Shared Histories: 
New Zealand and French schools commemorating WW1 together.

Press Release


- Embassy of France in New Zealand


- 21 May 2015

On Friday the 12th of June, students and teachers from five New Zealand schools will present projects created as part of the Shared Histories programme during a special event to be held at the National Library of New Zealand.

Shared Histories is a France-New Zealand school collaboration and exchange programme initiated in partnership with the New Zealand and French Ministries of Education to commemorate the First World War.

It aims to create a framework for New Zealand and French schools to form partnerships and collaborate on WW1 projects.

Since the beginning of 2014, more than twenty schools in New Zealand have been involved in joint projects with their French partners.

By working together through distant exchanges on research or creative activities on the Great War, students of both countries have been able to deepen their understanding of this major historical event while gaining intercultural and language skills. Some projects include field trips to France where the students meet their partners and visit historical sites related to the war.

During the presentation at the National Library, students and teachers from:
- Epsom Girls Grammar School (Auckland)
- Baradene College (Auckland)
- Nga Tawa College (Marton)
- Wellington College (Wellington)
- St Margaret’s College (Christchurch)
will showcase their productions and share the rich experience gained through a year and a half of collaborative work with their French counterparts.

A live video conference link will enable French students and teachers to take part in the discussion.

The presentation will also include the launch of “The Battle of Conscience” (La Bataille de la Conscience), a book written by the students of Baradene College and Lycée Gay-Lussac as part of their joint project.

The Shared Histories presentation will be held in the Tiakiwai Conference Centre on the ground floor of the National Library (entry through Aitken Street).

The public is warmly invited to attend and to RSVP at this link https://sharedhistoriespresentation.eventbrite.co.nz to secure their place.

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