The Citizenship Tower

Aims of the tool

- Understand the 4 aspects of citizenship and their impact on a society
- Reflect on which aspects of citizenship are stronger in their country
- Reflect on difference in citizenship between EU and nation states

Description of the tool

BUILDING A TOWER EXERCISE
The participants are divided in 4 groups. Each group will be facilitated and they need to build a tower
- you build a tower 1,5 m tall
- must be strong and stable
- cannot be attached to anything or anyone (free standing)
- only materials that are given

Each group lacks some of the basic principals to have a coherent citizenship. Participants have 20 min to build the construction

1 Doesn´t have enough recourses (not enough building materials)
2. Doesn´t have political rights (they are run like a dictatorship by facilitator)
3. Doesn´t have social rights (they cannot talk with each other)
4. Doesn´t have a common culture (each has different culture)
a. focus on beauty and not construction and cannot touch scissors
(don´t share this with the other people from your group)
b. focus on construction and not beauty and cannot touch glue
(don´t share this with the other people from your group)
c. focus on cooperation and not building and cannot touch paper
(don´t share this with the other people from your group)
After building we check
- blow (hurricane)
- hit (earthquake)

DEBRIEFING
Participants meet in plenary. The following questions could be asked
- how was the experience (go over the 4 groups)
- what was missing in the groups to make it successful or more successful?

-> we come to 4 aspects of citizenship (economical, social, cultural & political) - or we provide 4 options -> which one fits with your group
- How are these 4 aspects linked with citizenship?
- Of what can you be a citizen?

CITIZENSHIP BICYCLE
Participants individually receive a bike with 2 wheels divided in 4 parts (according to 4 aspects of citizenship (see attachment). Participants then color each aspect of the circle as they feel it is present. First they do it for their country and after for the EU.

DEBRIEFING
In plenary we reflect on what are the parts that are colored more and which ones are colored less and we compare the national with the European circle.