Study Session 2015 “Deport Xenophobia from European Classrooms”
The team in charge of the next OBESSU big activity, the Study Session Deport Xenophobia from European Classrooms, held the preparatory meeting in Budapest the last 16-19 January to finalise the objectives of the activity, the draft programme and to start preparing the different sessions for the event.
The Study Session will be organised in cooperation with the Youth Department of the Council of Europe and will take place in the European Youth Centre in Budapest. We expect 35 participants from OBESSU Member Organisations from all over Europe.
The broader topic of social inclusion in education is one of OBESSU’s very core issues, and the topic of inclusion of migrants is one of the very important sub-topics. This is explained, for example, in our Political Platform, where OBESSU demands:
- Intercultural education throughout Europe;
- All immigrant students in Europe to have equal rights and access to education as native students;
- The right to organize to be ensured for all immigrant students (minorities);
- Teachers with a migrant background to be encouraged and supported to act as role models.
OBESSU firmly believes that in order to shape attitudes in society in general, one must start in schools. Inclusion in broader society must therefore be included in the work of schools and, equally important, in school student organisations. Therefore, in the past years OBESSU has been developing several activities to work on the topic, from the “Education we have a problem!” campaign to the 2011 Study session on Human Rights Education at schools.
This years’ study session will focus on migrations, human rights and racism and xenophobia, and its main aims and objectives will be:
- To build capacity of participants to recognise and act against xenophobic and racist behaviours in schools and in school student unions;
- To discuss and find a shared understanding of migrations, types of migrations and the challenges that young people face (xenophobia, racism and discrimination);
- To learn about Human Rights and through HRE, and to reflect how to use it as a tool to combat xenophobia in schools;
- To think critically at the participants’ own home organisations and to develop action plans against xenophobia in the school environment / education system;
- To build a common understanding and glossary on xenophobia, racism, discrimination and other concepts including exploring their causes and consequences.
The team is looking forward to welcome participants to the European youth Center in Budapest and to have a week of fruitful discussions and debates! Stay tuned and follow us in #StopXenophobia and #OBESSUStS.
For more information, please contact Estel at estel@obessu.org
