What do we commemorate on May 9th?
Every year on May 9th, we celebrate Europe Day to mark the anniversary of the historic “Schuman Declaration”. On this day in 1950, Robert Schuman proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, widely considered the first step towards the modern European Union. His vision was to establish a community based on cooperation and solidarity to ensure lasting peace across the European continent.
How did we celebrate Europe’s “birthday”?
The Open University Čakovec (POU Čakovec), an adult education institution, in partnership with the Secondary School Čakovec (a proud European Parliament Ambassador School), organized a special workshop for the high school’s students on Monday, May 11th. This collaboration provided an excellent opportunity to bridge the adult education and youth sectors, fostering a genuine intergenerational exchange of knowledge and experience.
Workshop Activities and Key Takeaways
During the workshop, POU Čakovec staff introduced students to the diverse opportunities offered by Erasmus+ programs. The presentation emphasized the program’s core objectives: developing knowledge, enhancing skills, and gaining valuable experience through international cooperation and mobility.
Students learned about the distinct features of two main types of Erasmus+ mobility: KA1 (Learning Mobility of Individuals) and KA2 (Cooperation among organizations and institutions). POU Čakovec staff shared best practices and personal experiences from mobilities realized under our Erasmus Accreditation in adult education. Furthermore, students from the Secondary School Čakovec enriched the discussion by sharing their own impressions and experiences from previous Erasmus+ trips. This exchange between adult education professionals and high school students further enriched the discussion and demonstrated the versatility of the Erasmus+ program.
The final segment of the workshop featured group activities and a short, interactive quiz about the European Union. During the group work, students were asked to write down their personal associations with the word “Europe”.
For the students of the Secondary School Čakovec, Europe primarily represents: belonging, freedom, community, and unity in diversity.
We are immensely proud that through initiatives like this, combining the experience of adult education with the energy of youth, we are collectively building a Europe that connects people, motivates lifelong learning, and creates new opportunities for all generations. We encourage other organizations to explore the possibilities of obtaining Erasmus Accreditation and joining the extensive Erasmus family.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMPEU). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
