500 Protestant Schools worldwide celebrate 500 Years of Reformation
The international project schools500reformation was launched in 2013. The aim was to establish a network of Protestant schools worldwide - on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther had posted 95 theses against the sale of indulgences in Wittenberg. This significant date is seen by Protestants of all denominations and in secular cultural history as an important milestone in the history of faith, education and intellectual history worldwide. To this day, the various Protestant churches around the world contribute significantly to the shaping of educational landscapes.
For the first time, the project gave Protestant schools worldwide the opportunity to prepare for this anniversary together via the project website, to celebrate together, to reflect their own faith, to share it with others, to find partner schools and to show solidarity worldwide. Each year, numerous joint activities took place in which all participating schools across the globe were involved. Special events also included regional meetings in Goma (DR Congo), Koforidua (Ghana) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), as well as an international school directors' meeting in Wittenberg with over 80 participants.
The highlight of the project were the activities and events during the anniversary year of the Reformation: the network was represented at the World Reformation Exhibition in Wittenberg with the "talents' tent", 300 young people from six countries spent a week together at the International Schools Camp (also in Wittenberg), and on 23.06.2017, on Global schools500reformation Day in Wittenberg, the project was transferred into the still active network GPENreformation - Joining in Reformation.
In addition to Protestant schools, other scientific and educational institutions (e.g. teacher training centers, school associations and school foundations) are also involved in the network.
Click here for the network's website: