CULTURAL HERITAGE

On the initiative of the Polish Section of CIOFF®, an original program was developedDr. Joanna Angiel and Ewa Repsch, MA"Regional education - cultural heritage in the region".

Education of the young generation of Poles in the field of cultural heritage, transferring national traditions to children and young people in their most faithful form and nurturing, cultivating and developing these traditions is one of the main goals of the Polish CIOFF® Section, as well as other National Sections in other countries of the world that are members of CIOFF®. The implementation of this goal has largely become a bridge connecting the activities of the Polish Section of CIOFF® with the tasks set for the reformed school in the field of regional education.

Many teachers and educators have long perceived regionalism as an excellent ally in didactic, educational and cultural work. By enlivening the activity of the closest environment, this movement meets the basic principles of teaching, i.e. the principle of visualization and grading of difficulties.

The undoubted merit of the school is the conviction that monuments such as castles, palaces, historic churches, or great works of literature, fine arts and music are already well-established in the public consciousness.

It is different with the heritage of traditional culture. The knowledge that folk dialect, old customs and rituals, dance, music, songs and tales, buildings, equipment, clothes are the heritage of the past, and the natural and social environment is an important element of learning about it, still not sufficiently understood by both authors and followers of this culture, as well as the general public. The further erosion of traditional culture poses a threat to the national culture. The deprivation of traditional sources of culture would condemn Poland to the dominant inter-ethnic influences and, consequently, to the disappearance of the national identity.

We hope that this program can be a significant help in equipping the young generation with a certain quantum of knowledge about the cultural tradition of their own region - a small homeland, country, and finally the world, but also in developing and transforming spontaneous cognitive motivation, into the motivation of conscious systematic action, awakening the ability to creative and artistic possibilities as well as sensitivity to other people. After all, the main source of knowledge are personal experiences gained in the course of cognitive and creative activity of a child.

Thus, the task of education should also be to restore the cultural heritage in the region as a living inspiration for creative activities, necessary to find and maintain one's identity.

The scope and variety of issues related to the introduction of regional education - cultural heritage, many different age levels and the perception of a child, a multitude of subjects in which the tasks of the program can and should be taken into account, make it difficult for the school organization, financial and personnel to cope with the independent implementation of goals. Therefore, it is even more reasonable to use all possibilities of its cooperation with institutions and non-school organizations.

Here, too, we see a place for the Polish CIOFF® Section with its offer to use its potential to support the school in the implementation of the program. And this is a considerable potential: the Folklore Experts Council gathering the most outstanding specialists in this field in the country, cultural centers and centers, folklore groups with their instructors, folk artists - we put their knowledge and experience, enthusiasm and willingness to cooperate at your disposal.

Recognizing the "Cultural Heritage in the Region" as a fundamental program document for the education of the young generation in the spirit of the most important values of our national traditions and identifying with the objectives of the core curriculum in this regard of the reformed school, the Polish Section of CIOFF® will do everything in its power to these should be implemented and assist the school in implementing their provisions.

 

Program"Regional education - cultural heritage in the region"approved for school use by the decision of the Minister of National Education DKW - 4014-69 / 99 of March 15, 1999, is available at the "Nowa Era" Publishing House, Aleje Jerozolimskie 146 D, 02-305 Warsaw, tel: (22) -5702580, _cc781905 -5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_www.nowaera.pl