ECEC Network Project: European Collaborative Network on Civic Education
07/06/2024
The NECE Festival is an annual European gathering that brings together stakeholders from civil society, politics, academia, media, and culture for an interactive and interdisciplinary exchange of ideas and actions. The festival is held in various European cities and focuses on a specific topic that is highly relevant to civic education.
In 2023, it was all about FUTURES! In 2024, we will focus on BORDERS.
European festival of civic education: BORDERS
14 – 17 November 2024, Tirana
NECE 2024 explores the many manifestations and meanings of borders and what civic educators make of them. We want to dive into the ambiguous, contradictory, and controversial aspects of borders and the civic education practices they prompt across and beyond Europe. What are the challenges, possibilities, and difficulties for civic educators who work at, around, and with borders?
Borders are expressions of exclusion, of the rifts that divide societies. At the same time, borders stand for and secure inclusion. Border disputes between nations can trigger wars, and the resolution may lead to the establishment of new borders. Although the concept of a borderless Europe was a driving force behind the formation of the European Union, today, both external and internal borders are considered vital to safeguard the EU from potential threats and prevent disintegration.
Containing the effects of the global climate crisis and the spread of pandemics; preventing people from being forced to migrate while providing safe paths to migration and mobility; safeguarding the freedom of expression and access to information while protecting from misinformation; the significance of firewalls and taboos for cultural inclusivity, political integrity, and social cohesion – all point at borders, their use and respect, but also their abuse and disrespect. Borders are as constitutive for peace, safety, and inclusion, as they are for conflict, insecurity, and division. When dealing with borders, we deal with ambiguities and contradictions, with zones of division and suppression, but also with contact zones and spaces for new possibilities.
WHY TIRANA?
Sealed off from the outside world under Enver Hoxha, Albania´s transition from communism can be narrated as a story of cultural, political, and physical border crossings. A country on the “Balkan route”, engaged in and exposed to the forceful dynamics of migration, with its vibrant capital Tirana as one of the most exciting cities in Europe, is the obvious place of choice for the NECE Festival 2024: BORDERS.
CALL FOR CIVIC INNOVATORS
Are you pioneering new, innovative, and creative ideas in the sphere of civic education? Do you and your organisation want to share your knowledge and good practices with civic educators from across Europe by partaking in expert panel discussions?
Then apply for a spot to participate in the NECE Festival 2024: BORDERS. The festival’s interactive, interdisciplinary, and inclusive format empowers participants to actively contribute by presenting innovative projects, to exchange best practice examples and further insights to strengthen a cohesive approach in civic education.
