Global Citizenship

One reason that our schools educate young people about the Holocaust is to address key issues about prejudice, discrimination and Human Rights. The number of people who died in the period between 1933 and 1945 is enormous, and one way that schools deal with this is to personalise it, through the stories of individuals who made a stand against genocide.

This year the UK government has awarded ‘Hero of the Holocaust’ medals to a number of British citizens, some posthumously, for the help and aid they gave to victims of the Holocaust. Sir Nicholas Winton, Frank Foley and Charles Coward are among those recognised for their humanitarian contribution. A Daily Telegraph article gives more detail.

Scottish missionary Jane Haining was another recipient of the Medal. She died in Auschwitz after refusing to leave the Jewish children cared for at her orphanage in Hungary.

The Spring Day 2010 campaign has been launched by the European Commission. This is an annual opportunity for teachers and students to celebrate and enhance a European dimension in the life of the school. The Spring Day website has competitions, suggestions for activities, etc.

Schools can register to run an event, such as meetings between students, teachers, and key institutional or social personalities. It is an opportunity for young people to discuss today’s challenges and help shape Europe’s future. Spring Day 2010 is celebrating “Citizenship and Fundamental Rights” as part of Europe’s cultural and social identity, and also promoting solidarity and social cohesion in schools – supporting the goals of the European Year of Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

The Scottish Government and Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People have published a guide for children and young people about their rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This new publication is available for download from the Scottish Government website.

The Rights Respecting Schools Award promoted by UNICEF is gaining popularity among Scottish schools, with schools such as Elie Primary School in Fife among the most recent to gain the Advanced level award. RRSA is one means to embed the values of the UNCRC in school life, and contributes to the development of global citizenship among our young people.

East Dunbartonshire Council have celebrated the completion of their ‘Projet Citoyen’ project, which enabled sixth form pupils to undertake activities to raise European awareness in local schools. A group of students visited Strasbourg and the European Parliament, and produced video clips and presentations about their trip. They also improved the fluency of their spoken French.

This material was then converted into an online quiz for pupils in the first year of secondary. Now there are plans to extend this material further, with background information about Strasbourg and European institutions, and move the resource onto the Glow intranet for further use by pupils and teachers.

The annual Fairtrade Fortnight celebration supported by the Fairtrade Foundation is now halfway through, with many schools in Scotland running activities and staging events to raise awareness.

For example, this story about action in Stenhousemuir at Kinnaird Primary school in the Falkirk area.

A BBC reporter blogs about school activity at Perth Academy.

And the Department for International Development has been encouraging further action to make trade more equitable.

The Teachers TV service is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its online service for teachers. It now offers more than 3500 videos designed as professional development resources for use by and with teachers. This accumulation of knowledge, experience and ideas includes a lot of material on global citizenship and sustainable development issues, and international examples of educational practice.

A few recent examples: a programme exploring links between Apartheid and Nazi Germany; another about weather and Hurricanes; and ‘Citizenship: the global dimension’.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Schools has published ‘Learning Together: International education: responsible, global citizens’, a new guide which aims to support schools as they implement Curriculum for Excellence.

HMIE’s aim is to help teachers  reflect on and improve their practice in International education. Inspectors have visited a number of schools, and worked with a range of practitioners and stakeholders to develop this resource. The examples of good practice provided will stimulate professional discussion and thinking about how to prepare young people for life in a globalised society through a Curriculum for Excellence.

The guide was launched through a video-conference led by Shetland Islands Council from Anderson High School. Their ‘Global Classroom’ site hosted the conference and also links to other international work led by the school.

The devastating earthquake in Haiti has stimulated a huge international Aid and relief effort to assist the local population.

Oxfam Education has already produced educational resources on this natural disaster. The presentation slides and notes will help schools that intend to run assemblies or fundraising activities to support the relief and recovery work in Haiti, and facilitate discussion of issues of responsible global citizenship

The Oxfam website also has an online diary written by one of its Aid workers in the country, which provides a fresh perspective on the charitable relief operations and the situation in Haiti.

Mercy Corps and the Edinburgh Disasters Response Committee has also produced an Education pack, available in our Glow Group for International Education.

The United Nations has designated this year as ‘2010 International Year of Biodiversity’, and the website has good background material about the intentions of the year and the concept and aspects of biodiversity.

The Natural History Museum in London hosted the UK launch for this initiative, and there will be activities all over the UK in the year ahead to raise awareness and celebrate biodiversity. A BBC story reports on the launch.

The Scottish Government has encouraged Scots to make more use of the natural riches around them and take up activity in the outdoors environment.

Learning and Teaching Scotland is working with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to run a Glow event for schools tomorrow, and the Glow intranet will enable teachers and pupils to follow the subject throughout the year.

Nominations opened today for the Scottish Education Awards 2010, the annual celebration of success and achievement in Scottish schools. Among the categories this year are awards for ‘Global Citizenship’ and ‘Sustainable Schools, themes which are highly relevant for this blog’s target audience.

The closing date for nominations is 5th March 2010, and the website has full information about all the categories, sponsors, prizes and nomination process. Plenty of time to encourage our best schools and education professionals to nominate themselves in an appropriate category.