen as a a bridge which would bring the European institutions and policies close to the community. The main objective of the project was to encourage dialogue between European citizens and the EU institutions, informing citizens about EU policies and their impact, and to enable and guarantee the views and opinions of citizens to reach the EU institutions. The project included 529 people from five European countries living in a different geographical and social conditions (urban and rural), working in different fields (legal field training activities, social cooperatives, local governments, foundations) having different possibilities to use new technology (for young people and adults) involved to varying degrees in local political life (civic Committee) or civil society organizations (such as volunteers, civil services, social workers). They participated actively in meetings and training sessions on issues related to EU: Lisbon Treaty, the process of decision-making mechanisms for participation, to make a citizen’s voice heard at European level; the extent to which everyday life is influenced by EU mobility programs, etc., in a free discussion among citizens, experts and policy makers at various levels. Basic knowledge of Europe was the first step to the last active position. Citizens grouped into panels were invited to speak on issues that concern them and wanting Europe to intervene. Selected topics ranging from active citizenship, active labor market, labor market and entrepreneurship, missing or inadequate information about Europe, education and mobility of young people, environment and others. The result was a list of recommendations which are addressed primarily, not only to the EU institutions, but also directly relate to the national parliaments, to the means of communication, to the educational system and civil society.

MAIN ACTIVITIES:

1. The international open conference in Milan on March 31, 2009 ‘The role of institutions and citizens for a democratic Europe. A new contract ‘

2. Nationwide panels

Selection of panelists, meetings and training sessions, preparation of recommendations.

3. Dissemination Activities

– International Final Conference in Milan on November 6, 2009 “More or less Europe? What do you want European citizens’ with the presentation of proposals and discussions on accurate/careful selection of recommendations with representatives of European institutions and local authorities.

– Final publication of the English language and the languages ​​of the project partners

– CD-Rom containing the electronic version of the final publication and training and animation materials, produced and used by the partners.

TAKE A LOOK:/SHOW:/EXPLORE:

1. Final publication in English and the languages ​​of the project partners

DURATION

June 2009 – June 2010

OBJECTIVES

The project aims to create an unique educational game. This game is designed to get you tell a story inspired by the cards that you have downloaded, a story you do not know anything about before the game … with family, with friends, at school or in a sleepless night, there is a thousands of moments to enhance the socio-cultural relations and those between generations. The card game “Once upon a time, Europe …» set in an international context is an original tool, offers additional opportunities to conduct an educational activity on the theme of the creation of Europe.

PARTNERS:

• Idees Nouvelles Europe, France;
• Progesti @, Spain
• European Information Centre – Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

• Federation Europeenne des Ecoles, France

ABOUT THE PROJECT

« Once Upon a Time Europe” is an educational project to raise awareness regarding the identity and European citizenship of young people, based on the creation of transnational card game testing its 150 players through local initiatives and its dissemination among European organizations purpose of its use in formal and informal framework. It’s also a project of communication to the general public on the topic of active European citizenship.

View the brochure of the project

YOU CAN PLAY TOO!

The creation of a game about communication in everyday life and in the European Youth Exchanges prolapse of the layout of blank cards from the web site of the project and then create a game and coloring (the smallest kids), use the game for training animators and trainers – deck of cardsprovides a number of educational opportunities. The story could easily be used for drama games, it is possible to write the story of the group and / or set as a play to convert the oral game in literary exercise by recording the stories (Writing School) or artistic exercise illustrated by in the form of comic book history, for example. To learn more about the game check out the attached file below or contact us.

From here you can download and print all elements of the game. Print out and have fun!

– Playing Cards

– Rules of the game

– Assessment Table

If you want the deck of cards to play, come to our office on the boulevard “Bulgaria” № 24. The game is available for free!