Intercultural Education. An Important Learning Process in A Global and Democratic Society

Edi Puka
European University of Tirana

Abstract

The multiculturality aspect within the classroom does not only affect students, but also instructors. Due to this factor, it becomes necessary for instructors to be able to handle the diversity issue in order to be able to approach the topic properly and effectively when teaching their students (Niculescu & Bazgan, 2017). In this paper, we propose analyzing theoretical aspects of intercultural education in Albanian schools. The intercultural education project in Albanian schools needs the proper training for teachers to be aware of their own role in this process. In 2016, the first steps were taken in Albania to train teachers in integrating cross-cultural and interreligious understanding education issues into the 6th and 10th grade citizenship curricula education on intercultural and interfaith understanding. This project emphasized key concepts related to intercultural and interreligious education as well as those related to the work of teacher and school to provide a safe environment for civic education in general, and intercultural and interreligious education in particular. We suggest that the Albanian school system needs to change its educational paradigms. The integration of Albania in a multicultural European and global society can be academically supported by infusing the intercultural education in primary and secondary education curricula.

Presentation