Teaching European history using shared cultural heritage

Learning about cultural artefacts and ideas from different cultural movements can help pupils to appreciate the value in Europe’s cultural diversity.

By focusing on the common cultural threads that link different European societies, teachers can make history more relatable. Pupils can better understand the interconnectedness of European nations and the shared experiences that continue to shape it.

Artistic objects and performance are some of the most emotionally resonant elements of a culture. Appreciating the similarities and differences between  different cultures connects participants on an emotional level. The Sharing cultural treasures project engaged pupils with objects and cultural experiences from different countries, to help them appreciate and value the similarities between people in different countries and cultures.

By participating in international cooperation, pupils can better understand the importance of shared cultural heritage and make European citizenship a stronger part of their identities. By connecting with their peers in other European countries, pupils can feel more European and feel more confident about their place in Europe’s shared future.

For example, in a project on cultural heritage, pupils from four secondary schools in Hungary, Finland, Iceland and Spain worked together on cultural topics, while improving their language skills and interpersonal communication.

Folklore is used around the world to transmit culture from one generation to another. Stories can be specific to a culture and time in history, but can also have messages and lessons that are universal. For example, fairy tales can be used as a medium to transfer cultural and universal values from the past to the present. A project using fairy tales leveraged the universal and lesson-based nature of these stories to bridge intercultural differences, improve communication and convey universal values such as goodness, cooperation and friendship.

Through learning about culture and ideas from various cultural movements, pupils can develop a deeper appreciation of Europe's rich cultural diversity and build their own cohesive European identity.