Welcome to our Webpage of Erasmus+ Project called: “ The many-facet personality of Ioannis Κapodistrias”
As teachers, we are always looking for new ways to increase our students motivation. Learning a foreign language enables students to relate to other cultures, expand their employment opportunities and sharpen skills in their own language. Many students, however, are not motivated to learn unless we succeed in teaching through creative, engaging experiences, with the direct involvement of the student. One of the best ways to get that is by means of an Erasmus plus association, in which the students can meet other students from all over the European countries.
The objective of this educational programme is to allow the educators and the students to follow the life of I. Κapodistrias, the first Governor of the modern Greek state, using a narrative starting from Capo d’Istria (today Koper, in Slovenia), from where his family originated, continuing with his childhood years in Corfu and ending with his assassination in Nafplion.
Ioannis Κapodistrias (Corfu, 1776 – Nafplion, 1831) was an exceptional person, having a extraordinary position not only in Greek history, but also in Russian and European history of the early 19th century.
Ioannis Κapodistrias was a scholar, a patriot, a European diplomat, a Greek politician.
He was of noble descent and his family had a tradition in politics. He was Foreign Minister in the Russian Empire and later he was appointed as the first Governor of Greece, during the traditional period while Greece was under the protection of the Great Powers.
As a Governor he took special measures regarding education. He created over a hundred schools, with about ten thousands students, during his short period of government – only three years – and took care for the foundation of agricultural schools and the development of public health care.
The partners are going to learn about the important personality of Ioannis Κapodistrias following the logic of solving a puzzle.
The first puzzle piece is going to be filled by the students of Koper, Slovenia, who are going to visit the I. Κapodistrias’ statue, in the main square of their city, and they will have the opportunity to search the roots of this Byzantine family, back in time.
The second puzzle piece is going to be filled by students from Corfu, Greece, where I. Κapodistrias was born and raised, inside a purely patriarchic family, following a strong religious education. Starting from the Κapodistrias’ Mansion (the family’s winter house), the Κapodistrias’ Museum (the family’s summer house) and Κapodistrias’ tomb, in the Holy Monastery of Platytera, the students are going to search for information regarding Κapodistrias’ childhood and young age, his education and his relation to the Greek-orthodox religion through Monk Symeon in the Monastery of Platytera. Subsequently, starting from the Latin (Romeo-catholic) church of Holy Mary of Tenedos, where the first public school, founded by Κapodistrias, as well as the newly founded Ionian Academy were active, the students will research Κapodistrias’ work as educational inspector of the Ionian States (1803-1806).
Subsequently, the students from Bucharest will fill the third puzzle piece, following I. Κapodistrias visit to their town, starting May 20th, 1812, and stayed there for three months as chief and director of Admiral Tsitsagkoff’s Diplomatic section’s Secretariat. His stay in Bucharest made Κapodistrias come in touch with the Ottoman Diplomacy.
The Ettal students will fill the puzzle with the piece regarding the actions Κapodistrias did in favor of solving the Greek question, while being the Foreign Minister of the Russian Empire, as well as his philhellenic actions, that were obvious in 1825 in Bavaria. This philhellenic movement, which was active throughout Europe, was in part secretly ignited by Κapodistrias and had a positive effect to Greek Revolution.
The puzzle is finished with Κapodistrias’ work as the first Governor of the newly founded Greek state in its capital Nafplion. The students will search his presence in the buildings of this era (Κapodistrias’ Governor’s Building, “Central War School of Evelpis”, National Hospital). We believe that the students who are going to participate, from all the partner schools will take a journey having as goal to learn more about the multi-facet personality of this “Saint of politics”. In addition in this journey they will be able to make new friendships and exchange views on the historical period under study.
Also, though solving this puzzle, the partner students will learn to cooperate with their peers from different countries, having different cultures and even a different view of the world. In this way, they are going to proceed in their effort of becoming active European citizens, citizens of a globalised new world, that is changing constantly and is full of challenges.
Coordinator : Regional Directorate of Primary and Secondary Education of the Ionian Islands
Partner schools :
- 1st Gimnasium of Corfu, Greece
- Osnova sola Koper, Slovenia
- Benediktinergymnasium Ettal, Germany
- Scoala Gimnaziala nr 195 Bucuresti, Romania
- 1st Junior Highschool of Nafplio, Greece
Project start date: 01-09-2018
Project end date: 31-08-2020