Nuages sur la rizière / Wolken über dem Reisfeld

The aim of the educational program is to encourage children and young people to reflect on the world in which they live, the products they consume, their everyday actions and the impact these have on others. The aim is not only to get them thinking, but also to ensure that this thinking gradually translates into action.

This educational resource is based on the comic book *Nuages sur la rizière* by artist Marc Angel and tells the story of a young girl from Luxembourg of Indian descent who sets out to explore India to solve a mystery related to rice production. Teachers are provided with methods and tools to address the topic of fair trade and to explain the differences between conventional trade and Fairtrade, as well as the economic, social, and environmental impacts of these two models. This educational resource complements the workshops—particularly the one on rice—but can also be used without having participated in a workshop beforehand.

The proposal is to move away from the usual, conventional framework in which the facilitator carries out a workshop or a one-off activity with a class on a given theme, without there being any form of continuity. The idea is to gradually introduce the theme of fair trade into the subjects taught at school, and to motivate teachers to work on this issue in several stages. The fair trade theme can in fact be integrated into numerous disciplines, and can thus be approached in its entirety and in a cross-disciplinary manner. The impact on students, their understanding of the subject, and even their commitment will thus be greater, since they will have had time not only to assimilate the information, but also to question it, discuss it with others, and exchange their ideas and impressions.

Rather than having a presenter and a relatively passive audience listening to a story, the goal is to create a participatory experience in which students contribute to the activity through their ideas, creativity, and questions. This approach fosters group learning and engages students, who are actively involved throughout the activity or project. Also, providing

Giving students a voice shows them that their opinions matter and that no one is excluded from the discussions. The facilitator must, of course, be knowledgeable about the topic, but must also be open to discussion and remain attentive.

It also shows that there are many alternatives, and that many citizens' projects continue to be set up and run thanks to group synergies. These initiatives can thus be a source of motivation and inspiration, and perhaps spur a group to commit to a common cause. As the overall aim is for our audiences to become responsible and aware citizens, sharing good experiences also helps to network different players interested in the same issue.

It is therefore a method that can be described as «bottom up», It's a bottom-up approach, where everyone has their place as an individual, but also knows how to interact as part of a group. We need to strike a balance between the individual and the collective, both of which are important in today's society. The collective is of considerable importance, as it shows young people that in a group they can create and build, and that unexpected ideas can emerge. It also teaches them that working in a group can be complex, since we have to reach agreement, and that compromises are sometimes necessary to meet everyone's expectations and needs. The individual is also important, and it's vital to value each child and each young person for his or her actions and commitment, the message being that each person can act and that each player counts.

This dossier is based on a comic strip and should be read in conjunction with the corresponding story. Comic books are available for rental to students and for sale to teachers.

Link to download the file: https://www.fairtrade.lu/fr/activites/education/nos-outils-pedagogiques/dossiers-pedagogiques.html