Issue 12 : Traditional Sports and Games a tool for intercultural learning

Summary

Perhaps you never thought that when you were playing childhood games you were already using an educational tool..... At the beginning it was only a game, then it became an instrument of self-expression and later still a tool to be shared as a part of your own identity. Finally, it was transformed into an instrument for producing educational experiences based on the
inner resources of your own heritage. This report is about how to use games and traditional sports as a tool for generating non-formal educational experiences; it is based on a Long Term Training Course
(LTTC) that brought together 3 regions of the world (EU, Meda, East Europe and the Caucasus, South East Europe) in Etcharry (Basque Country) in France.
The traditional sport from the Basque Country - Pelota - was proposed as an
instrument that could take on magical powers in the hands of participants before, finally, being transformed into an educational tool ready to be transferred and adapted to any reality.
Traditional sports and games are part of our intangible heritage and a symbol of the cultural diversity of our societies. They are also an efficient means for conveying values of solidarity, diversity, inclusiveness and cultural awareness. Moreover, traditional games and sports reflect different cultural expressions and create a bridge between cultures for better mutual understanding

Download the report (PDF 13.8MO)

Hard copies available on request