Why is this important?
The past is often a source of conflicting interpretations rather than easy consensus. Still, historical identity is central to relations between states and people in the here and now. In our diverse European society, we cannot escape history when seeking to understand the present in our search for a common future.
Understanding European history, like other histories, involves a continuous process of construction and deconstruction, writing and rewriting. At the same time, as the history of the European continent is marked by constant movement of cultures and populations, diving into it might well offer insights into how people in Europe interacted and lived together in the past.
We believe that opening up a space to engage with the dissonant and often conflictual nature of European history is the first step in discovering common positions or overcoming divisions while acknowledging existing differences.
What are we looking for?
With this initiative, we are seeking to support and disseminate innovative projects and pioneering approaches, resources or practices that help young people (and by extension the general public) to understand the complexity and multiplicity of European history, and recognize how history can engage everyone in understanding Europe and their part within it.
Our support comes in different forms: financial support, support with public relations and dissemination, and editorial and operational support. This means we will work together to ensure that the projects, approaches, resources and practices are known and used by relevant stakeholders and have wide impact. In doing so, we will of course acknowledge everyone involved in the development.
Who can participate?
The call is open to individual history educators (formal and non-formal contexts), researchers or students, and civil society organisations or institutions.
If you wish to apply as an individual, we invite you to describe your tried and tested approach(es), practice(s) or resource(s) that peers from other European countries could easily adapt to fit their own practice.
If you wish to apply as a (group of) organisation(s), you can either submit an existing project which has proven its value, which you would like to disseminate or scale up, or a promising project idea that you would like to pilot. Bear in mind that the initiative runs until the end of 2020.
What do we consider important?
Diversity & multiperspectivity
We understand diversity in its broadest sense, not only as diversity of race and culture but rather emphasizing that diversity has always been present within all groups of people. To use the words of Philipp Blom, historian, novelist, journalist and translator, “European history is the history of living with difference”, both in destructive and productive ways. This makes it even more valuable to engage with European history from the perspective of difference and diversity when looking for common ground. It allows us to discuss complex and divisive issues, discover unknown chapters and give voice to those people or groups who have been silent or were silenced, so that they may weave their untold stories into the fabric of our shared European histories.
Research and practice
We value projects that seek to bridge the gap between academic research and practice. Researchers are often unaware of the changed reality that practitioners are confronted with. Conversely, it can take a long time for research results to reach practitioners.
Europe and the world
European history cannot be understood independently from what is exterior to it. We welcome ideas that focus on influences, connections, relations and exchanges not only within the (current) geographical boundaries of Europe, but also between Europe and other parts of the world.
The study of history as a practice of critical inquiry
The study of European history helps to understand the complexity of relations, processes of change and the links between local, regional, national and international history. It implies exploration from a variety of viewpoints and can thus contribute to the development of a critical mind. In addition, more at a meta-level, a focus on the analysis and deconstruction of historical content as presented in different media can also strengthen the ability to think critically.
Other media
Textbooks and formal education are becoming less important for learning about history as other media (films, photographs, comic books, museums, etc) and non-formal learning contexts become more prominent. We invite you to share innovative ways and spaces to research, teach or learn about European history using a transnational and multi-perspective approach that goes beyond text-focused methods to dive into European history.
We invite applicants to reflect on these criteria, taking into account the possibility of perhaps not ticking all the boxes. We will only consider applications that answer at least two.
Selection criteria
- Submission before the deadline
- Availability on key dates (see timeline below)
- Relevance of the proposal to the objectives of the call
- Expected impact of the proposal
- Feasibility of the proposal
What will happen if you/your project are/is selected?
Selected individuals will:
- Receive a support grant of 1,000 euro
- Be invited to participate in an international professional development and training course (at the beginning of the process)
- Work with the other selected individuals and experienced trainers to further develop the approaches, resources and/or practices in such a way that they can be easily used by colleagues from other countries
- Be invited to give a workshop, during an international professional development and training course (at the end of the process), to share the finished product
Selected groups or organisations will:
- Receive a grant of 20,000 euro to disseminate or scale up an existing, pioneering project or to implement or test a new project idea
- Be invited to participate in an international professional development and training course (at the beginning of the process) and present the project or new initiative
- Be invited to share their work during an international professional development and training course (at the end of the process) to share how the support has helped to upscale or further develop the project
In addition, all travel and accommodation costs for work meetings will be covered.
Timeframe for submission and selection
2018
- 21 September 2018
Launch of call for proposals
- 1 December 2018
Deadline for applications
- 1-15 December 2018
Shortlisting of applications
- 15 December 2018
Follow-up questions to shortlisted applicants
2019
- 7 January
Deadline for answering questions
- 3rd week of January (beginning)
Skype interviews organisations
- 3rd week of January (end)
International expert group meeting, final selection of proposals
- March/April
Kick-off meeting during the international professional development and training course with selected individuals, groups and organisations
- Summer
First work meeting with selected individuals
- Fall
Second work meeting with the selected individuals
2020
- March/April
Final workshop and presentations during the international professional development and training course with selected individuals, groups and organisations
- April-December 2020
Translation and dissemination phase
Who are we?
About the Evens Foundation
The Evens Foundation is a European public benefit organisation with a mission to contribute to the development of a common European future based on cultural and social diversity.
Focusing on conflict transformation, critical thinking in education, media studies, media education, arts and sciences, our work includes: initiating and supporting experimental educational and civic initiatives; contributing to the development of innovative pedagogical methods; funding relevant research; supporting advocacy initiatives; facilitating mutual learning among education practitioners, and stimulating knowledge production by organizing lectures, conferences, learning labs and seminars.
About EUROCLIO
EUROCLIO – European Association of History Educators is an umbrella association of more than seventy history, heritage and citizenship educators associations and other organizations active in the field. The organization was established in 1992 with Council of Europe support.
Since then, EUROCLIO has worked in many European countries and beyond on a wide variety of issues related to the learning and teaching of history. A special focus has been on countries in political transformation and in particular those with interethnic and inter-religious tensions such as Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. It has also worked in regions that have experienced recent violent conflict such as the former Yugoslavia, Cyprus, Lebanon and the Caucasus. The work has brought together hundreds of historians and history educators to share experiences, to implement innovative learning about the past, discussing also sensitive and controversial issues, and thereby creating new and inclusive historical narratives.