The project took place between August and November 2019 and was co-financed by the Romanian Government’s Department for Interethnic Relations and its main aim was the elaboration and dissemination of an Intercultural Education Guidelines for Teachers.
In order to support teachers to develop their competences to teach intercultural education – a subject recently introduced in the Romanian national curriculum for 6th graders (12-13 years old) – the Intercultural Institute of Timisoara conducted a participatory process in which teachers, representatives of national minority organisations and intercultural education experts worked together to develop an educational resource for teachers, called Guidelines for Intercultural Education. One national conference and several regional meetings were held throughout the country. During these meetings participants (teachers, teacher trainers and other education specialists) worked together to develop educational activities, analyse them in various contexts and make sure they are adapted to the level of 6th graders.
The result was the publication of a resource that offers teachers a general framework based on the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture, as well as innovative activities for teaching intercultural education, including by using the project-based learning methodology. The publication contains a short introduction on the main concepts and principles of intercultural education, methodological suggestions (including how intercultural education should not be taught) and a series of educational activities that are in line both with the National Curriculum and with the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework on Competences for Democratic Culture. The activities proposed take into account the fact that in some schools diversity is present, while in others the school population is quite homogeneous. Students are encouraged to explore the diversity at local, national, European and international level, to challenge their stereotypes and to develop their intercultural competence. The Guidelines are currently used by teachers throughout the country.