Foix Castle: French & Spanish Students Collaborate on UNESCO Bid

A unique collaboration between students at Lycée Gabriel Fauré in France and their peers at La Seu d’Urgell in Spain is underway, focused on promoting the historical heritage of Foix, France, and its potential designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The project leverages language learning, international exchange, and creative content creation to highlight the cultural significance of the Château de Foix and surrounding monuments.

A Cross-Border Classroom

The initiative, spearheaded by Véronique Pascal, a history-geography teacher and head of the “euro” section at Lycée Gabriel Fauré, aims to support the candidacy of the Château de Foix for UNESCO recognition. Students are engaging in a bilingual effort, communicating in English to explore their respective heritage sites and shared history. The collaboration began with a virtual connection, quickly evolving into plans for in-person exchanges.

Did You Know? The project originated with a class at Lycée Gabriel Fauré, and a prompt response from a teacher at La Seu d’Urgell immediately established a partnership for student exchange.

An Advent Calendar Unveils History

To kickstart the partnership, the French students conceived of an Advent calendar dedicated to the Château de Foix. Throughout December, each day featured a new piece of content illuminating a specific detail, story, or architectural element of the castle. A guided tour of the château, conducted entirely in English, provided students with firsthand material for their contributions, with the guide facilitating photography for their projects.

Reciprocal Cultural Exchange

Simultaneously, the Spanish students developed their own project, creating videos focused on the Cathédrale Sainte-Marie d’Urgell. These videos were shared with their French counterparts in early December. The exchange quickly moved beyond academic assignments, with students adding personal audio and video messages to encourage continued correspondence, ultimately leading to a planned meeting.

Expert Insight: This project demonstrates a proactive approach to cultural preservation, utilizing student engagement and international collaboration to raise awareness of a site’s potential UNESCO designation. The emphasis on language skills and cross-cultural understanding adds a valuable dimension to the heritage promotion effort.

From Andorra to Foix: Building Connections

In January, the French students traveled to Andorra to meet their Spanish counterparts. The initial apprehension about speaking English quickly dissipated as they engaged in team-building activities, a joint heritage visit, and language exchange, assisting each other in both French and Spanish. Later, in February, the Spanish students visited Foix, attending a municipal presentation on the UNESCO project and touring the Château de Foix.

Student Ambassadors of Heritage

The final phase of the project involved the creation of educational stories focused on Foix’s heritage. These short, dynamic, and interactive pieces posed a question and then revealed the answer progressively. This required in-depth research, such as deciphering a letter from Henri IV and translating historical context into English for their Spanish colleagues.

The project appears to have fostered a renewed appreciation for their local environment among the students. As Jules noted, “Ce serait bien que le château soit inscrit à l’UNESCO. On le voit tous les jours sans se rendre compte de la chance qu’on a.” (“It would be good if the castle was registered as a UNESCO site. We see it every day without realising how lucky we are.”)

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the primary goal of the project?

The primary goal was to promote the candidacy of the Château de Foix and other monuments for UNESCO World Heritage status through a collaborative effort between French and Spanish students.

How did the students communicate with each other?

Students communicated primarily in English, both virtually through shared content and in person during meetings in Andorra and Foix. They also assisted each other in learning French and Spanish.

What types of creative projects did the students undertake?

Students created an Advent calendar focused on the Château de Foix, videos about the Cathédrale Sainte-Marie d’Urgell, and educational stories about Foix’s heritage.

As the Château de Foix continues its bid for UNESCO recognition, could this model of student-led, international collaboration become a template for other heritage sites seeking to engage younger generations in preservation efforts?