On 4 March, students from Emiliyan Stanev School in Bulgaria and Canossa Campus in Brescia, Italy, met virtually to discuss some of the most pressing questions facing Europe today.
The meeting was held as part of the Erasmus+-funded project European Values and Migration (EUAMI), a transnational initiative designed to deepen young people’s understanding of the European Union and its core principles.
The session brought together participants from both schools for a lively, structured debate conducted entirely in English. Topics ranged from the role of referendums in democratic participation and the boundaries of free speech, to journalistic responsibility in the age of fake news and the moral obligation of EU member states to support refugees. Questions of solidarity and the right to a fair trial were also on the table – issues that resonate far beyond the classroom.
What made the meeting particularly notable was the quality of the exchange. Students demonstrated strong preparation and the ability to argue their positions clearly and respectfully in an international setting, navigating complex social and political terrain with maturity.
The EUAMI project (ERASMUS-JMO-2023-NETWORKS, Project No. 101127284) aims to equip both teachers and students with a richer understanding of European values and the challenges the continent currently faces. This virtual meeting is one of several activities planned under the initiative, which places student dialogue at its heart.
In a time when European cohesion is tested by migration pressures, disinformation, and political polarisation, exchanges like this one serve as a small but meaningful reminder of what cross-border education can achieve.
