Chapter 17 Do We All Speak the Same Language in Europe? Finding Out by Playing

Abstract

The most valuable resource of the European Union (EU) is its youth. The EU’s future depends on young people’s ability to identify themselves as Europeans, that is, united by a shared European identity and a solid commitment to be active EU citizens. Young people want and need to know more about what it means to be an EU citizen. However, the younger generation needs better education as to what the EU is, what it represents and how their daily lives are positively influenced because of the EU. With the intention to bring EU topics closer to the daily lives of students, we developed an innovative, user-friendly educational game titled ‘Do we all speak the same language in Europe?’ to convey to the audience an essential message, that is, there are common roots that over centuries have shaped who we are. This chapter elaborates the rationale behind the educational game, outlines the rules of the game and discusses its value added by referencing the survey filled out by students who actually played the game. Conclusions and recommendations follow.