Two-day educational activities in cooperation with the Athens International Children’s Film Festival, the Smile of the Child & ARSIS
Mandoulides Schools organized a two-day educational event with the theme: Bullying. Zero Tolerance! from October 10th to 11th, 2024 on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Non-Violence on October 2.
This event was aimed at students of all grade levels and was held in collaboration with the Athens International Children’s Film Festival, the Smile of the Child & ARSIS.
The two-day event included film screenings, discussions, interactive games with experts, book presentations, poster competitions, workshops, and training sessions for both children and educators.
More specifically,
On Thursday, October 10, 2024
- The screening of the film The Thoughts of Nephele was organized by The Smile of the Child and followed by a discussion with Mr. Ioannis Koziakis, Psychologist (M. Sc., MBA, PhDc), and Ms. Olga Zikopoulou, Psychologist, (Certified in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Doctor of the University of Macedonia). The film, attended by the students from the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades of Elementary School, all grades of Junior High School and the 10th grade of Senior High School, aims to portray the experiences of a child facing violence in the school environment. By exploring these experiences, the film seeks to promote the development of empathy and social skills that foster harmonious coexistence in the social environment.
- In addition, the Association for the Social Support of Youth (ARSIS) conducted experiential educational interventions on human rights and adolescent relationships. These activities covered a wide range of topics, helping young people and students understand and embrace the values of human rights, while encouraging them to advocate for their protection.
- At the end, students from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades engaged in a discussion with author Elena Artzanidou, inspired by her book Hands Up (Psichogios Publications). The students of the Daycare Center and Kindergarten watched a puppet theater performance and participated in visual arts activities and group games.
On Friday, October 11, 2024
- A film screening was organized by the Athens International Children’s Film Festival for students in the 5th and 6th grades of Elementary School, as well as students in the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades of Junior High School, and the 10th grade of Senior High School. Within the context of global cinema for children and adolescents, and under the guidance of Ms. Katia Papaspiliopoulou, Head of Educational Programs at the Athens International Children’s Film Festival, the students explored the underlying causes of violence, sought explanations for inexplicable reactions, and learned how to rebuild their emotional defenses. The films in the program skillfully illustrated how conflicts can be resolved without violence or toxicity and demonstrated ways to manage interpersonal relationships in a healthy, empathetic manner.
- A Film Education Workshop was held for 9th and 10th grade students and educators on school bullying and ways to address it. During the workshop, participants watched the film Whales Don’t Swim (2020, France, 22’) and took part in group experiential activities.
- A seminar for school educators, led by Katia Papaspiliopoulou, (Head of Educational Programs at the Athens International Children’s Film Festival), titled School Bullying: How Film Education Becomes a Tool for Addressing the Issue, was held. Educators watched the film Everybody Else is Taken (2017, New Zealand, 17’) and participated in an interactive presentation on methodology, including classroom simulations, group activities, role-playing, and connections to the national curriculum.
- Elementary school students participated in a poster competition on the topic of bullying, with their work displayed in an exhibition in the foyer of the Cultural and Sports Center.
The goal of this two-day educational event was to use art (cinema, literature, visual arts) and experiential activities to help students and educators address the social phenomenon of juvenile delinquency and school bullying. These issues, which have affected many countries across Europe and America for years, have recently taken on alarming proportions in our country over the past fifteen years.
Education, after all, is the best response to violence.
