We are looking for 18-24 year olds to take part in a cultural heritage debate, as part of an Erasmus+ project we are currently implementing. The project ‘COOLture Among Young People’ links 5 organisations across Europe and is an excellent opportunity for young people in Britain to make connections and learn about cultural heritage both here and abroad.
The Project
The COOLture among young people project aims at the long-term preservation of Europe’s cultural heritage through the promotion, awareness, intercultural cooperation and commitment of stakeholders, in particular youth NGOs. This 2-year project focuses on cultural education by creating a range of tools available to the public and implementing training in this area, both for the staff of the partners involved and for the young people in the communities involved.
As a final result, the project will raise awareness of the importance of cultural heritage in the lives of young people and in the prosperous development of regional communities by creating international tools and actions in all 5 countries, which will promote and remind young people about local heritage.
The Activity
We are running a free workshop that focuses on debating the importance of cultural heritage, in the context of the UK, and in particular the current ongoing discussion about statues and monuments in Britain.
In 2020, we saw an increase in the debate about cultural heritage, specifically historical figures celebrated and displayed as statues and monuments. Many of these statues were erected or installed many years before but due to the sea-change in public opinion, their controversial history has been put under the spotlight and created a divide between those who are for preserving the statues versus those who want the statues taken down and replaced with more positive icons without such controversy.
This activity is a mix of learning, research, discussion and robust debate, combined with digital tools to contribute to the promotion and/or protection of cultural heritage.
Participants will develop material (such as infographics) to promote current or newly suggested monuments and statues, lobbying authorities and stakeholders involved in the preservation or decision making relating to cultural heritage.
This workshop is FREE and will be hosted by Hanta Associates Ltd. During the workshop participants will learn the following:
- How to explore arguments for and against preserving specific controversial examples of cultural heritage
- Develop critical thinking, creativity, communication and debating skills
- How to present findings and create infographics for distribution on social media
The first session will be in February 2021. Please get complete the following form if you would like to take part!