To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome - the birth of the EU - the European Commission has published a new booklet and established a web-site that highlight the importance of the practical results the European Union has brought.
'50 ways forward - Europe's best successes' contains 50 real examples, showing how people in Europe, and beyond, have benefited, and will continue to benefit, from the European Union. You will find a wide range of stories, from 'dot eu' to the euro, to how you can now travel more easily with your family pet. Recent successes share the space with enduring successes spanning Europe's first half century.
The web-site is online at Europa in 22 language versions at the address http://europa.eu/success50. You can browse freely and discover the stories in a colourful atmosphere similar to an art-gallery. The stories are written in a lively, friendly style, which assumes no prior knowledge about a particular subject, and are illustrated with pictures and video-clips. You are of course offered links to more information on the net about each story.
The booklet is a 50-page publication in a 22 x 16.5 cm format. One free copy per person can be ordered from the EU Bookshop. The layout of the booklet as well as the text in manuscript form for easier copying can also be found here.
Reproduction of the text for any other publication or purpose is authorised. Text and illustrations in the layout of the booklet or website may also be reproduced, but not the illustrations alone for use in a different context.
An educational quiz accompanies the '50 ways forward'. It consists of a 20-question multiple-choice quiz aimed at senior high school up to undergraduate students. Questions are drawn from the various coloured sections of the '50 ways forward' website. You can find it online (available in 22 language versions, change with the language menu of the page). The quiz is on a pdf-file, suitable for printing and handing out for completing on paper. The answers are on the last page, which can easily be removed.
The quiz has been tailor-made for classroom work. For example, teachers can set 30 minutes for the test and 30 minutes to collect the results and discuss the points. Access to a computer and internet while doing the test is helpful. Otherwise, set a homework assignment to study the site and announce that it will be tested in the next class. Alternatively, obtain copies of the booklet for students to use as a reference guide.