From the very first moment a child is born, he/she starts to memorize surroundings, sounds, smells, tastes. The first box of memory starts to be filled. Over the years, the process of memorizing keeps going on.  You collect more and more pieces of memory which you sort and classify unconsciously into compartments of your mind.  Lots of memories are bound to specific situations associated to feelings and sensory perception.  Who does not remember the smell of a certain flower, meal, house, of the earth in different seasons? Don´t we always remember our mother´s voice, the sound of a door, a step? Hasn´t each of us got a full box of pictures with colourful landscapes, sights or events in his mind?
Next to the sensory memory we all carry in us the memory of History – especially when History caused essential changes in our life, e.g. the fall of the Berlin wall.
And we have boxes with cultural memories that should survive, have to be kept for future generations, essential cultural memories of traditions, arts, knowhow and values.
When comparing these memory boxes, what similarities and differences do we discover in the heritage of memories in Europe?  Does a snowy landscape have the same meaning for a Spaniard as for a Finn? What kind of bells is more present in the memory of an Italian or a Bulgarian? Church bells, cow bells?
The project group increased the learners´ awareness for their own different boxes of memories, invited them to collect and select their “favourite” ones, to share them in classes and during meetings. 
Learners improved communication, cultural and language skills and increased tolerance towards European diversity and minorities.
 “Memory Boxes” contributed to an invaluable personal and professional development of learners and tutors.


This project was funded with support from the European Commission. The content reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
European Commission
European Commission

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Coordinationg Institution

Volkshochschule Olching e.V.

vhs.sajons@gmx.eu


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