The Erasmus+ project “Breaking the Language Barrier: Arts for Communication – Focus on Friendship” brought together schools from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Slovakia to foster inclusion and intercultural communication through the arts. Born out of an eTwinning partnership, the project evolved into a powerful mobility experience hosted by Paralimni Lyceum, focusing on meaningful collaboration between mainstream students and students from the special education unit.

The Cyprus mobility served as a living example of how empathy, creativity, and non-verbal expression can break down communication barriers. At the center of it all were the students from the special education unit, who were embraced, empowered, and placed at the heart of every activity.

Warm Welcome and Building Connections

The first day was all about making everyone feel safe, included, and connected. The mobility began with a heartfelt welcome and a series of interactive ice-breaking activities that immediately set the tone for a supportive and joyful environment.

Key activities included:

Memory Web: Students stood in a circle and tossed a ball of string while saying their name and something they liked. The result was a visual web representing the emerging bonds between students.

“This or That” Food Game: Red and green mats were placed on the floor, and students jumped to their preferred food option shown on the screen (e.g., strawberries vs. bananas). Laughter, conversations, and shared tastes made this one of the most enjoyable and inclusive moments of the day.

Music, Dance, and Traditional Games: The group played traditional games and danced together, easing any remaining tension and building group cohesion in a non-verbal, movement-based way.

Arts & Crafts: Students created flags and drawings representing their countries, allowing personal expression and cultural representation through art rather than words.

Learning outcomes:

Forming early friendships and overcoming language anxiety
Promoting interaction through movement, games, and symbols
Centering joy, inclusion, and emotional safety from the very start

Our collage of photos on padlet

Inclusion Through Art, Drama, and Creative Expression

SEN students presenting zeimbekiko dance

Italian students presenting Tarantella

Throughout the mobility, the focus remained on non-verbal communication and collective creativity, which allowed students with cognitive or language challenges to shine.

Activities included:

The Friendship Puzzle: Each student decorated a puzzle piece symbolizing what friendship meant to them. These pieces formed a collective artwork celebrating unity in diversity.

Drama Scenes with a Focus on Friendship: Students from the special education unit performed a moving non-verbal drama piece, using only facial expressions, gestures, and body movement to portray different aspects of friendship. Each scene was introduced by the drama teacher with guiding questions to help the audience focus on key themes. After every scene, a short discussion followed, allowing students to reflect on what they observed and felt. This performance, thoughtfully designed and led by the drama teacher, was one of the most powerful moments of the mobility. The students from the special unit were not just participants — they were the protagonists of the day, taking center stage and receiving heartfelt applause for their talent and expressiveness.

Cultural Dance & Song Performances: Groups presented their traditional dances (e.g., Syrtos, Tarantella, Slovak folk dances), while Cypriot students performed songs prepared with their music teacher — all forms of expression that transcended language.

Craft and Visual Expression: In addition to the flags and puzzles, students were constantly involved in collaborative art activities that promoted symbolic communication.

Learning outcomes:

Expression of identity, emotions, and values without needing language

Elevated role of special education students as creators and performers

Celebration of culture through movement, rhythm, and visual storytelling

Our Friendship Puzzle

Inclusive Games and Social Bonding

Recreational activities were central to the mobility. Students had fun while strengthening bonds and practicing cooperation:

Musical Chairs
Tug-of-War
Stereotype Quiz: A fun and thought-provoking game that humorously explored and dismantled cultural stereotypes

These games were designed to ensure every student could participate, regardless of ability or language.

Learning outcomes:

Practicing cooperation and fairness in group settings
Shared laughter as a universal connector
Normalizing diversity in ability and background

Cyherbia Botanical Gardens

Students visited Cyherbia for an educational excursion that involved:

A nature-themed maze
A treasure hunt and forest games
Discovery of herbs and local flora
The fairytale village experience

Learning outcomes:

Engagement with the natural world
Awareness of sustainable living and biodiversity
Teamwork and active participation in an outdoor setting

Common Dinner at Ploumin Tavern

One of the most memorable and heartwarming moments of the mobility was the common dinner held at Ploumin Tavern in Sotera. Students and teachers gathered in a relaxed, traditional setting to share a meal, enjoy local dishes, and deepen the bonds formed during the previous days. Laughter, dancing, and informal conversations flowed naturally, offering a space for intercultural connection beyond the structured activities of the school day.

