That the European Union is necessary and important is not even a subject for discussion there. All are convinced Europeanists, proudly affirming it. The Cândido Guerreiro Vocational School, in Alte, is “Ambassador of the European Parliament” and had a class in which students made known the assets of the European Union, its history and all that «good things have brought us».
For about three months, the atmosphere in that school could not have been more European. On the floor, there were flags of the European Union and on the walls were placed sheets with the names and capitals of the member states.
In the glasses, in turn, there were examples of how the EU contributed to the growth of the Algarve, with works such as the A22, the Estádio Algarve… or the Escola Profissional de Alte itself. It was a way of showing, with specific cases, the influence of the European Union.
18 students, from the second year of the Commerce Technician course, were the great workers of all this work that ends this Sunday, 26th of May, with the European Elections.
In such a way that they had a space dedicated to working on these issues – the “Ambassadors Room”.
«This project was an asset to our knowledge. We have learned more about the European Union, in a team effort», told Ana Guerreiro, spokesperson for the group, to the report of the Sul Informação.
For the young student, the European Elections this Sunday, 26 May, have a "very important role". "We have to be the ones to decide what our future will be!" he added promptly.
For this reason, the students in this class have been “campaigning for Europe” at school and with other classmates.
The entire project, which also had the support of the Center Europe Direct Algarve, was coordinated by Professor Teresa Cabrita, who is also an enthusiast of the European Union.
«The invitation to be an Ambassador School came from the European Parliament's Office and we went there for another project. This is particularly relevant, given the context in which the European Union is living. It is not clear what the future will be and it seems to be moving more towards disunity than unity," he said, under the watchful eyes of the students, in a class that Sul Informação followed.
“They were already born in the European Union and it was to alert to the added value of the European project that we also adhered to this project. Without the European Union there was not a series of things», added the professor.
The student Diogo Martins could not agree more. «Ouch! There was too much going to end, too many privileges. The being able to travel freely, for example. We would not have such a union that exists, which supports countries when they need it,” he said.
In addition to the decoration of the school, the students also placed an information panel on the European Union at the Alte Parish Council. The objective is to inform about the importance of going to the polls.
In elections that tend to have high abstentions, in the 2nd year class of the Trade Technician course, everyone who is old will vote. "We are all pro-Europe," they said without hesitation.
And the election campaign? Followed? «On social networks and television», replied Alícia Marques. It is the mirror of the new paradigm with which young people follow politics.
For Alice Cunha, national coordinator of the Ambassador School project of the European Parliament, this is a program that precisely wants to appeal to young people.
“Often they are the great forgotten ones. We want them to get to know the history, the institutions, the common policies better. Basically, let them know what the European Union does for each one of us, in our daily lives, in our region», explained Alice Cunha to Sul Informação.
The idea was also to stimulate the "civic participation of young people, at the electoral level", he added.
«It is necessary to understand the importance of voting for our present and for the future. This being a professional school, which is aimed at other audiences, was also an asset. Some will go to active life, others to university, but they will all be citizens and the sooner they learn this, the better», he also considered.
Aníbal Coelho, director of the Escola Profissional de Alte, could not agree more. “We are concerned about having a set of activities to train citizens. We want to deepen the awareness of all our students who are 135 in total», he concluded.
By the will of these students, youth will always be synonymous with restlessness.
Photos: Pedro Lemos | Sul Informação
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