Euroscola 2020

Through the Euroscola program 2020, we had the great opportunity to visit the EU Parliament and other important institutions in Strasbourg on the 5^th and 6^th of February. In the morning of February 5^th, we visited the Council of Europe, which Austria and 46 other countries across Europe are members of, and which established the European Convention of Human Rights. In the afternoon, we had an appointment with Ms. Wittmann, an Austrian lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights. It was very interesting to learn about her work at the Court and she took the time to answer all our questions. Even though we were on a tight schedule during our visit in Strasbourg, we managed to get in a bit of sightseeing at the end of that day as well.

On the next day, we participated in the Euroscola program at the EU Parliament, together with 21 groups from other European schools. Debating on current EU issues with other students along with discussing and voting on the other groups’ proposals in the plenary chamber gave us an insight into the everyday work of MEPs as well as the opportunity to experience decision-making processes of the EU. The debates demonstrated the necessity of communicating our ideas clearly to others and showed us that finding common ground is not always that easy. It also emphasized the importance of working together rather than against each other and of making compromises.

We ended our day with a savory dinner at a traditional restaurant in Strasbourg before going back home to Graz.

Sophie Russegger, 8b