Memorandum of Understanding

Berlin – Windhoek – school partnerships

Memorandum of Understanding agreed upon by Berlin and Windhoek partner schools

and their facilitators

The twinning of the towns of Windhoek and Berlin was established in 2000. As an element of the twinning, a school programme was developed by the Centre for Global Education, EPIZ Berlin and has started in Windhoek and Berlin in 2008 the initiating of which was supported by the Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID) and p.art.ners berlin-windhoek gGmbH.

For the Berlin schools, the Centre for Global Education EPIZ facilitates the project closely cooperating with the City of Berlin and the Embassy of Namibia. The facilitators of the Windhoek schools rooted in the Khomas Regional Education Directorate / Ministry of Education closely cooperate with the City of Windhoek.

Principals and teachers from Berlin and Windhoek schools, representatives of the Khomas Regional Education Directorate / Ministry of Education Namibia and the members of staff of the Centre of Global Education EPIZ in Berlin met from 21 August until 4 September 2009 in Berlin.

Preamble

We are all citizens of one world in which we can really learn from each other. In a globalised world we deem it necessary for everyone to acquire knowledge, find a position and act accordingly.

We Namibians and Germans live and act in a defined historical context that was shaped by former colonialism, then Namibia’s independence and the re-unification of Germany.

We live and act in global structures that are still characterized by inequality and struggle over resources and struggle for political power.

We, the participating schools in Windhoek and Berlin, the respective school networks and the facilitators of the programme in Windhoek and Berlin agree on the following:

-         To build up and sustain school partnerships between schools in Windhoek and Berlin, in order to carry an international perspective towards all subjects in our curricula and syllabi for enabling our learners to:

·        develop a better understanding of the world they live in

·        examine their values and attitudes

·        promote communication skills by training in foreign languages

·        develop the skills to combat prejudices and discrimination e. g. xenophobia, racism

·        take over active roles as global citizens

·        encourage cultural, social and economic understanding and build up friendships.

We are aware of the social and cultural differences between the participants of the programme. We see these differences and diversities as our treasures and as the basis of our common work in a global context. We will identify and work on common themes from different perspectives leading us to consider and reconsider our own expectations as well as those of our partners. We will work for mutual understanding and tolerance. Common themes will be identified in the various fields of study, as well as other intra- and extramural activities.

Our approach is based on friendship, honesty, and equality. The participants work towards mutual benefit. We are open and willing to understand and appreciate each other's differences and needs.

Our communication is open and transparent. We emphasise the creation of constant personal contact through the use of different means of communication, especially the internet platform moodle, and through the exchange of learners, teachers, principals, and other agencies relevant to the partnership.

In order to build sustainable and strong school partnerships, we are in the process of developing networks on both sides – in Windhoek and Berlin.

Signed in Berlin on 2 September, 2009

 Das unterschriebene Memorandum of Understanding findet sich für neugierige Besucher und Interessierte hier.