by Patricia Cîrtog | 28 Apr 2023 | Climate champion profile, Contests, Europe, Writing's on the Wall, Youth Voices
Florin Stoican tirelessly worked to create Romania’s first citizen-led national park in a country that’s home to 65% of Europe’s virgin forests. Florin Stoican. Courtesy of Florin Stoican. This article, by author Patricia Cîrtog, was the Gold Prize...
by Alexander Nicoll | 18 Apr 2023 | Economy, Educators' Catalog, Europe, Nationalism
Brexit gave the British people independence from Europe. But can the value of national sovereignty be quantified and is it worth more than economic stability? A line of trucks wait at Dover to cross the British Channel into Europe post-Brexit in December 2020. AP...
ND correspondent Alexander Nicoll dives into the post-Brexit world in this article, assessing the balancing act between national sovereignty and strong economic growth. He gets into the past, present and future Britain faces as it navigates its independence from the European Union.
Exercise: In an exercise to teach students synthesis skills, have students create a political cartoon illustrating the central tension in this article — the balance between national sovereignty and economic growth in Britain post-Brexit. How students choose to portray this tension is up to them, but they should consider including: a meaningful caption, public figures, symbols, dialogue, etc. It may be worthwhile to show the class examples of successful political cartoons to inspire ideas.
by Elaine Monaghan | 7 Apr 2023 | Decoders, Europe, Journalism
Both sides of the Irish border mark a quarter century since the Good Friday Agreement. But can a divide that lasted generations be permanently bridged? Royal Ulster Constabulary Police officers stand on Market Street, the scene of a car bombing in the centre of Omagh,...
by Clover Choi | 4 Apr 2023 | Contest winners, Europe, School Year Abroad, Student Posts
France has spent hundreds of millions to help refugees with housing, schooling and jobs. But for those who aren’t fluent in French, life remains difficult. The Eiffel Tower is illuminated with the colors of Ukraine to mark the one-year anniversary of...
by Joyce Yang | 17 Mar 2023 | Europe, Personal Reflections
Think of Paris and your mind brings up the scent of fresh baked baguettes, not the reek of rubbish on the Rue de Rivoli. Trash accumulates meters away from the Notre Dame Church in Paris, 16 March 2023. Typically, my morning commute to the News Decoder co-working...
by Clover Choi | 10 Feb 2023 | Economy, Europe, School Year Abroad, Student Posts, Youth Voices
The Ukraine war has caused energy prices to skyrocket across Europe. In France, if costs don’t decrease soon, some bakers might have to say adieu! Baguettes in a boulangerie in Rennes, France. Credit: Clover Choi This article, by high school student Clover...
by Alistair Lyon | 22 Jan 2023 | Europe
One correspondent’s quest to procure French nationality and the maroon and gold passport that proclaims one a citizen of Europe. A French passport. (Getty Images Signature) It requires stamina and determination to become French. It took me three years to thread...
by Tom Heneghan | 19 Jan 2023 | Europe, Nationalism, Religion, Ukraine
Orthodox Christians find themselves in a tug of war in Ukraine. When you celebrate Christmas is political and the language of prayer belies national loyalties. Clerics conduct a service in St.Volodymyr Cathedral on Orthodox Christmas eve in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan....
by Asher Lefkoff | 7 Dec 2022 | Culture, Education, Europe, Personal Reflections, School Year Abroad, Student Posts, Youth Voices
It’s the serenity and commotion that I love about Spain. I must seize the day because I will never again be 17 running around a Spanish city I love. Zaragoza (Photo by Asher Lefkoff) This article, by high school student Asher Lefkoff, was produced out of News...
by Barry Moody | 16 Nov 2022 | Educators' Catalog, Europe, Government, Politics
Britain’s Conservative Party won a landslide in 2019. Now the Tories and their elite are the butt of jokes overseas as polls point to possible humiliation. 10 Downing Street, the official residence and office of the British Prime Minister, in London, 20 October...
Politics can seem boring to some young people. But in Britain it is anything but. Correspondent Barry Moody takes us through the musical chairs of British prime ministers and shows how political divisions inside the British government over Brexit, taxes and the economy could lead to a breakup of the United Kingdom.
Exercise: Create teams of five. Each team should choose one member to be prime minister. The other four students should each take on the roles of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They should each do some basic research on their region’s current relationship with the British government. The student who is the prime minister will research and consider the importance of having these countries united into one government. Together they will create a poster that explains the individual identities of the four countries and how they benefit or are disadvantaged by their subordination to a united government.