30 Mar

Final Dissemination Event of the IERS Project on Saturday, April the 2nd in Turin, Italy

The IERS Project has collaborated with Italian Universities, Centers for the study on secularism, Foundations and Associations in order to organize a international conference entitled “The teaching of History of Religions and History of Free Though in Public School“, that will act as the final Dissemination Event of the IERS Project. In fact, six speakers will come from the IERS Project Team. These persons are:

  • Massimo Raveri, Professor of Religions and East Asian philosophies at the University Ca ‘Foscari of Venice – Head of IERS Project
  • Giovanni Lapis, Fellow Researcher Religions and East Asian philosophies at the University Ca ‘Foscari of Venice – IERS Project Manager
  • Tim Jensen, president of the International Association for the History of Religions – IERS Project Researcher
  • Isabelle Saint-Martin, director of the Institut européen en sciences des religions of the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris – IERS Project Researcher
  • Daniel Marcuglia, Teacher of History and Philosophy and Catholic Religion at “A. Canova” High School in Treviso – IERS Project Piloting Teacher
  • Antonio M. Seoane Pardo, Teacher of History and Philosophy at “IES Campo Charro” High School in La Fuente de San Esteban (Spain) – – IERS Project Piloting Teacher

Here a detailed programme of the event:

DATE: Saturday, April the 2nd

VENUE: Circolo dei Lettori, Large Hall, Via Bogino 9, Turin (Italy)

Academic session:   10.00 a.m – 1.30 p.m  

(Languages: Italian, English, French. Simultaneous translation IT>ENG, FR>ENG available)

Chair: Gian Enrico Rusconi, president of Centro Calamandrei, professor emeritus of the University of Turin

Opening Speech: Tullio Monti, director of the Centro Calamandrei

Speeches:

  • Mariachiara Giorda, professor of History of Religions at the University of Bologna, Centro Calamandrei: “The link between secularism and history of religion and free thought: the Italian experiences and our proposals”.
  • Giovanni Filoramo, Professor of History of Christianity at the University of Turin: “Towards a scientific study of religions in school”.
  • Silvana Ronco, president of the Association “XXXI Ottobre “: The need for teaching ‘history of religion and free thought’ in Italy”.
  • Alessandro Saggioro, professor of History of Religions at La Sapienza University of Rome: “The Toledo Principles”.
  • Manlio Graziano, professor of geopolitics at the University of Paris Sorbonne and Geopolitics of religions at the American Graduate School for International Relations and Diplomacy in Paris, “The usefulness of the historical and scientific study of religion as an antidote to religious fundamentalism”.
  • Tim Jensen, president of the International Association for the History of Religions: “The European experiences and the IERS Project”.
  • Francesca Cadeddu, researcher at the’ Fondazione per le scienze religiose Giovanni XXIII’:” Religious Illiteracy: European strategies and North Atlantic Fascinations”.
  • Massimo Raveri, professor of Religion and East Asian philosophy at the University Ca ‘Foscari of Venice – Head of IERS Project and Isabelle Saint-Martin, director of the Institut européen en sciences des religions of the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris: “The IERS Project”.

Session on the Italian experiences: 2.30 – 5.00 p.m.

(Languages: Italian)

Chair: Giovanni Lapis, IERS Project Manager and Beatrice Nuti, association UVA – Universolaltro

Youth associations of religious movements:

  • Silvia Facchinetti, spokesman for the Evangelical Youth Federation Italian
  • Sara Briniche, Islamic Association of the Alps
  • Union of Young Italian Jews
  • Guido Campanini, Ecclesial Movement for Cultural Commitment
  • School Labor Unions:
  • Igor Piotto, regional secretary FLC-CGIL
  • Cosimo Scarinzi, provincial secretary CUB School

Professional associations of teachers:

  • Marco Chiauzza, FNISM national vice-president
  • Grazia Dalla Valle, Secretary of Turin CIDI
  • Cinzia Mion, trainer of MCE

Parents’ Association:

  • Angela Nava, national president of CGD

Forum of Religions in Milan:

  • Giuseppe Plato, pastor of the Waldensian Church of Milan

IERS Project teachers:

  • Daniel Marcuglia
  • Antonio M. Seoane Pardo

Law & politics session: 5.00 – 7.30

(Languages: Italian)

Chair: Mariachiara Giorda, professor of History of Religions at the University of Bologna, Centro Calamandrei

  • Umberto D’Ottavio, Italian Republic’s Deputy (PD), former council member for Education of the Province of Turin
  • Alberto Melloni, Professor of History of Christianity at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and coordinator of the Commission on pluralism, freedom and the study of religious studies at school (COPLES) at the Italian Ministry of University, Research and Education
  • Davide Mattiello, Italian Republic’s Deputy (PD)
  • Silvia Chimienti, Italian Republic’s Deputy (Movimento 5 stelle)
  • Marco Grimaldi, Regional counselor of Piedmont (SEL)
  • Roberto Mazzola, professor of ecclesiastical law and canon law at the Università del Piemonte Orientale

Flyer available for download (in Italian)

29 Oct

Paris: meeting report

IERS_Team_Paris

The IERS “Intercultural  Education through Religious Studies” Project’s Partners attended the three-days Meeting in Paris, from 21 to 23 October, hosted by Prof. Isabelle Saint-Martin at the Institut européen en sciences des religions, part of the École pratique des hautes études.

The aim of the meeting was to assess the core actions of the Project, such as the Digital Modules productions, the Baseline Study creation and the Teachers’ Support Activities.  In particular the discussion concerning the Digital Modules production fostered an exchange of views between the associated schools’ teachers who also attended the Meeting.

The outcomes of the Meeting were an improved awareness of the next steps to be followed in order to provide further synergy between universities and schools and in order to deliver the final version of the Project products, such as Digital Modules and Baseline Study, by the end of the year 2014.

The Meeting was characterized by a smooth and friendly atmosphere that further enlightened the value of fruitful cooperation among European partners.

21 Oct

Paris meeting

Starting today, the Institut européen en sciences des religions of the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes hosts a three‐day meeting (October 21-24, 2014) to work with the European project partners in presence in Paris for assessing  one year of IERS project activities and plan together the next steps.

During the meeting the international consortium will focus on the following main issues:

  • Conclusion of the baseline study  which  analyze of the state of the art of both National and European approaches regarding religious education and their relations with the studies of religions.
  • Assessment  and discussing of the Digital Modules’ contents & design, as well as the Digital Modules Piloting Plan, in particular with teachers from partner schools.

Participants from the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, the University of Salamanca, the University of Augsburg, Oxfam Italia Intercultura, and University of Southern Denmark, together with teachers of partner schools from each country, are attending the event.

06 Jan

7 Jan. Intercultural education through religious studies: IERS project kick‐off meeting

Starting today, the Dipartimento di studi sull’Asia e sull’Africa Mediterranea of the Università Ca’ Foscari hosts a three‐day meeting (January 7-9, 2014) to work with the European project partners in presence in Venice for launching the IERS project activities.

During the meeting the transnational teams and the working methods will be defined in order to approach the first main issues:

  • to provide an analysis of the state of the art of both National and European approaches regarding religious education and their relations with religious studies in European educational systems;
  • to select several topics covering crosscutting issues of different religions to be developed in digital modules for learning purposes.

Participants from the Institut Européen en Sciences des Religions, the University of Salamanca, the University of Augsburg, Oxfam Italia Intercultura, and University of Southern Denmark are attending the event.