Handbook on values for life in a democracy

The Council of Europe project "Cultural identities, shared values and citizenship" (2006-2008) was launched after the Organisation's 3rd Summit (Warsaw, 2005). It was based on the premise that an awareness and appreciation of Europe's rich diversity of cultures and heritages and how they have interacted with each other over time are essential preconditions for mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, intercultural dialogue, a shared attachment to common values and an emerging European cultural citizenship.

One of the outcomes of the project was the Handbook on values for life in a democracy which is structured around a series of key questions to promote discussion among young people about universal human rights and the implementation of core European values.

This book encourages the reader to apply these values to a variety of issues. The case studies it presents and the discussion cards are designed to promote an approach to discussion where each participant can:

• develop his or her own point of view in relation to others;
• think about clashes of values and human rights and how they might be resolved in fair, balanced, proportionate and peaceful ways;
• empathise with others' points of views (even if not agreeing with them);
• engage in dialogue over disputed issues rather than in monologues based solely on his or her own point of view or cultural perspective;
• set particular issues and debates into a wider historical, cultural and global context.

These core "procedural" values need to be practised and upheld not only in the law courts but in our everyday dealings with each other. Otherwise they become meaningless and we will cease to have any real sense of commitment to them. Just as we learn skills by practising them, so we acquire these values by practising them.