EUdemos is a project funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, which includes a series of activities aimed at promoting European values in schools. The main goal of the program is the systematic introduction of European topics into school subjects through interactive and pedagogical activities. The Royal University Institute of European Studies of CEU San Pablo University coordinates the project from its offices on the Julián Romea campus. Participating schools include CEU Montepríncipe and Sanchinarro, as well as European schools: Escola Secundária de Amarante (Portugal), IV LO im. A. Mickiewicza (Poland), 11th General Lyceum of Heraklion (Greece), and the Instituto Superiore da Vinci-Fascetti (Italy).
As part of its activities, two summer schools were organized. The first summer school took place on the beautiful island of Sardinia (Italy) from September 2 to 7, 2024. A group of students from each school involved in the project had the opportunity to experience an unforgettable event and participate in a variety of interactive activities to learn how the European Union functions.
The 11th General Lyceum of Heraklion successfully participated in the summer school with a group of eight students and two accompanying teachers. The students had the chance to interact with students from the collaborating European schools, learning about their cultures, traditions, and ways of life while also presenting the Greek culture. Additionally, they were introduced to the local culture of the town of Carbonia, where the summer school took place, and learned about the history of the European Union through a talk by Roberto Castaldi (Professor of History, Euractiv) and presentations from the schools about their country’s accession and evolution within the EU.
Emphasizing the concept of European identity, the second guest speaker, Luis Rodrigo de Castro (Professor at CEU University), gave a brief introduction on its significance, discussing the European institutions and their impact on citizens’ lives. Through collaborative interactive games, the students shared what being part of Europe means to them and gained insights into elements of their European identity.
The school’s participation in the “Solving EU Challenges” workshop allowed the students to realize that all problems are common and to recognize the value of creative dialogue in problem-solving.
Through this unique experience at the summer school, students became aware of the role and importance of the EU in their lives, the significance of their position as today’s students and tomorrow’s EU citizens, and the common points of reference and connection with their peers across Europe.
The 11th General Lyceum is located in the city of Heraklion, the largest city of Crete, with a population of 149,501 residents (2021 census). It is situated in a place with a rich cultural heritage that dates to prehistoric times, with the Minoan civilization, continuing through the Venetian period and the Cretan Renaissance up to the present day.
The school was built in 1996 in the Mesampelies area, and it is located approximately 3.5 km from the center of Heraklion and 3.3 km from the Minoan Palace of Knossos. The school block is bordered by the streets of Papa Petros Gavalas (anti-dictatorship fighter), Andreas Laskaratos (poet), Georgios Amargiannakis (professor of musicology), and Nik. Petrakis.
