Europe Direct Information Centre North Highlands & Islands (EDIC), which is hosted by Caithness Chamber of Commerce, has been helping local primary schools to celebrate Europe Day in partnership with North Highland College UHI and Developing the Young Workforce North Highlands (DYW).
Taking place on 9 May each year, Europe Day is held in commemoration of the Schumann Declaration in 1950, which represented the first steps towards the entity that would ultimately become today’s European Union, and offers a chance for communities to celebrate peace and unity in Europe.
Working with staff and students from the College, along with the DYW team, the EDIC put together a range of activities to help teach local pupils about Europe. Their day started with a cookery demonstration and a chance to sample some European delicacies, followed by interactive activities which included a treasure hunt around the college.
EU nationals working at the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) also took part, giving pupils an insight into life in their own countries. This was a great way to introduce young people to new languages, learn about other European countries and discover what the EU nationals do in this country. The ERI, part of North Highland College UHI, works with partners across Europe as well as further afield and is internationally recognised as a centre for distinctive and innovative environmental science.
Activity packs and educational materials on Europe were also provided to primary schools across Caithness and north Sutherland and the EDIC team is hard at work preparing for future activity with DYW such as the European Day of Languages (Wednesday 26 September), to make young people more aware of the importance of other languages.
Speaking about the event, Trudy Morris, EDIC Manager and Chief Executive of the Chamber, said: “Regardless of the outcome of the Brexit process, the North Highlands, Scotland, and the rest of the UK will continue to have a close relationship with our European neighbours, and it is important that our young people are given the opportunity to learn more about European food, culture and history, and to celebrate the peace and unity that Europe has seen since 1950.
“Businesses in this region have strong links with Europe – through sectors such as tourism, fishing and food & drink, amongst many others – and as business leaders in the community we recognise the importance of maintaining those links into the future.”