Development of a Folk High School Programme of Studies for the Baltic region

1. Project Objective

In the short term the project aims at laying the basis for a Folk High School-type of educational programme to elucidate and develop the churches' contribution to developing social infrastructure in the Baltic region. In the long term the aim is to offer education in the form of shorter and longer courses in order to increase knowledge and understanding of cultural forms, traditions and religious beliefs around the Baltic Sea and, in this way, to contribute to building bridges between churches, peoples and countries in the region and its social progress.

The project is ecumenical and involves representatives for the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches, which together make up the Theobalt network (Theology in the Baltic region). The churches will take part in information and recruitment activities while the study programme will be open to interested parties in all Baltic countries. The study programme will comprise historical as well as current and future perspectives.

2. Project Framework

The Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches in the nine countries that border on the Baltic Sea make up the Theobalt network (Theology in the Baltic region). The Diocese of Visby in the Church of Sweden has been charged with the task of administering the network and running developmental operations. The network involves a total of 20 churches. Since its beginning as a series of conferences around 1980 to offer a meeting place and a platform where the churches in the Baltic region could meet to discuss the social issues of the time from a theological perspective, Theobalt has developed during the 90s into a network. In this context the network has been defined in the following way:

A network among churches around the Baltic Sea
- to further mutual understanding and strengthen relations between the three main Christian traditions
- to develop the contribution of churches to the life and culture of the nations and to the protection of the environment
- and to promote Christian values, reconciliation, democracy and peace.

Note: Whatever is done within the frame of the network should have a Baltic dimension.

The working model is informal. Administration and finances are an integrated part of the Diocese of Visby's operations under the responsibility of the Diocese Board and Council. Theobalt has an international steering group consisting of eight persons chosen by the churches' representatives at the Theobalt V conference held in Visby in June 2001. The Bishop in Visby is the chairman of the steering group. Practically all the churches in the network have an official contact person who works in conjunction with the Diocese secretariat in Visby.

The Diocese Board in Visby has adopted a three-year project plan. One main area of this plan is education. With this as a starting point, the Diocese of Visby intends to organise a project directed at setting up a Folk High School-type of educational programme for Baltic Studies during 2002.

3. Project Partners

The project will be run in cooperation with the churches within the Theobalt network. In the first stage this cooperation will be with the contact persons. Their task is to work together with the project manager for the project within their churches and countries. This means, for example, contact with church leaders and educational institutions, spreading information to interested parties, establishing topics of interest, contacting suitable teachers, etc.

Plans are to establish operations in connection with a Folk High School that is in the planning stages at Kustparksskolan in Fårösund in northern Gotland. This project is a part of the conversion after the KA3 military unit was closed down. It is run by Fårösund's education and development centre which is thus an important partner for Visby Diocese's /Theobalt's Folk High School project. The establishment of a Folk High School in Fårösund is founded on a broad base of interests (Gotland Municipality, study organisations, local organisations, Visby Diocese). Operations in Fårösund are estimated to begin on 1 January 2003.

In addition to the partners mentioned, contact will be made with Litorina Folkhögskola in Karlskrona that offers Baltic studies from another perspective as well as Baltic University, the network for universities and colleges in the Baltic region, among others. Special attention will be paid to the different churches' seminaries and academies with a view to future collaboration.

4. Project Time Schedule

Work will be carried out in two phases. The spring of 2002 will be devoted to establishing contacts, appraising basic preconditions for the study programme and consultations. This will be done by visits throughout the entire region for discussions with church leaders and educational institutions - religious as well as public. This is estimated to take four 10-day visits covering two countries at a time. This will be followed by a period of activity aimed at teacher contacts and funding (scholarships). Compilation will take place continuously just as each period's main activity will partially overlap each other.

During autumn 2002, compilation and detailed planning will be done in order to begin educational operations. This means working out course plans, hiring teachers, sending actual information and invitations to the students as well as other practical arrangements. The goal is to be able to offer at least one course of study when operations at Kustparkskolan begin.

Summary of time schedule:

January - April: Visits in the region for discussions, etc with churches and educational institutions

April - June: Work in Visby. Summarising, following up teacher contacts, funding matters.

August - September: Evaluation, course plans, teacher contacts, financing.

October - December: Information, invitations, practical arrangements.

5. Project Content

The churches collaborating on the project have over a thousand-year history in the region - longer than any other existing political body. Over the years by virtue of their Christian traditions, they have had a great influence on social development in terms of art, music, literature, philosophy, legislation, values, as well as daily manners and customs, etc.

Teaching will use this as a starting point and therefore can be said to have three main themes:
· Baltic society and the churches - the general situation yesterday, today and tomorrow
· Church knowledge - the Baltic churches in belief, tradition and collaboration
· New times, new issues - social responsibility and the churches' contribution.

Subjects such as history, social studies, "Baltic issues", ecumenicalism, and ethics have a natural place in the programme. Other suggestions for subjects and subject areas that have come up during informal discussions with contact persons in Theobalt are the environment, globalisation, democracy, peace, human rights, Bible studies, leadership training and languages. In addition to these, there are plans to collaborate with the Mason's Lodge on Gotland to run courses in traditional methods of workmanship and materials involved in church restorations.

The study programme is open to all interested persons in the Baltic region, 18 years or older. The idea is to follow the regulations that apply to Swedish Folk High Schools in general. Accommodation will be available at Kustparkskolan.

6. Project Staff

The project manager is Diocese director, Ragnar Svenserud, who is responsible for the Diocese of Visby's work with Theobalt. Kristina Furberg, assistant secretary assists with this work. Other staff members are the contact persons in each church within the Theobalt network. A list of these is attached, (attachment 1b.) These have different positions within their churches, for instance in several cases they are active in educational areas. Including the staff in Visby (2) and the contact persons (19), there are a total of 21 people directly involved in the project.

The project has been established with the contact persons by information in connection with the latest annual meeting, September 7-9, 2001. They also paid a study visit to Kustparkskolan in Fårösund where there were discussions with representatives for Fårösund's education and development centre. These discussions were followed up the next day when the contact persons had the opportunity of discussing the project in their own group. The result of this discussion was a unified approval.

Fifteen contact persons took part in this year's meeting. The report from the meeting is not yet completed and therefore cannot be attached to this application.

Visby, October 1, 2001

Ragnar Svenserud