#EUROSCOLA
Euroscola Strasbourg
EPAS programme
As part of the EPAS programme - European Parliament Ambassador School our school was selected to take part in Euroscola. The aim of this programme is to make students more aware of Europe and how we need to work together. The aim of Euroscola is to unite students from all over Europe to debate in the European Parliament about issues which also concern them and to get them involved in European politics. On 7th February there were students from 20 EU countries represented both physically and online with the theme: Working towards a strong social Europe by tackling poverty and social exclusion. Kandinsky College attended with a group of 12 students from year 3 to year 6 havo and vwo.
By Tessa Hofman, t3f
Negotiation skills
On Thursday afternoon 6th April the anticipation built as we stepped in to the bus with 12 other students from Stedelijk Gymnasium Nijmegen. Luckily the students had prepared a quiz which broke the ice as we all had to partner up with a student from the other school. The journey went quite quickly, and it felt like in no time we were in Strasbourg. In the evening, we went to bed early as we wanted to be fully rested for visiting the parliament on Friday. Everyone was eager for the breakfast at the European Parliament, but because of the long process and security of getting into the building, we arrived too late for breakfast. The breakfast hall had already closed its doors by the time we got there. Nevertheless, one student was not going to let hunger ruin the morning, and with a bit of consideration and some humour, she told the staff that she was going to pass out from hunger. The staff member chuckled and opened the door for us all. We all had a good laugh at the "negotiation skills" and the student's over-the-top acting — it was a pleasant start to what appeared to be an interesting day.
Motivational speech of the President
The official programme started at 10:00 AM with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, delivering a video message. Her video welcomed us to the EPAS Euroscola programme and stressed the responsibility of the young generation in shaping the future of Europe. She urged us to be pro-European and become helpers to change by actively interacting with European politics. She delivered inspiring words, and it was motivating to know that, as youth, we could influence the future of Europe.
Q&A with the Vice President
Later, we conducted a live Q&A session with the Vice President of the European parliament, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ and the leader of the Green Party. The session was very interactive, and students asked questions on a wide agenda of important topics, from climate change to digitalization and social rights. It was fascinating to hear the Vice President's responses and comments on the actions of the EU in response to these issues around the world. For all of us, it was an interesting moment to witness exactly how much of a role the European Parliament has in shaping policies that affect millions of Europeans and more. Plus, the cherry on the cake was that I was selected to ask a question.
The question I had was, “What measures could the European Union undertake that would guarantee the social right to housing and social security of people who have been driven out of their homes because of environmental crises such as flooding or extreme weather systems?” Mr ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ replied by saying that the EU can safeguard the right to housing and social security for displaced people by stronger investment in infrastructure, providing enhanced emergency assistance, social security system, and cooperation with the other member states. He also mentioned that the EU can provide just opportunities to displaced people by combining climate policies with social aid. This response brought some clarity on the approaches the EU will be taking towards these problems for me and many others.
“It was wonderful to be having these rich discussions with students from across Europe, all sharing the shared interest of a more inclusive society.”
Challenge: solutions for social issues
At 11:25 AM, we had the Innovation Lab for a discussion on "Towards a Socially Strong Europe, to End Poverty and Social Exclusion." In this session, we were challenged to think critically about the social issues of Europe, such as poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. We broke into groups to think about solutions, and many students offered ideas like expanding social safety nets, broadening access to education and health care, and offering economic opportunity to the dispossessed. It was wonderful to be having these rich discussions with students from across Europe, all sharing the shared interest of a more inclusive society.
An unforgettable learningexperience
The Euroscola program has been a thrilling and inspiring experience. We have learned from the best and brightest of Europe, sharing our ideas, and had a chance to engage actively in debates that would shape the future of the continent. It was a day that started with some jokes but very soon turned into an experience of learning and engagement that we will never forget.