UNESCO ASPnet CAMPAIGN “GIFT A POEM”: INTERNATIONAL WEBINAR
https://fundacjaherberta.com/.../gift-a-poem-webinars/
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet), the Polish National Commission for UNESCO invited member schools worldwide to participate in the global initiative “Gift A Poem”, organized in cooperation with Zbigniew Herbert Foundation and supported by UNESCO in the school year 2022-23.
The Greek ASPnet Network participated in the initiative with 40 schools, the largest number of participants worldwide. Ms Vera Dilari, National Coordinator, was invited to present this good practice at an international webinar for National Coordinators and teachers held on 12th February 2024. The webinar was organized by the Polish National Commission for UNESCO with the participation of Ms Julie Saito, International ASPnet Coordinator and the Chairperson of Zbigniew Herbert Foundation Ms Maria Dzieduszycka. Ms Dilari presented the way the initiative was implemented in Greece, receiving very encouraging comments on the richness and diversity of the activities by Greek schools. Greek students not only copied and offered poems - on cards they created themselves - to friends, relatives, classmates, teachers, groups of people with disabilities, hospitals, elderly care centers, but also wrote poems and offered them accordingly.
Ms Katerina Christodoulou, UNESCO ASPnet coordinating teacher at Ralleio Lykeio and ASPnet Focal Point for the Directorate of Secondary Education of Piraeus at the European and International Programs Office, who designed and coordinated the project at her school, was also invited to present as good practice the method by which the global initiative was taken a step further to be integrated into the daily teaching practice of four languages at Ralleio Lykeio. B class student Vasiliki Panagopoulou also shared her experience of participating in the project. Particularly positive comments were expressed by Mrs. Maria Dzieduszycka, Professor of Literature and President of the "Zbigniew Herbert Foundation", on the method of integrating the initiative in the daily teaching practice designed by Ms Christodoulou, which is linked to the new UNESCO Framework for "Culture and Arts Education".
The international webinar closed with a video clip of the song “The hidden hero: UNESCO” which was produced by students of the Hellenic College of Thessaloniki and gifted to ASPnet.
“Gift A Poem” international campaign will be held in 2024 as well, to celebrate the centennial of the poet Zbigniew Herbert.