Project "Showcase of diversity: Intercultural encounters in everyday school life" with competition for schools!

In an increasingly globalized world, it is crucial that young people learn to perceive linguistic, religious and cultural similarities and differences, to get to know them better and to develop cooperative and respectful interaction with one another. The aim of this project is to sensitize students to the dimensions of diversity and to promote the development of intercultural skills. In this way, the project promotes respect, understanding and tolerance and actively contributes to reducing discrimination. It also offers scope for prevention and intercultural dialog, particularly in light of the current virulent anti-Semitism.

The project is offered for all teacher training courses in the BIKA Kassel study profile. Students have the opportunity to enter into intercultural dialog, to develop their intercultural skills both theoretically over the course of two seminars (winter semester and summer semester) and to gain practical experience in interaction with classes at schools and to gain an increasingly multi-perspective view through extracurricular projects.

To this end, a competition entitled (working title) "Showcase of Diversity: Intercultural Encounters in Everyday School Life" will be launched for all schools in the district and county of Kassel, which the students will be responsible for and implement. The aim here is to show students how pupils understand diversity in the form of languages, cultures, religions and backgrounds and reflect on how they deal with this in their school. Diversity should be seen and used prominently as a valuable resource for everyday school life. In the competition, school classes are asked to create short videos, posters, 360-degree learning environments, linguistic landscapes, etc., for example. The entries submitted will be systematically checked and evaluated by students on criteria that have yet to be jointly developed, such as innovation, feasibility, creativity, sensitization, transfer, impact, etc. The ideas and results will be honored at an award ceremony, and the award winners will also be visible online, giving them a high degree of visibility and impact and serving as inspiration for institutions and learners. For the practical implementation, the students should also use the theoretical knowledge they have acquired in the seminars and implement smaller projects on the topic of "Intercultural Dialogue" at schools in Kassel and the surrounding area. The competition guidelines can be found here.

Against the background of the situation in Germany, which is burdened by racism and anti-Semitism, the project focuses on the image of the other and also creates connections between languages and cultures as well as between schools and the University of Kassel. Student teachers who acquire intercultural skills as part of their training act as multipliers and mediators in their future careers, who can pass on their experiences and skills to their pupils.

It is supported by QuiS funds.

Head: Prof. Dr. Claudia Schlaak