The EPAS programme enjoys great popularity and has registered more than 3400 teachers and 23-thousand students participating all over the European Union. All participating schools have become certified Ambassadors of the European Parliament. Overall, there are 1500 participating schools in the EU.
Opening topics relevant to Europe with a goal to promote European identity awareness among young people, high-school students, teachers and general public. To remind of an option to gain Citizenship of the European Union and to raise debate about further development of the EU.
Students participating in the EPAS programme have a chance to gain practical experience with the EU Citizenship. Through participation in the programme´s activities, they learn what our EU membership means for their everyday lives and how they can shape Europe´s future. The students also receive the latest news and practical know-how that help them know more about the European Union and its system of parliamentary democracy. They broaden their ability to think critically and to recognize European Parliament´s role in decision-making within the EU. The registered schools choose teachers to become a senior Ambassadors, who then pick junior Ambassadors. Students are delegated a role of activity organizers, focusing especially on the EU affairs.
from schools across Slovakia
in programme activities
approached with an invitation to participate on the EPAS project
Schools were tasked with training their Junior Ambassadors not only with help of learning materials, but also by doing activities related to the EU Citizenship and functioning of the European Union. Celebrating the Europe Day and creating the EU InfoPoint at schools/school websites were among the most important activities of that particular year.
Moreover, schools participated in the simulated EU Parliamentar Election, debates with experts, organizing of various activities for chosen European holidays, cooperated with maternity schools and retirement homes.
This year was special, especially since the global pandemic prompted world communities to go online, schools included. We successfully converted our programme to fit the new reality, moved it to online space and started to rely on distance communication with our schools. This step met with great appreciation by teachers, who incorporated our programme and activities to their cirruculae. We chose Facebook and Instagram as a dominant means of communication with the Ambassadors. We published more than 216 posts in a single year, creating the content in cooperation with participating schools.
These chosen students serve as auxiliary Ambassadors for the European Parliament at schools. Their main task is to become full-fledged EU citizens, passionate about European affairs. They also draft and execute additional activities of the EPAS programme, meant for other students from their schools. Junior Ambassadors are entrusted with promoting and educating their peers, parents and general public about the EU Citizenship. They focus mostly on organizing and executing activities. They produce social media content and, they are students of a project-winning school, have a chance to win a trip to the European Parliament in Strasbourg and see its functioning with their own eyes.
In 2019/2020, we organized several online discussions with MEPs and students on topic of How the EU helps against the COVID-19. Students were also interested in other hot topics, such as the Green deal – Climate change, the EU´s Cohesion Policy, disinformation, functioning of the EU Parliament, as well as everyday life of a MEP.
Thanks to our coordination and communication strategy, we have been granted an opportunity – to organize European Parliament Ambassador School Programme in Czechia.
