Regional Government promotes 3rd Regional Meeting of European Clubs

Subsecretário Regional da Presidência

The Regional Government, through the office of the Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency and in collaboration with the Regional Secretariat for Education and Cultural Affairs, is promoting the 3rd Regional Meeting of European Clubs on December 4 in the city of Lagoa, São Miguel Island.

The initiative was considered by the Regional Secretariat for Education to be a relevant training event for teachers across the Autonomous Region of the Azores who take part in the event as accredited in-service training. It aims to provide an opportunity to work and, also, to reflect on the activities of these school clubs that promote activities as part of the European Dimension of Education and knowledge of the European Union.

This meeting brings together the teachers responsible for the European Clubs active in the Region this school year, fostering the exchange of experiences and good practices among all participants. As a result, teachers and schools across the Azores are becoming more aware of the importance of having European Clubs in their schools, which will help them to promote a more active European citizenship among young people.

The 3rd Regional Meeting of European Clubs begins at 9 am. The event will be attended by the coordinators of the European Clubs of basic education, secondary and vocational schools on the islands of Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Graciosa, Terceira, São Miguel and Santa Maria, which are active in the 2023/2024 school year and registered with the National Network of European Clubs (RNCE) of the Directorate-General for Education (DGE). There are 21 Azorean European Clubs registered with the RNCE this school year, seven more than in the previous school year.

The programme of the event includes a session dedicated to the theme of "Citizenship and European Clubs" by the Directorate-General for Education, with a paper on "The National Strategy for Citizenship Education (ENEC)" by José Carlos Sousa and a paper on "The Framework of the National Network of European Clubs within the National Strategy for Citizenship Education" by Rui Lourenço. There will also be a presentation on the "European Clubs Competition 2023/2024 - European Elections: A Young Voice in Europe," followed by a moment of debate among all participants.

The programme also includes a presentation by Alfredo Borba from the Europe Direct Azores Information Centre, who will talk about their work in the Region. The afternoon will be dedicated to a practical session organised by the Directorate-General for Education with the European Clubs as well as the presentation of the conclusions of the 3rd Meeting.

The closing session, scheduled for 4:45 pm, will be attended by the Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency, Pedro de Faria e Castro, the Regional Secretary for Education and Cultural Affairs, Sofia Ribeiro, and Lagoa City councillor Albertina Oliveira.