A hope for Europe’s future

A very full year in Europe and beyond, in which the ideas of the pedagogy of unity were brought to the attention of university teachers, educators, teachers, young and old people interested in educational matters. In 2009, there were numerous meetings, seminars, conventions, and round table discussions, in Catania, Benevento, Milano, Varese, Tortona, Vienna, Barcelona, London, Cordoba, Buenos Aires, as well as in Slovenia, Macedonia and Croatia, according to the annual report of the Central Commission of the “EdU-EducazioneUnità”.

The theoretical presentation of the pedagogy that has developed from the charism of unity was accompanied by the presentation of educational experiences promoted by the Focolare Movement.

Among these are the “Raggio di Sole” (Ray of Sun) nursery school in Croatia, “Fantasy” in Serbia, and “Perle” (Pearls) in Macedonia, where through the use of simple and natural educational materials, children are encouraged to exercise their imagination together with their classmates, developing their ability to collaborate and integrate.  The method provides hope for peoples who have suffered years of strife and whose ability to relate to others has been severely affected.

On 15 May Michele De Beni, member of the EdU commission, took part in a seminar organised by the Faculty of Education in Skopje, Macedonia.  There were 120 Christian and Muslim teachers from various disciplines and countries.
At“Raggio di Sole” the “pegagogy of communion” was presented to a team from Croatian TV, who transmitted a 7 minute report. And on another occasion, forty students from the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb made a study visit.

Giuseppe Milan a member of the EdU commission as well as director of the Department of Educational Science at the University of Padova, was invited to take part in the “Europe Week” organised by the commune of Skofja Loka in Slovenia, where he presented the “pedagogy of communion” to academics and civil and religious leaders. On that occasion the idea emerged of a collaborative project between the universities of Padova and Ljubljana.

In the photo: a group of 4th year students and teachers from the faculty of Philosophy Zagreb, during their visit to the “Raggio di Sole” school in May 2009.