The Prague workshop was formerly opened by the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Mrs Petra Buzkova, who welcomed the participants to the city and outlined how the eTwinning action was very much in accord with the aims of the Czech Republic policy of education in relation to learning with ICT. Mr Josef Vochoska, Director of the Socrates agency also welcomed the participants and spoke about the importance of eTwinning among the European actions for education. The practical workshops were held in one of Prague’s largest schools, the Gymnazium Jana Keplera, and the participants had access to excellent facilities.

The workshop in Athens was also honoured by the presence of a number of dignitaries. The venue was the prestigious Eugenides Foundation, and the director of the Foundation, Dr. Leonidas Dimitriades-Eugenides, welcomed the participants, highlighting the significance of creativity in education, and wished them a successful workshop. In the absence of the Minister who was away on business, Dr Georgios Kalos, Deputy Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs spoke to the audience about the significance of eTwinning to the Hellenic educational system and underlined his pride in the success of the Greek schools within the action. Several other dignitaries were present, including the Swedish Ambassador. The welcoming addresses were followed by a prize giving ceremony to the Greek prize winners in the eTwinning prizes and their partners who were present.

The format of the workshops combined a series of presentations on various aspects of the eTwinning process and action, together with a series of practical workshops to engage the participants in practical aspects of the tools and processes involved in forming an eTwinning partnership. There were also practical workshops actively aimed at finding a partner. In Prague, Karl Sarnow, presented the Xplora portal to the Science teachers as a resource, which could be used in an eTwinning context. In Athens, the participants also took part in a creative workshop involving practical creative tasks. The response of the participants to both workshops was very positive and enthusiastic and the momentum formed by these workshops is growing.

The workshops were carried out by a team from the CSS, Anne Gilleran, Brigitte Parry and Katerina Barorova, together with Karl Sarnow from the Xplora project in Prague and Anne Gilleran, Brigitte Parryand Sylvia Binger in Athens. Pieter Hogenbirk, chairperson of the Pedagogical Advisory Group (PAG) addressed the workshop in Prague.

The last three workshops workshop will take place in Paris, Oslo and Vienna during May and June 2006.

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