The first year of the "One World in High Schools" project has demonstrated that many teachers welcome this initiative, which enables them to get beyond the framework of the usual curriculum and talk to students directly about values in life.

Today’s young people have been raised on an audiovisual culture. Nevertheless, the issues presented by One World have sometimes remained beyond their field of view. Students frequently have no clear idea about human rights issues, the abstract presentation of which often elicits a negative response from them. A documentary film has the power of using a story to bring home the reality encompassed by terms such as war, genocide, racism, or discrimination. The People in Need Foundation, in cooperation with thirty other nonprofit organizations, therefore began to screen selected festival films for schools.

To date, 230 high schools have participated in the "One World in High Schools" project, and their number keeps growing. The project involves a series of two to four two-hour programs, including film screenings, which are then followed by moderated discussions on the presented issue. Basic human rights topics have been presented under the headings "Being a Minority," "Power of the Powerless," "Violence Against Women," "People Trapped," "When the State Is Against Me," and "Decent and Indecent Trade." Each of these themes included a set of documentaries, specially prepared information bulletins, suggested discussion topics, links and references to other resources, and presentations of key Czech and international organizations involved in the particular issues. The project also includes seminars for high school teachers, where they are informed about the films, available publications, and methodologies for their usage. The organizers used questionnaires to survey changes in student attitudes to the given issues. Some schools also held essay contests related to the presented topics.

Based on the successful cooperation with teachers, the People in Need Foundation will now further increase the number of training workshops and will also arrange special screenings for teachers. A package of educational materials for all participating schools is currently being prepared to further support the teachers in the classroom as they work with their students on these issues.

The "One World in High Schools" pilot project is funded by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and the PHARE program of the European Union.

Project manager: Karel Strachota, People in Need Foundation, telephone: +420 226 200 432

Special Screenings Organized for Secondary Schools during the One World Festival.
We have selected a set of representative documentaries dealing with the key topics of the One World 2003 festival and human rights issues in general. This year’s film selections focusing on the lives of people living amidst war and armed conflict are My Terrorist and The Damned and the Saved. The Byelorussian film Reports from the Rabbit Hutch explores life in society without freedom. The Power of Truth – According to the Dalai Lama demonstrates the moral content of truth and nonviolent resistance against aggression and oppression. The Czech series The Lost Spirit of the Nation acquaints students with the crimes committed by the Communist regime in socialist Czechoslovakia. War Photographer is an inspiring portrait of leading international photojournalist James Nachtwey and his bravery and ethical dedication to his work. Able pursues the topic of people at the margin of society. Illegal Immigrants: A Journey Through Hell is devoted to the issue of migration.