European Year of Citizenship through Education - 2005

2005 is the European Year of Citizenship through Education. The aim is to launch throughout Europe a campaign to popularise and put into practice the education for democratic citizenship policies and programmes.

If education is an investment for the future, education for citizenship is an investment for Europe's democratic future. Democracy is not something that can be taken for granted. Nor is it an abstract concept. It calls for a commitment and responsible action by citizens in their everyday lives.

Low election turnouts among young people and their decreasing participation in public and political life lend urgency to the issue of education for democratic citizenship, which should be seen as a long-term investment to promote the democratic values of human rights, tolerance and cultural pluralism.

(Source: Council of Europe)

News

Interview with Minister Mady Delvaux-Stehres: "For Luxembourg, education for democratic citizenship is not an unnecessary luxury, but a matter of survival" (16.06.2005)
Interview with David Kerr (UK): "Training citizens involves training teachers" (17.05.2005)
HREA partner of Council of Europe in the European Year of Citizenship through Education (17.02.2005)
From the HREA staff: European Year of Citizenship through Education (19.01.2005)

Useful links

European Year of Citizenship through Education - official website (Council of Europe)

Democracy and Human Rights Education (DARE) Network

European policies and regulatory frameworks regarding education for democratic citizenship (EDC) and human rights education (HRE):
- OSCE Commitments Relating to Human Rights Education and Training
- All-European Study on Policies for Education for Democratic Citizenship
- Case Studies in Human Rights Education: Examples from Central and Eastern Europe

Selected learning materials

Democratising Your School: A Practical Guide for Headteachers
This manual was developed in Romania and addresses the connection between internal structures and relations of a school system to those existing in society at large..

Education for Democratic Citizenship: Teacher's Guide
This manual is a very practical introduction for first time teachers of citizenship education.

The European Convention on Human Rights: Starting Points for Teachers
This publication aims to introduce human rights into the classroom by providing starting points and suggesting some interactive activities; it is designed primarily for working with 14-18 years-olds.

Teaching Guide to the European Convention on Human Rights
This guide was developed for teachers in Bosnia-Herzegovina to assist them in addressing human rights in school, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights.

The School in Democratic Society: A Course Plan for Poland's Future Teachers
This curriculum addresses the pre-service training of teachers and the challenge of training teachers in a transitional society.

Tool on Teacher Training for Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education

Other International Days and Years