Introduction

Europe has a diverse cultural and religious heritage. Discovering the pluralism contained in this past can provide a valuable tool for educators as they seek to create more inclusive classrooms in the present. The 2005 Council of Europe ‘Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society’ (Faro Convention) saw a role for teachers, outreach workers and educators, when it stated that in order for ‘cultural heritage’ to serve ‘as a resource to facilitate peaceful co-existence by promoting trust and mutual understanding with a view to resolution and prevention of conflicts’ it has to be integrated ‘into all aspects of lifelong education and training’.

Yet, exploring different histories in the classroom can be difficult. Despite good intentions, discriminatory attitudes and cultural shocks in the classroom frequently have a negative impact on the learning environment, not just for the person affected, but for the entire group. When teachers and trainers find themselves without tools to address these behaviours and situations (which may often be very subtle), they often simply let them pass. Sometimes, it is the teachers or trainers who feel uncomfortable with minority learners. Sometimes, minority teachers or trainers themselves may struggle with discriminatory attitudes of learners. Either way, the trainer has a responsibility to find the resources to assure an inclusive learning environment for all participants, as well as providing critical learning opportunities for the class.

To respond to these needs, we undertook the project REBELAH – Religion, beliefs and laicity in cultural heritage to foster social inclusion in adult trainings. This was a two-year Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership involving six organizations in four countries: the Storytelling Centre (NL); the University of Groningen (NL); the Elan Interculturel (FR); Kepes (HU); the Ibn Battuta Foundation (SP); and La Xixa Teatre (SP), which was project coordinator. As a result of the project, we created a toolkit for creative and inclusive heritage education, consisting of this handbook and an accompanying activity book.

Because of its participation in the Erasmus+ Adult Education Program, the first version of this handbook was originally designed for adult trainers in all fields to teach themselves or other adult trainers. However, due to the success of the initial online version of the handbook, we decided to edit it and work with the University of Groningen Press to create this current edition, which is aimed at a broader group of potential users: from teachers to heritage activists, community leaders, local minorities, policymakers, researchers, university students of heritage and staff from heritage organizations. Teachers working with children and youth can adapt versions of the texts and activities of this handbook for younger learners.

Several of the partners of REBELAH have extended their collaboration in another Erasmus+ project designed to focus on the issue of minority heritage called: MIRETAGE European Pathways to Minority Religious Heritage. Drawing on this ongoing project, we have added new material to this handbook, including more reflection on the need to bring minority communities into the heritage-making process through creative education.

The overall aim of this handbook, Creative and Inclusive Heritage Education, and its accompanying activity book is to provide teachers with the necessary theoretical tools and practical exercises to foster a more inclusive teaching practice using heritage as a vehicle for self-awareness, collective meaning-making and conflict resolution in the learning space. By helping educators to identify and counter exclusionary narratives, by stimulating their interest in their own histories and those of their students, and by engaging in creative heritage work, the handbook and the activity book allow educators to make the best of the social and educational value of heritage.

The handbook acquaints trainers with various methods and heritage concepts, histories, contexts and practices through a set of theoretical introductions to relevant topics. These are presented in thirteen modules divided into four thematic sections related to the construction of heritage, heritage communities, cultural dynamics and inclusive heritage. Each module contains a theoretical introduction and a practical exercise related to the content proposed in the text. Because the handbook requires advanced language skills, it may not be accessible to all teachers or learners.

The handbook goes hand in hand with a second set of resources that is also available open access in the activity book. The activity book contains:

• Twenty-nine activities for ice-breaking, teambuilding and intercultural empowerment for educators to use in the classroom, including a set of introductory readings to contextualize the activities, as well as self-reflection, and teaching tips. Some activities contain worksheets and instructions that are more easily adaptable to readers who are still learning the respective language.
• A heritage map offers an overview of 24 heritage elements from Spain, the Netherlands, France and Hungary, which are presented following a logic of: a) collective appropriation; b) critical understanding of history; c) questioning of expert roles in heritage; d) understanding of European culture as both contextual and relational within global interactions.

Although aimed at educators, we hope that students, heritage professionals and other people interested in either heritage in general or inclusive heritage in particular will profitably explore the contents of the following pages. We are convinced that creative methodologies bring new insights into the ways heritage can foster social inclusion in education.

Whoever you are, and whatever your connection to heritage is, we hope you find the reading of this text and experimenting with the activities as enriching a journey as it was for us when putting it together.