The preparatory meeting for our new Comenius project EUROFOLK was held at Osnovna šola Pivka, Slovenia from the 6th to 9th December, 2002. The school coordinators who attended the meeting were from Gimnazijum Jana Pavla 2 , Poland ; C.E.I.P. Virgen de Consuelo, Spain ; The Drama Center Olikelang Borg , Malta; and the Direzione didattica di Aurisina, Italy. In our four days together, we prepared the program which will guide us over the next three years of the project. We agreed on a theme, which concentrates on European Identity, because we believe it is very important for our pupils to be aware of the different nations that make up Europe and that one’s identity is something to be proud of. There will also be a focus on the less known languages in Europe.
We divided our theme into three parts to fit the three-year period: Roots, Discrimination and Cue!Lights!Action! The first year activities will enable the pupils and teachers from the participating schools to get a closer look at the core of each other’s history and culture and see one another from a different perspective. Pupils will also compare school life in each country. The theme of discrimination, which often has its roots buried deep in the history of a nation, will be analysed through the works of renowned artists and the myths and legends of each country. The third year’s main activity will involve preparing a festival of plays by pupils from the participating schools based on these myths and legends. By sharing ideas and working together the children and teachers who are involved in the project will be one step closer to tolerating, respecting and accepting people different from themselves. Through various activities covering music, literature and art, we will get to know and understand one another better.