Best Paper
FRI-1.219-SSS-PP-04
EDUCATING FOR BELONGING: MULTILINGUALISM, DIVERSITY AND EUROPEAN VALUES
Abstract
This paper examines the role of education in fostering a sense of belonging among children growing up in multilingual and culturally diverse environments, in the context of European values. Based on an interdisciplinary approach-encompassing psychological, pedagogical, and socio-political perspectives-the study analyzes the processes through which bilingual and multilingual children develop both national and European identities. The paper highlights three key components: multilingualism as a resource for cognitive and cultural development; cultural diversity as both a challenge and an opportunity for social integration; and European values as the foundation for civic education. Through the analysis of practices from Bulgaria and other European contexts, the paper proposes concrete pedagogical strategies and examples of inclusive education. It emphasizes the role of the teacher as a mediator in the process of educating for belonging, as well as the importance of intercultural sensitivity and dialogical environments in schools. The study concludes that educating for belonging is a fundamental element of contemporary education and a key to building open, democratic, and tolerant societies in the spirit of a united Europe.
Keywords
bilingualism, European values, national identity, intercultural education, inclusion
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