A multicultural war

Core features of the practice

• Organisation:

  
  Institution name: In Flanders Fields Museum
  Institution type: Museum
  Institution URL: www.inflandersfields.be
  

• Format:

  
  Guided tour
  

• Target population:

  
  Students
  

• Cost (per practice):

  
  51-100 euros
  

• Setting:

  
  Outdoor urban location, Other extra-mural site
  

• Themes:

  
  Remembrance education and/or history education, Racism, Human rights/discrimination, Radicalization prevention, Critical thinking
  

• Core activities:

  
  Testimonial
  

Additional information about the practice

Target population

• Number of participants:

  
  Up to 34
  

• Age of target population:

  
  16-18
  

• Additional specifics:

  
  National/local specifities (e.g. activity targeted to Swedish school students), Race/ethnicity
  

Components of the practice

• Topics and objectives:

  
  During the First World War, people from more than 50 different ethnic groups, nationalities and cultures served in Flanders Fields. The coach excursion through the Ypres Salient follows their footsteps to find the traces they left. Where did all these different people come from? How did they get here? How did these different nationalities get on with each other? What was their relationship like with the local populations? And how were they regarded by their commanders? It is the history of a multicultural society before such a thing even existed.
  

• Materials used:

  
  Written or other published material
  Link to the material:
  
  1. http://www.inflandersfields.be/en/16-18-excursions/
     

• Material produced:

  
  Written material
  

• Sequence of activities - methodology:

  
  The guided tour is always combined with a visit to the museum
  

• Length of activity:

  
  Up to 5 hours
  

• Is the activity digital?:

  
  No
  

Accessibility and replicability

• Language(s) in which activity can be delivered:

  
  Dutch, English, French, German
  

• Is specialist knowledge or professional training required?:

  
  No
  

Qualitative Details

• Has this practice been evaluated?

  
  Yes
  

How many times?:


10


• By whom?:

  
  Participants, Informal non-participant observer
  

• By what means?:

  
  Informal verbal feedback
  

• Core content knowledge and transferable skills:

  
  Wars never stand in isolation. It is almost as if they have roots that grow invisibly underground, before springing up somewhere else to create a new conflict. We must not be blind to the forces that set the machinery of destiny in motion one hundred years ago. To do so would rob us of the chance to discover the patterns of the past that can help to teach us the lessons we need for the present and the future.
  

• Indicators of success:

  
  repeat demand
  

• Educational coordinator contact details:

  
  Name: wouter sinaeve
  Email address: wouter.sinaeve@ieper.be
  

Scalability

The RETHINK project is concerned with bridging formal and informal education. This section explores the factors that make a practice adaptable.

• Key factors for successful implementation:

  
  Pre-knowledge of the audience
  

• Main challenges to teachers adapting this practice for their students:

  
  That the history of the first world war is 'not just' a history story...
  

• Availability of guidance/training/replication materials (and in what language/format currently):

  
  educational package en worksheets (Dutch, English and French)
  

• Other comments or details:

  
  none