2023-1LV01-KA220-SCH-000150669
03-07 NOV 2025
DAUGAVPILS/ LATVIA
During the mobility in Latvia hosted by Daugavpils Centra Vidusskola, teachers and students participated in a comprehensive set of activities designed to promote gender equality through music.
The first day of our Erasmus+ project on equality in music provided an excellent beginning to our activities in Latvia. Participants from Norway, Lithuania, Latvia, Portugal, and Türkiye gathered at a school in Daugavpils, where the programme began with a series of introductory activities designed to help students get to know one another. We also listened to musical performances by Latvian students, which offered a meaningful introduction to the local culture. During the break, participants enjoyed a selection of snacks and refreshments prepared by the host school.
As part of the day’s programme, students took part in a Kahoot quiz that reviewed the concepts explored throughout the project. This was followed by a creative group task in which participants were divided into smaller international teams and asked to design a new flag combining elements from all partner countries. The activity encouraged collaboration, cultural exchange, and creative thinking, contributing to stronger interpersonal connections among participants.
After completing the task, the group had lunch at the school and then continued with a city tour aboard a retro train. This tour provided an opportunity to explore Daugavpils, learn about its history, and gain insights into the daily life and traditions of local residents.
Overall, the first day in Latvia offered a rich cultural introduction and served as a strong foundation for the project activities that will follow.
The second day of our Erasmus+ project began with all participants gathering in the city centre before departing for Rundāle Palace, located approximately three hours from Daugavpils. The bus journey provided a valuable opportunity for informal conversations, allowing participants to strengthen their connections and learn more about one another.
Upon arrival, the group was divided into two teams: one visited the palace while the other had lunch. During the tour, the guide presented the history of Rundāle Palace with notable enthusiasm. He explained that the palace, constructed in the 18th century as the summer residence of the Duke of Courland, is regarded as one of Latvia’s finest examples of baroque and rococo architecture. His engaging narration added depth to the visit and enhanced the overall learning experience.
The return journey was marked by a continued positive atmosphere, as participants exchanged experiences and further consolidated the friendships formed during the mobility.
During the third day of the mobility in Latvia, participants continued their journey through gender equality in music. Students analyzed song lyrics to identify stereotypes and hidden biases, reflecting on how music can shape and reinforce gender roles. They also engaged in creative work, expanding their own song texts while consciously aiming to follow gender equality principles in both message and language.
Students from partner schools shared their personal experiences of participating in the project, highlighting how creative tasks, teamwork, and international collaboration helped them grow more confident, open-minded, and aware of equality-related issues. The day concluded with testing the board game “Step towards Equality”, developed within the project as a supportive learning material, offering a playful yet meaningful way to deepen understanding of equality, fairness, and inclusion.
On the fourth day, during the music class “Gender Equality in Music”, students worked in mixed groups to create their own song lyrics and music, applying gender equality principles in practice. By analysing existing song lyrics, participants learned to question stereotypes, and reflect on how language in music can reinforce gender roles. Creating and performing together increased engagement, boosted creative confidence, and encouraged students to become more conscious and critical consumers of media.
The workshop was supported by mentorship from a Latvian cellist and sound artist, known for blending classical technique with experimental improvisation and exploring the interaction of sound, space, and movement, and a vocalist and musician whose work combines pure singing with experimental voice techniques across diverse genres. Their artistic guidance encouraged students to experiment freely, focus on expression rather than perfection, and use music as a meaningful tool to communicate equality-based messages.
