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Świąteczna podróż
Start date: Sep 14, 2015, End date: Jan 13, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The project was devoted to Christmas customs and traditions. The participants acquired the knowledge about each countries’ specific customs which play the important part in Christmas celebrations. The title of the project was suggested by young people who had been taking part in international artistic meetings and students’ exchanges. The basic aims were: international and intercultural integration, the increase of students’ knowledge about Christmas tradition and its cultivation in different countries, development of creative skills: artistic, musical, linguistic and IT skills; integration in team activities, encouraging creativity and entrepreneurship. The essence of the project was the introduction of workshop activities, meetings and integration evenings for all the participants. The participants acquired awareness, cultural expression, initiative, entrepreneurship, ability to learn, social and civil competences, communicating in foreign languages. Students learned Christmas’ custom, traditions and carols of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. They learned some carols by heart to raise their interest in folk culture. Students got to know new computer programs and art techniques. They enriched vocabulary in foreign languages. In terms of actual skills students, through working in groups, improved the ability to communicate, developed their creativity, independence, entrepreneurship and inner discipline, musical, vocal, handicraft and artistic skills. They prepared the multimedia presentations using their IT knowledge. Communication based on friendship and mutual respect made it easier for the students to get rid of language barrier. Participants appreciated the true meaning of tolerance and respect within human interactions. It helped them to get rid of prejudice, stereotypes and inferiority complex. The participants also understood the rules necessary for harmonious co-existence in the present day society. The participants included teenagers, aged 13 and 14 along with counselors with the equal participation of boys and girls and the number of participants in each group; altogether 40 people. Due to the resignation of the Berlin’s group at the preparatory meeting it was jointly decided to increase the number of participants in each group so that the final number of people agreed with the planned project. This proposal was approved by the office in Warsaw. Young people participated in various workshops. We begun the meeting with integration of the groups. We used games and quizzes. Cross-cultural evening meetings and workshops conducted by each of partners served the mutual understanding. These were: 1) vocal workshops - methods of the expression and musical action. Participants used the song books provided by the organizer, and created from materials sent in advance by each group. It contains carols: Polish, Czech, Slovak and Hungarian. 2) art workshops were the most popular among participants. At first shyly and then with great enthusiasm and dedication youth participated in art and crafts workshops, offered by individual groups. Christmas ornament was selected and then introduced, discussed and finally made by all the participants. During art workshops we used methods such as: expository method, a team work, the expression and the practical action. The most popular ones were workshops conducted by experts in the Cracow’s balls’ factory, Painters’ House in Zalipie and Cracow. Using the time foreseen in the project for the presentation of the German group there were also organized additional interesting workshops in Krakow on Polish culture and traditional Christmas cribs of Cracow. There was a ‘holiday day’ on the last day, which recapped the meetings of the young people. On that day workshops finishing the previous job of teams, an exhibition of work and the concert of Christmas carols were conducted. At the end, a feast of traditional dishes brought by every of groups was organized. The result of the project is: the formation of friendship among adolescents and adults, exchange of experience, strengthening further cooperation, mobilizing for action and learning teamwork, as well as scooping self-esteem, developing unselfish attitudes based on tolerance, mutual esteem and acceptance of others cultures, integration the groups in joint ventures. There were also created teaching materials to enhance the understanding of the culture of our nations, such as songbook, CD with carols and booklet which contains among other descriptions of the traditions associated with Christmas in our countries, as well as interesting recipes for traditional sweets. Information, notes and recordings each partner currently uses during school hours discussing the culture of neighboring countries. Also there was created a CD with multimedia presentations prepared by the participants, which brings the Christmas traditions of each of the presented countries closer and also provides an excellent teaching aid
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