Learning, Teaching and Training Activity 3
We got together with 31 students and 12 teachers to focus on political and intercultural literacy during five busy days in early spring Denmark. There were activities on critical thinking and problem solving, public speaking and active listening, cooperative learning and innovation. As a result, all participants broadened their knowledge of democracy, citizenship, human rights, political standards, immigration and refugees, as well as cultural differences. Everyone improved their foreign language and intercultural communication skills. Also, the students learned to discuss and debate, work in a team, assert themselves and make compromises. 
This time, each partner school team had prepared a lovely presentation called “My country in a bag”, and one or more speeches to express their opinions on topics they felt strongly about. They had prepared themselves well at home on topics such as democracy, citizenship and human rights, so everyone was ready to follow the guest speakers and participate in lively group discussions. Once again, a wonderful atmosphere was created thanks to the synergy between our cordial host team and the participants.
We enjoyed a warm welcome at Varde town hall and highly educative field trips to Ribe and Esbjerg. Having just listened to a presentation on democracy, then discussed various democracy-related dilemmas in form of group work, it was great to talk to the representative of the local government to learn how democracy works in everyday practice. Also, visiting the Ribe Viking Museum and the Esbjerg’s Fisheries and Maritime Museum greatly educated us. Listening to Mrs. Andersen about the relations between the church and the government in Denmark, and to Laura about young people in politics, made everyone generate new ideas. Finally, we learned quite a bit by calling on a local folk school and a local theatre club.
A thousand thanks to the Danish team, the students and their parents for making us feel welcome!