During the last week of school before the winter holidays, this year’s Berlin UNESCO Student Seminar took place at various UNESCO Project Schools in Berlin with students from Years 10 and 11. Over the course of the week, the group addressed topics such as hostility towards queer people and anti-feminism in social media, as well as other political challenges of our time. At the end of the week, the students designed stickers with messages for civil society in order to draw attention to social injustices. The Nelson Mandela School was also one of the venues hosting the seminar.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026: Nationalism Is Not Worth It!
Project Day with the Network for Democracy and Courage
at the Nelson Mandela School
On the second day of the UNESCO project week, we focused on the topic “Nationalism Is Not Worth It!” At the beginning, we reflected on what democratic values mean to us personally and jointly developed rules for better cooperation and mutual respect. We then learned about various ethnically nationalist worldviews, key actors, and their strategies, and discussed how such ways of thinking can be recognised in everyday life and what dangers they pose.
After a shared lunch break, a film highlighted the experiences of violence faced by people who do not fit into this worldview. In the following discussion and in practical exercises on how to respond to discriminatory or extremist statements, it became clear how important civil courage and active engagement are. The day concluded with a cooperative game in which we collected ideas for a good life and experienced the strength of working together.
Overall, it was a very successful and intensive project day that encouraged reflection and empowered participants to stand up for solidarity and respectful coexistence.