General Presentation of the Simul’ONU Project Under the European Erasmus+ Programme
Jože Plečnik Gymnasium in Ljubljana has been taking part in the European project, Simul’ONU, from 2017 to 2019. The leading and coordinating school in this project is Lycée du Pré Saint Sauveur (FR),from the city of St. Claude, France. The project also includes Gymnasium Hjalmar Lundbohmsskolan, from Kiruna, Sweden, and the 4th Geniko Lykeio School from Tripolis, Greece.
Simul’ON is a United Nations (UN) simulation method, where students take on the roles of UN diplomats. Our project takes place in the context of global learning and learning for sustainable development, which leads to a more responsible attitude towards the environment and societies in which we live, and the people with whom we interact.
The European Program Erasmus + in Slovenia is coordinated by the Center for Mobility and by the European Programs of Education and Training, CMEPIUS.
With the support of the Simul’ONU project, Erasmus + enables the interconnection and mobility of the pupils and teachers from four European school institutions.
The participation of students at the Simul’ON project meetings is a test of their creativity and their ability to have constructive discussions in pursuit of goals that would benefit the entire planet Earth.
PARTICIPANTS
A special target group of 100 participants/pupils between the ages of 14 and 18 will participate at the Simul’ONU event in Saint-Claude, France. More than 200 pupils have been involved in the project in various ways, such as attending the meetings and events.
GOALS
The primary objectives of the Simul’ONU project are rooted in the concepts of education for social inclusion. The United Nations presented these concepts in its sustainable development goals presented in September 2015 for the period from 2016 to 2030 (2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development).
The main purpose of Simul’ONU’s simulation is to encourage students to engage with and debate challenging topical issues in English. Informative talks and the development of joint documents—both in the English language—are given during the preparation phases of the simulations, during the simulations themselves and at the final evaluation of the project.
Another important goal is to raise awareness among young people about the importance of sustainable development, climate change and the need for key global decision-making that is important for our future. For this purpose, the UN has created 17 common sustainable goals, which call for common, global solutions to the principles of sustainable development for a sustainable way of life.
There is also a priority on using innovative practices relevant in the digital age, thus encouraging the development of digital competences. Another key goal is the development of language competence. Participation in the simulation Simul’ONU is an excellent opportunity for students to use and improve their knowledge of English.
Lastly, there is an important emphasis on developing transversal competences, such as creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making and constructive emotional management.
THEMES
The first year is a common theme, “the ocean” (inspired by/based on the United Nations Conference held on 5 to 9 June 2017 in New York).
The Simul’ONU presentation is available at the following link: http://psssimulonu.wixsite.com/2018/presentation
The second project year is intended to address various aspects of soil issues (the degradation, purchasing and land grabbing of fertile land, ecosystem services, etc.). Further information can be found at this link: http://psssimulonu.wixsite.com/2018/issues-2018
These topics will be the central theme of the UN -IPBS meeting in Paris in May 2019.
IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT
Simul’ONU is a project that promotes inclusion, and we hope that it will have a positive impact on the participating schools and their local environments. All the participants, pupils and teachers will engage in English-speaking language practices.Our project is also an exercise in autonomy, which is an important skill in personal critical thinking and public speaking.Climate change is a challenge that is becoming increasingly difficult to cope with and common solutions are hard to find. Raising awareness of environmental issues that are the consequences of our lifestyle is the first step in finding such solutions. Students involved in the Simul’ONU project could become the ambassadors of environmental awareness at all of their respective schools. The project promotes the values of social inclusion, such as gender equality and equal opportunity. By engaging in such projects, we want to show our students—appropriately, in what is Erasmus’s thirtieth year of existence—how important it is to connect internationally and thus overcome the economic and social obstacles in their way.