EUROWEEK is the annual highlight of the network. Cygnaeus-lukio has participated in it since they joined the network in 1996.
The network is divided into four subgroups, all of which work on different aspects of the same major theme set for a school year. Then a small delegation (students and teachers) from each school brings the results to the annual Euroweek which is presided and hosted in turns by one of the Europroject member schools.
Our very first participation in the Euroweek was in October 1996. Two of our teachers attended the conference organized by Instituto de Bachillerato Luis Buñuel, Zaragoza, Spain. The theme was medieval pilgrimages in Europe. This school has left the project in the meantime and is now replaced by Instituto de Educación Secundaria "Miguel Catalán".
In October 1997, Rydens School, Walton-on-Thames, United Kingdom, brought the network together with the theme the Power of the Media. The participants were able to visit the British parliament attend a debate between politicians and media representatives to determine who leads the country, politicians or journalists. The end result was that they both need each other to get through to the big public. This school has been replaced since by All Hallows Catholic School and again by Radyr Comprehensive School.
In September 1998, Escola Secundaría de Francisco Rodrigues Lobo, Leiría, Portugal hosted a week on the theme Sea, in connection with the World Expo in Lissabon. The participants were able to visit the World Expo on two days in addition to our own expositions on seas.
In October 1999, Strabrecht College, Geldrop, Netherlands, took turn with the theme GenEUrations, Dreams and Hopes in Past, Present and Future. It ended in an interesting debate on what is done, can be done, and should be done in our Europe for the future of our continent. The worst fear for the young generation was the risk of nuclear plants.
In October 2000, Bagsvaerd Kostskole og Gymnasium, Bagsvaerd, Denmark carried out the theme Democracy. As in Geldrop, the final debate outlined ideal democratic societies and schools to the participants. Actually the resulting ideal school was not far from our Finnish school system, where students can determine to certain extent their progress in schools.
In March-April 2001, Second lyceum of Kalamaria, Kalamaria, Thessaloniki, Greece, offered a conference on Discovering the Wealth of Diversity through Art. This was a double conference, offered not only to students but also to a large group of Greek teachers. The students worked on diversity by creating works of art while teachers discussed how schools could most benefit from diversity of any kind, e.g. ethnic, social, physical or mental - art being an excellent means for differentiation in classroom where we can then build our rich cultural mosaic of our European culture.
In October 2001 Euroweek was held in Wittekind-Gymnasium, Lübbecke, Germany. The schools produced a musical revue of 20th century music relating it to European history.
In September 2003, Bundesrealgymnasium Wien 19, Vienna, Austria, organized a project week European Identies for the whole network under the patronage of the Austrian UNESCO Comission. The two main themes were to learn to appreciate the wealth of languages and cultural diversity in Europe. The students were able to familiarize themselves with one of each country's minority language. The cultural diversity was demonstrated through both UNESCO official world heritage sites in each country and students own proposals for new sites. Our school presented Petäjävesi Old Church as the official site and Pyhähäkki National Park was the suggested as a new one. The presentations of these two were exhibited at Schönbrunn Castle. And of course, Vienna itself was a marvellous experience to all participants.
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