Speak&Act: Public Speaking for Global Citizenship

The consortium applied for the Speak&Act project to respond to two specific needs: from students, the desire to strengthen their Public Speaking (PS) skills; from schools and teachers, the need to integrate Citizenship Education into the curriculum through innovative and transdisciplinary methods. Students expressed a strong interest in developing their ability to speak in public as a way to increase their self-esteem, confidence, and active participation in society. Teachers, on the other hand, needed concrete tools and strategies to turn Citizenship Education into a practical and engaging experience for students by promoting participation, argumentation, and debate. The project aims to bridge these needs by using PS both as a skill and as a method to foster democratic awareness and civic engagement. In line with EU and national recommendations, Speak&Act promotes collaboration among teachers, active learning, and new forms of student assessment, addressing the current gap in tools and practices for effective Citizenship Education in schools.

The Speak&Act project aimed to empower students by developing their personal, social and citizenship competences, fostering active participation in democratic life and encouraging engagement at local and European levels. One of the main goals was to create a shared educational space where students could explore common values and roots, reflect on their differences, and learn to appreciate diverse social and historical perspectives. Public Speaking was identified as both a key competence and a powerful tool to help students express themselves, influence their communities, and grow as active citizens. At the same time, the project sought to support teachers in designing and implementing innovative, cross-curricular learning scenarios that integrate citizenship education and public speaking. Through transnational exchanges, national training, and collaborative content development, the project promoted professional growth, cross-border cooperation, and the exchange of best practices. It also encouraged stronger connections between schools and civil society, enhancing the capacity of local communities to support inclusive and participatory education.

The Speak&Act project implemented a wide range of interconnected activities aimed at fostering Public Speaking (PS) as a cross-curricular tool for Citizenship Education. First, partners carried out a joint analysis of existing curricula and developed shared training modules for teachers, who were trained both at transnational and national levels. Students took part in online peer-learning sessions and were involved in Co-Design Labs where they collaborated with teachers to create innovative Learning Scenarios integrating PS and civic competences. These scenarios were tested in schools across partner countries, engaging hundreds of students. To promote student participation, the project also organized national and international PS competitions, using non-formal methods to stimulate engagement and communication skills. A virtual transnational mobility supported peer exchange between schools. The final phase included impact assessment activities, the development of user-friendly guidelines, and dissemination events at both local and European levels, including a study visit in Brussels focused on EU democracy.

PR1 - Training Curriculum on Citizenship Education, PR2 - Guidelines to Co-Design Labs and Learning Scenarios and examples from the 4 countries related to CE and PS techniques (debate, TedTalk, podcast), PR3 - Impact Assessment Report in 5 languages.