Framework of Action for World Heritage Education (WHE) in Europe 1996-2001


UNESCO-Associated Schools Project(ASP)/World Heritage Centre(WHC) as proposed by the students, educators and teachers from 23 European countries attending the First European World Heritage Youth Forum Dubrovnik, Croatia 25 to 31 May 1996


Objectives

  • To mobilize the present day generation of young people to act in favour of protecting world heritage globally and locally;
  • To develop new ways and means to introduce/reinforce world heritage education (WHE) in school education;
  • To create a new synergy amongst students, teachers, educators, heritage specialists, conservationalists, etc. at local and national levels in support of world heritage education and raise additional resources in support of WHE;
  • To establish an effective network to exchange information on world heritage education results in Europe (in countries which are State Parties to the UNESCO 1972 Convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage) and facilitate communication with participating schools and experts; and
  • To contribute to a better understanding and appreciation of UNESCO's efforts to conserve, protect and promote World Heritage.


    Expected Results by the year 2001

  • The development of draft versions that would offer national World Heritage education in cross curricular approaches and national strategies for furthering the process of introducing/integrating appropriate new curriculum;
  • Effective European co-operation in conducting pilot projects, producing and diffusing world heritage educational materials, intensive school twinning between countries in Europe, as well as in other parts of the world;
  • Organization in each European country of at least one WHE teacher-training workshop or summer camp for young people on specific topics e.g. a workshop for students and tourist organizations to develop a young people's handbook, a workshop for media experts and students to produce articles, videos, etc in favour of World Heritage;
  • Introduction/integration of WHE as reflected in this Framework of Action and the development/application of assessment techniques;
  • Better understanding and appreciation of UNESCO's efforts to conserve, protect and promote world heritage;
  • The setting up of a European World Heritage Education Coordinating mechanism (on a rotation basis for two-year periods) in close co-operation with UNESCO (ASP/VVlHC);


    Modalities of Action

  • Prior to the Dubrovnik World Heritage Youth Forum (May 1996), UNESCO invited Member States to reflect on this proposed Framework of Action and arrange for their teachers and students attending the Forum to make concrete proposals for this Framework. In Dubrovnik the participants proposed the following:


    National level

  • Identification of UNESCO Associated Schools to conduct, in the pilot phase, experimental activities in favour of WHE;
  • Nomination of a National WHE Coordinator and WHE Task Force (with representatives from National Commission for UNESCO, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, appropriate historical/natural conservation bodies, university professor, ASP teachers, student representatives, etc.);
  • Utilization and assessment of UNESCO World Heritage Education Kit (to be prepared in 1996 and produced and distributed in 1997);
  • Planning of WHE workshops, youth encounters, etc. at national, sub-regional and/or international levels;
  • Elaboration of national WHE Framework of action and working calendar and submission to WHE regional coordinator (to be designated after Dubrovnik Youth Forum).


    Regional level

  • Setting up of a mecanism to coordinate WI~E-Europe;
  • Production/distribution of annual WHE-Europe Calender of Events announcing new initiatives such as workshops for teachers, summer camps for students, etc. Production/distribution of WHE Directory of National Coordinators and Participating Institutions (and data bank to be kept up to date on an annual basis) to facilitate schools twinning, bilateral and multilateral pilot projects and events.
  • Organization every year and at the invitation of Member States of several:
    -European WHE Workshops for teachers on specific facets such as innovative methodology for WHE, the need for interdisciplinary approaches, the role of extra- curricular activities for WHE, assessment tools for WHE, etc.; and
    -European WHE Summer Camps for students aimed at reinforcing cultural identity, mutual respect, increased appreciation of world heritage cultural and natural sites, providing outlets to take an acitve part in the conservation, protection and promotion of sites, preparing campaigns to help save and protect sites, discussions about threats facing sites, the positive/negative effects of "cultural tourism", etc.


    Sponsors

    - UNESCO (Associated Schools Project and the World Heritage Centre in collaboration with Sectors and Units)
    - National Commissions for UNESCO, Ministries of Education and culture
    Government Aid Agences, e.g. NORAD
    - NGOs eg. ICOMOS
    - Private Sector, e.g. Rhone-Poulenc Foundation