Faculty of Arts wins Charlemagne Youth Prize












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            * Faculty of Arts wins Charlemagne Youth Prize
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            The CU Faculty of Arts (FF UK) has come top nationwide and second in Europe in the Charlem

            Prize, awarded by the European Parliament for projects supporting European unity and under
            Gathering plaudits in Brussels was the concept of presentations about individual countries
            been organised since the 2008/09 academic year by the Erasmus Club of the Faculty of Arts 

            erasmusclub.ff.cuni.cz/page.php?part=events"] under the title ‘Evropa dělá školu’ (‘Europe
            Europa macht Schule’).
            “The aim of the project is to give schoolchildren an idea of the cultures and countries th

            students come from,” said the project’s chief coordinator, Ivana Herglová, in describing t
            she conceived based on the German organisation Europa macht Schule. It is aimed at incomin

            prepare a presentation about their country then realise it at selected schools with the ai
            to interpret for pupils. These presentations are most frequently incorporated in language 
            something different for geography, history or art education lessons.

            The Charlemagne Prize was awarded in the German City of Aachen by former President of the 
            Parliament, Hans Gerd Pöttering, and received by Renata Kopřivová, who became involved in 
            immediately after her return from her Erasmus study period and works as an interpreter for

            German projects. She is also a co-coordinator in the organisation of presentations.
            Every student approaches their presentation on their country and culture differently – som
            a fairytale with the children in their host class, some give a general geographical presen

            by teaching children traditional dance or painting. Sometimes art students prepare e.g. hi
            projects about German Expressionism or Christmas in Finland; there is a wide variety of ap
            important is that children and students enjoy themselves.

            “Based on the response of school pupils, the most successful projects have been students’ 
            about their home towns. Children are interested in things that they’re familiar with, like
            photos of schools. I have taken part in projects for first- to ninth-grade classes and I’v

            unhappy children,” said Renata Kopřivová.
            The competition for the European Charlemagne Youth Prize [ URL "http://www.charlemagneyout
            en/introduction.html"] has been organised by the European Parliament every year since 2008

            with the Charlemagne Foundation and is subsidised to the amount of 10,000 EUR. The second-
            in the competition receives 3,000 EUR. This sum will be used by the project in the coming 
            creation of a website and the realisation of student projects.

            Around 15 volunteer tutors involved in the Faculty of Arts’ Erasmus Club participate in th
            školu’ project every year, accompanying Erasmus students to schools and, if needed, transl
            into Czech. Tutors are mostly students of language-related subjects or translation/interpr

            them an opportunity to do their mandatory work experience.