KA2 - REACH Researching European And Cultural Heritage to Share

Visit to Paris 29-11-2021

From 29 November 2021 to 3 December 2021 , our school participated in the second mobility of the Erasmus + KA229 project "Researching European and Cultural Heritage to Share". The aim of this action was to search for and protect Europe's cultural heritage. The Ferdinand Busson Vocational High School was held in Paris, France, with a host school. It brought together teachers and students from 6 countries with the participation of 31 students and 13 teachers from the project partners France, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Turkey and Greece. The students were informed about what is cultural heritage, why it should be protected and what efforts are being made in this direction. Relevant workshops were conducted on the above issues.

During the first two days of mobility, students and teachers visited the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, while knowing their history of monuments. They also had the opportunity to visit attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Concorde Square, the Champs-Elysees, the Sorbonne University and the Pantheon and cruise along the Seine. The students held workshops in the Montmartre area, learned about the area by doing the work assigned to them at the Sacre Coeur Basilica, the Painters' Hill and the Louvre Museum.

On the third day of mobility, during a tour of the Auvers sur Oise area, students visited the Van Gogh Museum and learned about this area where expressionism was born. In addition to the beautiful castles and gardens they came in contact with Impressionist painting through an emotional and sensory experience offered by technology (video screens, sound and light).

In this museum where the works of many famous painters are digitally exhibited, students had the opportunity to learn the stories of the creation of works, which are part of the cultural heritage. Later they visited the Chateaux de Chantilly, a fairytale castle that houses one of the best painting collections in France. The students chose an item they would like to pass on to the next generations with the Time Capsule activity and shared the reasons why they chose it with the rest of the group. They shared an enjoyable study on the importance of inheritance transfer.

fourth day of the mobility, participants visited another Unesco World Heritage Site, the "Potager du roi" (The King's Kitchen Garden), whose products were used to procure of the kitchens of the Palace of Versailles, and is currently run by the Ecole Nationale Superieure du Paysage, the highest public school in France for the training of landscape architects. The "Potager du roi" is registered by the French Ministry of Culture as one of the most remarkable gardens in France. The deputy director of the Garden guided the participants in the Garden and informed them that his products are now sold mainly to the inhabitants of Versailles. Later he visited the imposing Chateau de Versailles. The Palace of Versailles has been listed as a World Heritage Site for 40 years and is one of the greatest achievements of 17th century French art. The old hunting lodge of Louis XIII was transformed and expanded by his son, Louis XIV, when he established the Court and the government there in 1682 and was the seat of the monarchy until the French Revolution (1789). Today the Palace contains 2,300 rooms spread over 63,154 m2 and is a museum of French history. The team was impressed by the luxury and the display of wealth!

On the last day, workshops were held at the Ferdinand Buisson Vocational High School, the French school that hosted the mobility. The results of the activities carried out during the first days of mobility were announced. After a short welcome speech by the Deputy Principal, the students and teachers were offered French flavors to be introduced to French cuisine. They later attended a presentation on the French education system and school issues. After lunch the students, in multinational groups, took part in creative activities and later played an evaluation game, in the style of "Who wants to be a millionaire?" The students answered questions about the parts of the French heritage they visited during the week. Greek students were given many prizes for correct answers! Students prepared posters and wrote letters based on the information they gained, reinforcing what they had learned during the mobility. All participants were given certificates of attendance.

After dinner they said goodbye to the French team and especially to the project coordinator Mr. Richard Allan who won the hearts of the Greek team with their warmth, hospitality, hard work and great sense of humor! At the hostel followed farewells with all the associates with whom they shared these wonderful days in France and whose presence made this week unforgettable for teachers and students!

Thanks to the above mobility that brought together students and teachers from different countries, cultural bridges were created between the countries, the language skills of the participants were improved and the skills of the students were enhanced through experiential teamwork.

The students were accompanied by teachers Mrs. Vasiliki Taouzi and Mrs. Maria Tsiaprazi.

The third mobility of the project is planned to take place in Spain in March 2022.


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Erasmus+ | 2nd Gerakas Senior High School