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home > Media services > News > Commissioner Figel’ chats about intercultural dialogue and understanding Commissioner Figel’ chats about intercultural dialogue and understanding Commissioner Figel’, responsible for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, participated in an online debate for the Spring Day for Europe campaign on 16 June 2008. Students and teachers from 14 schools representing 12 countries participated in the chat. It was the fourth event of this kind since 2005, when Commissioner Figel’ decided to interact with Spring Day schools on a yearly basis.
The debate focused on intercultural dialogue and understanding. During the debate Commissioner Figel' particularly welcomed a group of six French schools that, in the morning, had taken part in a national Spring Day event in Paris. Mr Xavier Darcos, French Minister of Education, also attended the event and acknowledged the work of schools in European projects by handing out prizes and diplomas. Commissioner Figel' also interacted with students and teachers from Základná škola s materskou school, Urmince, in Slovakia, a school that he had just visited and where he had mentioned Spring Day and eTwinning as ones of the most popular school programmes that help integrate the European dimension in schools. Answering a question about developing social and personal attributes that enable one to become aware of and open to other cultures, Commissioner Figel' pointed out: "Last May, ministers just agreed to work towards 'intercultural competences' which means that people from the early age should be encouraged to acquire skills and knowledge that help experience the cultural diversity of today's Europe.” The Spring Day debate hosted by Commissioner Figel' is the last online debate scheduled for the current school year. The Spring Day online debates aim to gather key European figures and teachers and students to discuss a number of European themes focusing on cultures and intercultural dialogue. More information on Spring Day: http://www.springday2008.net
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