We consider the protection of human rights and the promotion of democratic values to be of paramount importance in our educational work. We also believe it is important for children to experience both the opportunity to make choices and decisions, and the responsibility that comes with them.

Gaining an understanding of these areas is crucial, as it ensures that future generations understand and respect the fundamental principles that underpin a free and just society. 

Respect for human rights – such as equality, dignity, freedom and justice – represents fundamental values that are essential to every human being. If children learn about these rights and their significance, they are more likely to become adults who support and defend these principles in society. Furthermore, learning about the values of democracy gives them the opportunity to understand the role of the community, the decision-making process, and the importance of their own voice.

If children are introduced to these fundamental principles at a young age, they will also learn empathy, respect and responsibility. In this way, they can help create a world in which diversity of opinion is respected and where conflicts are resolved in a peaceful and constructive manner. In this way, education on human rights and democracy helps to ensure that the societies of the future are more inclusive, fairer and more stable.

These values are taught at the Experience Centre using project-based learning methods.
Project-based learning is an educational approach that organises learning around real-life, complex projects. It enables children to link different areas of knowledge and tackle problems similar to those they encounter in real life. Projects are often carried out in teams, so that children learn how to work together, how to share tasks, and how to solve problems that arise as a group. This process develops their communication and collaboration skills.

 During the projects, participants often have to gather information, carry out research, analyse it and find creative solutions themselves. In doing so, they also develop their independent learning skills and learn how to find reliable sources and evaluate them critically. The method also helps them to link together what they have learnt in different subjects. It encourages participants to come up with their own ideas and devise creative solutions. This boosts their self-confidence, as they are able to put their own ideas into practice.

Project-based learning puts theoretical knowledge into practice, which is particularly important in modern education. Participants are not merely passive recipients of information, but actively engage in acquiring and applying knowledge. This method prepares them for real life, as they learn how to apply their knowledge in various situations, how to work in a team, and how to think creatively.

At Élmény Tár, we usually run multi-day projects during school holidays. Each time, we decide together on the theme around which to organise these sessions, and then we develop a narrative structure for the learning process. We always choose some form of community, living environment or institutional setting (e.g. a town, village, university or company) as the setting for the learning and bring it to life through various playful activities.