Posted on 21 November 2013
The educational programme of the Historical Archives of the EU destined for Primary Schools (6 – 11 years of age and Secondary Schools (12 -14 years of age) was launched this week at Villa Salviati when it welcomed second class pupils from the local primary school “Scuola Salviati”.
In devising the programme, “Sotto una buona stella” the Archives cooperated closely with the teachers and a cultural mediator, Mikica Pindzo. The title of the initiative was chosen to reflect the European flag with its 12 stars. Its significance was explained to the young audience by the Director of the Archives, Dieter Schlenker. The children were then given the task to produce their own European Flag which they were able to take home with them.
The practical workshop was followed by a Treasure Hunt in the Grotte of Villa Salviati, which the children found highly amusing and they were intrigued with the mosaics composed of coral and shells and the grotesque figures sculpted into the pillars. Each child found an envelope containing a “European Passport” with adhesives depicting a member country’s flag and a well-known monument from that country.
On returning to the reading room of the Archives, the children attached a photo of themselves and the adhesives to the passport and were talked through the construction of Europe by means of art and imagery. The students were given their passports to take back to school and complete with the various countries they had visited with their families.
The students learned about the significance of the European Union and asked many questions. One child asked “why Macedonia was not a member”, her mother was on a work trip there at the time. Another asked “why the Euro was not used in Britain”. A few asked if they needed a passport to travel in Europe. One even asked” how come they didn’t add more stars to the flag when new countries joined”.
After the workshop, the pupils of Scuola Salviati enjoyed a brief break to assimilate what they had learnt. A tour of the Archives followed, with the mobile shelving and microfilm machines proving of special interest particularly when they were allowed to try them out for themselves.
The morning finished up with a sing-song using various key words in the official languages of the EU, words from the Charter for Human Rights such as Peace, Liberty, Justice, and a group photograph at the entrance to Villa Salviati, where the flags of the EU member countries are located.
The project initiated with Scuola Salviati so that the local community could come to know its new neighbour at Villa Salviati. The educational programme will continue to develop as part of the HAEU’s open doors initiative. As such it has been included in “Le Chiavi della Città”, the Florentine publication of educational programmes for local schools.