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In Tour: inclusive tourism for inclusive Europe

Funder: European CommissionProject code: 2018-1-IT02-KA229-048570
Funded under: ERASMUS+ | Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices | School Exchange Partnerships Funder Contribution: 74,402.7 EUR

In Tour: inclusive tourism for inclusive Europe

Description

"Secondary Education must be constantly updated with the issues and social instances of contemporary world. ""InTour: inclusive tourism for inclusive Europe"" addressed the crucial need to open tourist opportunities for people with disabilities, activating teachers and students on the ground of “a right to the beauty for all”. In the world, over 1 billion people are estimated to live with some form of disability. In EU, they are 6-10% of the population, and this data will grow mainly due to the aging of population (source: WHO, Regional Office for Europe). The project was realized through the cooperation of three secondary schools, based in Italy (IIS Luigi Einaudi, Rome, the Project Leader); in Finland (OSAO, Oulu); and in Greece (1st Lyceum, Aigio). It directly involved 80 students, 15 teachers (both in mobility and in local activities), other school staff (Directors, administrative staff), local stakeholders (NGOs, tourist guides specialized in inclusive practices, tourist enterprises) and families. The priorities of the project were matched as following: - “social inclusion”: the project directly involved students with disabilities or special needs and focused on developing strategies for inclusion in cultural and natural heritage sites.- “open education and innovative practices in digital era” were pursued through methodologies encouraging students in working in a European learning environment, using specific digital tools and imagining new tools for the future. - “promoting the acquisition of skills and competences”: at the end of the project, students improved in their vision of disability as a context-related issue. They also developed new eyes on the variety of disabilities and on the relevance of listening and communication as crucial aspects of inclusive practices. Specifically, three international workshops were realized, with both common and complementary goals. In each workshop, a group of local students (12-20 students) joined two teams from abroad (unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the Finnish group did not take part in the last meeting). Common goals were related to the general priorities of the project. Specific goals were defined in strong cooperation among teachers, enhancing local and educational peculiarities. The first workshop was held in Rome (February 26th-March 2nd, 2019). The activity was crucial in introducing inclusive tourism among participants; reinforcing social relationships; fostering the sense of European identity and diversity. These goals were reached through a very dense weekly plan including visits to important museums, archaeological sites and peripheral neighborhoods, debates with experts of inclusive tourism. In Vatican museums and in Traiano’s Market we also had the chance to experience the tour for blind people, with tactile and audio stimuli. The methodology included peer to peer education and cooperative learning activities, managed with a reflexive and problem-solving approach. The second workshop was in Oulu, Finland (November 23rd-27th 2019), focusing on inclusive tourism in real world and in natural areas. Students used apps to record the potential barriers they found during a city tour and they explored a natural park and a reindeer breeding farm. They debated with experts concerning inclusion in hotels and in other tourist facilities and about the relevance of communication. Participants also visited the magic LUMO Festival and Tietomaa Museum, an example of inclusive and innovative Science Museum. In each of these experiences, they were required to reflect upon accessibility and inclusion, in practical terms. The last workshop was in Aigio (September 21st-27th 2021), focusing on technologies for inclusive tourism. The methodology was a mix of IT laboratory activities in cooperative learning, in mixed groups of Italian and Greek students; and in fieldworks and visits in natural and cultural Greek sites, in the city of Aigio but also in the Region of Peloponnese (Olympia Archaeological site and traditional Kalavryta city). Students were introduced to the open-source App Creator, programming some demo of apps for inclusive tourism. In the long-term, inclusive tourism will be at the core agenda of national and European social and educational policies. The project supported participants in approaching the issue as a new, comprehensive way of thinking, instead of considering it as a thematic “niche”. This approach will have the potential to deeply change both institutions and local contexts. The team also tested that a mixed methodology (theoretical, practical and problem-solving lessons integrated with on-site visits and interviews with stakeholders) is especially effective in increasing awareness and pro-active attitudes among students. They realized a specific educational module, that can be applied in other contexts/experiences. Students also declared to be ready to support and encourage other students in taking part in future Erasmus projects."

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