The Decoders Event in Warsaw took place on the second day of the National Festival of School with Class, on May 28th 2019. The previous day students and teachers participating in different programs of the School with Class Foundation showed what have they achieved during the schools year, shared the experience with others.
The Decoders event was a ceremonial culmination of the activities in the international R-EU-Connected project and an opportunity to extend and test young people’s knowledge about the European Union. From the early hours of the morning, we gathered at Centrum Targowa to talk about a common Europe. We have prepared a wide range of activities for our guests. The event was attended by Bartłomiej Balcerzyk, head of the information and social communication department of the European Commission Representation in Poland and Alicja Pacewicz, chairman of the School and Class Foundation Council. Experts answered questions from children and young people and confirmed facts and refuted EU myths. Students were very active in the debate and were not afraid to ask difficult questions, such as: Why are the prices and availability of certain medicines different in different EU countries? Can we leave the EU? What are the plans for nuclear policy and weapons in the future? What are the main benefits of being a member of the European Union?
The debate was enriched by tasks and votes involving students and teachers: truth or false / signing countries on the map of Europe, where you can pay with the euro (and are not necessarily in the EU). In conclusion, we asked everyone to fill in the missing words of Ode’s text to joy – there were lots of fun! All this to jointly sing the anthem of the European Union and thus celebrate this unique event. The Representation of the European Commission in Warsaw provided gifts and materials for student teams from all over Poland. Of course we, as a part of R-EU-Connected projet, provided as well all of the educational materials (Ode to Joy and ECI) for teachers and students to disseminate the outcomes of our common work in the project. It was very successful event, full of knowledge and fun.