Culinary Presentations and the “Crepe Pizza” Collaboration

The culinary activities were among the most anticipated moments of the mobility, especially because they had been carefully prepared in advance with the involvement of both SEN and mainstream students. Before the mobility, students from the special education unit had worked closely with their English teacher, Ms Avgi Constantinou, and peers from the regular curriculum to design a unique pizza recipe. Inspired by the three participating countries, the pizza featured three savoury sections — one for each country — and a sweet section to conclude the experience.

Due to limitations in equipment and space, the pizza base was replaced with crêpes, but the original recipe’s fillings were preserved. During the activity, each student selected their preferred combination and assembled their own personalized “pizza crêpe.” Some were so enthusiastic, they went back for seconds. The activity felt like a celebration — not only of food, but of teamwork, creativity, and pride in something that the SEN students had co-created with care and excitement.

As part of the same culinary session, the Greek team presented various cheese types from each country, while the Italian group offered a visual presentation on traditional foods, giving everyone an engaging taste of each culture’s culinary identity.

Logo Competition

Before the mobilities began, students from all four countries had created and uploaded logo proposals for the project on the eTwinning platform. This pre-mobility task encouraged creativity and early engagement, while also giving participants a sense of ownership over the project identity.

During the Cyprus mobility, all logos were displayed and students voted for their favorite using a Google Form. The results were shown immediately, and the winning logo was announced on screen, giving everyone the chance to see which design would officially represent the project.

Farewell Ceremony and Certificates

The mobility concluded with a farewell ceremony, where students received their certificates of participation. This moment marked not only the end of a rich and emotional week but also the celebration of new friendships, accomplishments, and shared memories that will last long after the project ends.

Outcomes & Conclusion

This mobility was more than just a school project. It was a space where students from the special education unit were placed not on the sidelines but right at the center. They were not simply included — they were celebrated. Through art, food, games, and music, they connected with peers from across Europe in ways that didn’t require language — only kindness, creativity, and shared joy.

The experience left a lasting impact on everyone involved, proving that true communication goes beyond words. It lives in gestures, in shared laughter, and in the quiet but powerful bond of friendship.

Future Recommendations

The mobility to Cyprus highlighted the immense potential of non-verbal, inclusive activities to foster friendship and cross-cultural understanding among students of all abilities. Based on the success of this experience, we recommend the following for future mobilities and projects:

Continue centering students with fewer opportunities — especially those in special education — by designing activities where they can lead, create, and shine.
Use art, food, movement, and games as universal languages that encourage participation without the pressure of verbal communication.
Prepare collaboratively before mobilities so that all students, regardless of ability, feel confident and excited to contribute.
Train mainstream students to act as peer mediators, supporting inclusive interaction across language and cognitive barriers.
Encourage informal bonding moments — shared meals, games, and music — as equally valuable as formal activities for building lasting connections.

The Cyprus experience proved that with empathy, planning, and creativity, every student can be at the heart of a European learning journey.

Acknowledgements

We warmly thank the teachers Ms Valentina Assou (Greek Teacher coordinator of the Special Unit Academic Programme), Ms Avgi Constantinou (English teacher), Ms Leto Demetriou (Drama teacher) and Mr Panayiotis Demetriou (Art teacher), Ms Anna Forari (Music teacher), Pater Stavros Stavrou (Religious Education), school directors Ms Andrie Kounni and Ms Loukia Lazaridou, and partner schools from Greece, Italy, and Slovakia who embraced this project with open hearts and minds. Special thanks go to the students of the special education unit at Paralimni Lyceum for reminding us that communication goes far beyond words — and to their classmates for standing by their side with genuine kindness and care. This project would not have been possible without the collective effort of all involved.

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