Curious. Critical. Europe-fit.
These qualities are taught to the pupils at the Gymnasium and Realgymnasium in Seekirchen am Wallersee. The Ambassador School of the European Parliament was certified with the Austrian Ecolabel in 2022.
The Gymnasium und Realgymnasium in Seekirchen am Wallersee received the Austrian Ecolabel in 2022. The educational team of the school in the province of Salzburg is led by Mag.a Annemarie Seethaler. The school is not only very well positioned in terms of ecology and sustainability, but also in terms of the students' view of Europe: since 2018, the AHS has been an ambassador school of the European Parliament. The educational team wants to give the pupils a better understanding of the European Union. And give them impulses in class that make them curious and able to criticise, but also politically active.
Promoting European values. "As an ambassador school of the European Parliament, we promote European values and encourage our pupils to think and act in a cosmopolitan way," explains headmistress Annemarie Seethaler.
The European Parliament. This is how Seekirchen is connected to Strasbourg. The European Parliament, the Parliament of the European Union, is located there. Since 1979, the MEPs have been elected every five years (most recently in 2019) by the citizens of the EU in direct European elections. This makes the European Parliament the only directly elected body of the European Union and the only directly elected supranational institution worldwide.
© BG Seekirchen am Wallersee
European politics. The European Parliament has been offering a special programme for upper secondary schools since the 2016/2017 school year. Austria has been involved in this from the beginning. Teachers receive training and further education in the field of European policy. By setting activities around the EU, the school can be certified as an ambassador school of the European Parliament.
Democracy promotion. Ambassador schools of the European Parliament promote awareness of Europe and the European Parliament as well as European democracy among young people. In Austria, the Liaison Office of the European Parliament is involved in this together with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and the polis Centre (https://www.politik-lernen.at/).
Austria in Europe. Since September 2022, 131 schools in Austria have been participating in this programme. Already 101 Austrian schools have been certified as Ambassador Schools of the European Parliament. The participating schools come from all Austrian provinces and represent a colourful mix of school types such as vocational schools, polytechnic schools PTS, commercial academies, grammar schools, secondary schools for agriculture and forestry and secondary schools for economic professions.
Actively shaping Europe. As an ambassador school of the European Parliament, the grammar school and secondary school in Seekirchen am Wallersee - also in the spirit of the Austrian Ecolabel - actively contributes to shaping the "European project". More important than ever these days.