By Museumverein Klostertal

European history would be inconceivable without migration. For thousands of years, people have traveled across the continent to discover and settle in new regions. The concept of national borders is a very recent one in European history. It emerged only in the 19th century, whereas in the Holy Roman Empire, for example, it was common to move freely from the North Sea to Italy. Before the era of industrialization, people were much more mobile than we can imagine today. This also applies to rural regions, where the farming population often depended on seasonal additional income. The Klostertal Museum explores this phenomenon using the example of the rural Klostertal region. In addition, many regions of Europe were long regions of emigration, from which people moved overseas for economic and political reasons. It was not until the 20th century that the picture began to change and Europe became a continent that was attractive for immigration. In today’s consciousness, the term “migration” is usually associated with this.

In the ONE Culture project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ program and implemented by a consortium of six European organizations, diverse societies shaped by migration phenomena are addressed in a variety of approaches. The project partners are confronted with issues such as the inclusion of minorities in their daily work. Protecting the rights of people of different origins is one of the fundamental values of the European Union. In the recent past, however, we have seen trends toward increasing xenophobia and the fact that minorities are being used as political pawns. The methods developed in the project are intended to help raise awareness of the value of diverse societies and strengthen cohesion.

Migration

The term “migration” comes from Latin, the former lingua franca of large parts of Europe. It is derived from “migrare”, which means nothing more than “to wander.” Migration means to change one’s place of residence temporarily or permanently. If this happens within a country, it is referred to as “internal migration.” In most cases, however, it refers to migration across national borders or even across the borders of a continent. Migration is not merely a modern phenomenon, but in a sense as old as humanity itself.

As already mentioned, the European continent has been shaped by migration throughout its history and continues to be so today. This applies to urban centers as well as rural regions. The linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe speaks volumes in this regard.

Participation and inclusion

The activities developed in the ONE Culture project include many approaches to address and involve people with a migration background in adult education. In this way, valuable contributions can be made to inclusion. It is always important to take all people seriously, regardless of their biographical backgrounds, whether they come from Europe or not. Through the activities, they should all feel part of the European community of today. This is an essential approach in the project.

Important approaches can be found, for example, in the “Creative Courtroom” activity. This activity allows learners to engage actively with EU values such as freedom, participation, solidarity, human dignity, and respect for human rights. The activity promotes freedom of expression and active citizenship as learners embody different societal roles and collaborate to find creative, inclusive solutions.

The value of solidarity is emphasized through discussions around collective European action in response to environmental and social challenges, particularly the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities. In parallel, the values of human dignity and human rights are explored through themes of environmental justice, where access to basic needs such as water, food, and safety is increasingly threatened.

The “Intercultural Encounters in your Community” method is suitable for both smaller and larger communities. It creatively addresses aspects of diversity and migration history. People of all backgrounds are taken seriously and invited to share their stories and backgrounds with others.

Lessons learned

European history would be inconceivable without migration. For thousands of years, people have been traveling within the continent to discover and settle in new regions. The concept of national borders is a very recent one in European history. It only emerged in the 19th century, whereas in the Holy Roman Empire, for example, it was common to be able to move freely from the North Sea to Italy. Before the industrialization era, people were much more mobile than we can imagine today. This also applies to rural regions, where the farming population often depended on seasonal additional income. The Klostertal Museum explores this phenomenon using the example of the rural Klostertal region. In addition, many regions of Europe were long regions of emigration, from which people moved overseas for economic and political reasons. It was not until the 20th century that the picture began to change and Europe became a continent that was attractive for immigration. In today’s consciousness, the term “migration” is usually associated with this.

In the ONE Culture project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme and implemented by a consortium of six European organisations, diverse societies shaped by migration phenomena are addressed in a variety of approaches. The project partners are confronted with issues such as the inclusion of minorities in their daily work. Protecting the rights of people of different origins is one of the fundamental values of the European Union. In the recent past, however, we have seen trends toward increasing xenophobia and the fact that minorities are being used as political pawns. The methods developed in the project are intended to help raise awareness of the value of diverse societies and strengthen cohesion.

Migration

The term “migration” comes from Latin, the former lingua franca of large parts of Europe. It is derived from “migrare,” which means nothing more than “to wander.” Migration means to change one’s place of residence temporarily or permanently. If this happens within a country, it is referred to as “internal migration.” In most cases, however, it refers to migration across national borders or even across the borders of a continent. Migration is not merely a modern phenomenon, but in a sense as old as humanity itself.

As already mentioned, the European continent has been shaped by migration throughout its history and continues to be so today. This applies to urban centers as well as rural regions. The linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe speaks volumes in this regard.

Participation and inclusion

The activities developed in the ONE Culture project include many approaches that can be used to address and involve people with a migration background in adult education. In this way, valuable contributions can be made to inclusion. It is always important to take all people seriously, regardless of their biographical backgrounds, whether they come from Europe or not. Through the activities, they should all feel part of the European community of today. This is an essential approach in the project.

Important approaches can be found, for example, in the “Creative Courtroom” activity. This activity allows learners to engage actively with EU values such as freedom, participation, solidarity, human dignity, and respect for human rights. The activity promotes freedom of expression and active citizenship, as learners embody different societal roles and work collaboratively to find creative and inclusive solutions.

The value of solidarity is emphasized through discussions around collective European action in response to environmental and social challenges, particularly the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities. In parallel, the values of human dignity and human rights are explored through themes of environmental justice, where access to basic needs such as water, food, and safety is increasingly threatened.

The “Intercultural Encounters in your Community” method is suitable for smaller and larger communities. It creatively addresses aspects of diversity and migration history. People of all backgrounds are taken seriously with their stories and backgrounds and invited to share them with others.

Lessons learned

Sensitivity and awareness of cultural diversity are a basic prerequisite for all activities. Therefore, these should be implemented by trained trainers. Good preparation is also essential. It is important that all people are taken seriously and listened to, regardless of their origin and ethnic-religious background.

Conclusion

As expressed in the project title, ONE Culture aims to contribute to overcoming nationalism and Euroscepticism. The methods used to address migration stories can make a particular contribution to this. They help to develop an awareness of a diverse and mixed Europe.

are basic prerequisites for all activities. Therefore, these should be implemented by trained trainers. Good preparation is also essential. It is important that all people are taken seriously and listened to, regardless of their origin and ethnic-religious background.

Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash