14/11/2021
Italy
participants
The main objectives of our Incontro Culturale Erasmus (ICE) are:
- promoting cultural activities and intercultural understanding;
- promoting Italian cultural heritage among international students in order for them to better get to know the lifestyle, tradition, landmarks and history of the Country they have decided to study and live in;
- allowing participants to become de facto ambassadors of Italian and European culture back in their hometown, by promoting the Erasmus+ programme and its values. The internationalisation at home is a pillar of the Erasmus Cultural Meeting, together with the improvement of social and practical integration of international students, reintegration of homecoming students and promotion of active citizenship;
- drawing the attention of participants on a more sustainable lifestyle providing them with a 4 day metro pass and by choosing accommodations and restaurants which were quite close in walking distance;
- promoting the Erasmus+ Programme and the European values, especially through communication campaigns, an opening conference and the big flag parade in the historical centre of Rome: our goal was to reach out the widest audience possible in order to show the impact of the Erasmus+ Programme on the new generations and the importance of “unity in diversity”, one of the main mottos of our organisation;
- providing our volunteers with a great opportunity to test themselves on the field, boosting skills such as intercultural competence, project management, teamwork, etc. It was indeed an excellent chance for them to put into practice what they have studied or test themselves with something they are passionate about, and gain hard and soft skills that they can spend on the labour market.
The Incontro Culturale Erasmus (ICE) is a national event organised by ESN Italy which takes place in Rome every year. This year’s edition was particularly relevant as it took place in a post-Covid19 context, with Erasmus students who had either experienced an online mobility or were commencing once again in-presence exchanges.
The event was held in November and gathered in the Italian Capital city up to 1100 Erasmus students coming from all the cities in which ESN Italy has a local section. The event was spread over 4 days, starting from the pre-event on Thursday to Sunday. The main aim of ICE is to allow Erasmus students to discover Italian cultural heritage. All students can indeed join free city tours held by professional guides. Tours are carried out in small groups and participants could ask for them to be in Italian, English and Spanish. During the 4 day events, international students are also encouraged to visit major national museums, landmarks and exhibitions thanks to discounts and partnerships provided by ESN Italy.
For ESN Italy, ICE is also the occasion to promote the Erasmus+ programme by highlighting the beauty of multiculturalism and intercultural dialogue, by spreading European values and boosting the European identity during the event with both formal events, such as the opening conference, and informal events like the flag parade, which takes place in the historical center.
The activities were as follows:
- Pre-Event: it consisted of a city tour held my ESN local volunteers followed by a treasure hunt to discover the esoteric side of Rome;
- Opening conference: ICE involved various cultural youth associations that brought their testimony and experience to discuss the 2021 edition's theme “The Erasmus Generation: Shaping the Future of Cultural Heritage”. The main organisations were ESN International (Erasmus Student Network), UNESCO Youth, FAI Youth (Italian Cultural Fund) and the National Youth Council. Thanks to their interventions, participants had the chance to reflect on the Future of Europe and the role of the Erasmus Generation in promoting the EU’s cultural heritage. The conference was indeed the occasion to reflect on themes such as the importance of Erasmus+ in spreading a globalized idea of the world, but it was also a good occasion to promote the role of ESN and its volunteers in the process of promoting the Erasmus+ programme;
- Guided tours of Rome: they involved experts for the historical and technical research including professional guides who led the 1000 participants throughout the streets of Rome. They thoroughly explained both Italian and European cultural milestones present in Rome via interactive and "walk-through" sessions. The tour covered the main attractions of the city such as: the ruins of ancient Rome, the most important monuments and buildings from the middle ages and the renaissance, the buildings that host the institutions such as the Italian Parliament and the Italian Government. ESN Italy provided some alternative city tours and affiliated museums and exhibitions that the international students could freely visit during the days of the event. One of the main attractions this year was the beautiful exhibition held in Scuderie del Quirinale on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death which allowed students not only to get a complete overview on the Poet and its works, but also on Italian culture as a whole. Especially interesting was the intergenerational link with contemporary events which highlighted how Dante’s values are still valid and represent solid foundations of our society;
- Flag parade (16th November 2021): during the event, all the participants wore their national colors and flags, and gathered in the center of Rome. During this activity thousands of Erasmus students walked through the streets of Rome showing the beauty of the ESN motto “Unity in diversity”. It was a great opportunity to promote Erasmus+, European values and the European Identity towards the inhabitants of Rome and the thousands of tourists that were visiting the city. These activities also contributed to make the Erasmus experience unforgettable for the participants and the volunteers.
