Initiatives for Global Education Week, organised by the North South Centre of the Council of Europe, started in Malta in 1999 when Mary Vella, director Curriculum Implementation in the Education Division, attended the Budapest International Seminar.
Since then, at national level, numerous seminars, such as the "Youth for Change", "Youth for Peace" and "Together for a World without Poverty", have been organised by Philip Said, at the time Education Officer for Social Studies, and myself, subject co-ordinator for Geography, working within the structure of the Department of Curriculum Implementation under the director, Ray Camilleri.
The main aim throughout has been the multiplier effect leading to the classroom situation with related activities across the curriculum.
Thanks to the opportunities given by Ms J. Vassallo, Education Officer Democracy and Values Education, and Ms M.R. Mifsud, of Student Services and International Relations Department, 2005, the Year dedicated to Citizenship, proved to be a great one for the dissemination of information about the North South Centre and examples of good practice.
I gave a presentation during the Council of Europe seminar entitled "Citizenship: an Educational Challenge", which took place in Malta last month, followed by a TV slot on the programme 22am in May last year as part of a series on citizenship, participation during the citizenship in-service course last July, and I also addressed participants attending the Citizenship Festival held at the Dolmen Hotel, Bugibba, last December.
Actual national activities related to GEW 05 included a follow-up festivity on January 17 this year for participating schools instead of the usual preliminary seminar.
Link teachers and students however could access through the Curriculum Website or the school Website of Guzeppi Despott Boys' Junior Lyceum information about the NSC, the aims of GEW and examples of good practice. This was the powerpoint presentation I delivered at the COE seminar in March last year.
Mr Said spoke about the role of the North South Centre for greater awareness of global concerns. I focused on the Millennium Goals 2 and 3, while Duncan Mercieca tackled the issue of inclusion in a very original and interesting manner by explaining how people practise exclusion in their everyday lives.
The rest of the time was taken up by the students' representatives. Students from Guzeppi Despott School, through a powerpoint presentation, gave a report of the various activities carried out, namely the letters written by Form II students to children facing harsh situations in developing countries and the analysis by elder students on racism.
The work done was integrated through lessons in geography, social studies, European studies and English. Two Form IV geography option students DesLuke Cini and Francesco Randich spoke about "Tracking gender disparity investigation".
This project was initiated by a Dutch educational institution Aliceo and involves 19 countries from all over the world. The work of these students can be viewed on the Website www.aliceo.nl.
Students from Carlo Diacono Girls' Junior Lyceum gave an analysis of the gender survey they had carried out. This was followed by a drama exercise during which they highlighted very well the problems being faced by migrant children attending our schools.
Then it was the turn of the powerpoint presentation given by students from Guzè Galea Secondary School in Qormi. These focused on their 'problem wall', following which there was a discussion which formulated related solutions. The students also put up a display of their work at the National Curriculum Centre.
De La Salle College students decided to tackle the theme of dyslexia as a hurdle to the learning process. They devised an investigation within their own school which eventually led to the set up of the 'buddy system'.
This involves the participation of students of the higher forms in a project through which support was offered during the mid-day break to students of the lower forms diagnosed as dyslexic.
As a concluding session students coming from the four corners of the room got together in groups to formulate a message to the people running the North South Centre and young people across the world.
Let our voices be heard! With gender equality, more schools and more education and fewer barriers between us, we can have a better world, happier people and more resources. With more communication we can understand each other better!