UNESCO ASPNet

The UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network, or ASPNet for short, is a programme established in 1953 to encourage schools worldwide to educate students on issues related to UNESCO's "overarching goal of promoting peace and international understanding". As of 2008^[update], it includes nearly eight thousand educational institutions in over 170 countries. ASPnet schools conduct their own projects, often linking with schools from other countries, or may become involved in a UNESCO-coordinated activity, such as the "World Heritage in Young Hands" project. A national coordinator, typically housed at the National Commission, serves as the liaison between the schools and UNESCO.

In 2014-2015, the American International School in Dubai carried out the project “I have the right to...?” that promoted human rights and freedom of expression. The ASPnet school developed an action plan to raise students’ awareness of their rights in relation to learning, health care and expressing their opinions. 

Singing together to make a difference – an inspiration for 53 students from the UNESCO ASPnet school Atheneum Koekelberg in Brussels, Belgium to found a choir and participate in the international project “Thousand voices for peace”. “Thousand voices for peace” brought together 39 choirs from 18 countries for a series of concerts in Belgium in November 2014 in commemoration of World War I. One hundred years ago, their countries were confronting each other in World War I. Now, more than 1,000 professional and non-professional singers were standing side by side to raise their voices for peace. 

Inspired by a workshop with the Thousand voices for peace project manager Anthony Heidweiller and Brussels Philharmonic first cellist Luc Tooten, 53 ASPnet students started their own choir “Colom” (dove in Catalan) in spring 2014. Singing can make a real difference, they discovered, when discussing how the Baltic states regained their independence through the 1989 Singing Revolution. Even though they had never sung or listened to classical music before, the diverse group of young students from Brussels set out to prepare their participation in the international project.

From 3 to 9 November 2014, the young singers mingled with the Estonian choir Voces Musicales. A week of exchange and singing together culminated in a common concert. All 1,300 participating singers, accompanied by the Brussels Philharmonic, joined in an inspired plea for peace in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Koekelberg Basilica) in Brussels.

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Wikipedia