--- title: "Erasmus+ School Exchange Partnership: Promoting Inclusion by Celebrating Culture, Language and Heritage" description: Beech Hill College in Co. Monaghan was awarded €65,000 by Léargas to organise a 24 month Erasmus+ School Exchange Partnership with Vilniaus Gabijos Gimnazija Secondary School in Lithuania. image: https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/ka229%20group(1).png --- [![logo-img](https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Leargas_child/images/logo.svg)](https://www.leargas.ie) - Explore Opportunities - [Adult Education](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-adult-education-opportunities/) - [School Education](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-school-education-opportunities/) - [Vocational Education and Training](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-vocational-education-training-opportunities/) - [Youth](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-youth-opportunities/) - [Volunteering](https://www.leargas.ie/volunteer/) - [Languages](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-languages/) - Create a Project - [Erasmus+](https://www.leargas.ie/erasmus-plus/) - [Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/resources/programme-guide_en) - [Project Lifecycle](https://www.leargas.ie/erasmus-plus/project-lifecycle/) - 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[Volunteer](https://www.leargas.ie/volunteer/) - [Training and Events](https://www.leargas.ie/training-and-events/) - [Impact Stories](https://www.leargas.ie/impact-stories/) # Erasmus+ School Exchange Partnership: Promoting Inclusion by Celebrating Culture, Language and Heritage *Siobhán Sheerin is the Deputy Principal of [Beech Hill College in Co. Monaghan](https://www.bhc.ie/). Last year, Erasmus+ awarded the school €65,000 to organise a 24-month [Erasmus+ School Exchange Partnership](https://www.leargas.ie/erasmus-plus/partnership-cooperation/) with a secondary school in Lithuania. Here Siobhan discusses the motivation for taking part in Erasmus+ and the importance of celebrating culture, language and heritage.*   ![Erasmus+ connected a school in Ireland with a school in Lithuania](https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/P1010134_426959fecbb78a483722998377d7c80a_800.jpg) *Schools in Co. Monaghan and Vilnius came together with the help of the Erasmus+* ### Erasmus+ and the Importance of Connection The original idea for this Erasmus+ School Exchange Partnership stemmed from a concern that the Lithuanian students who attend Beech Hill College felt they ‘didn’t belong at school’. In fact, some students even felt they were losing connection with their language and heritage. With that in mind, Principal Patrick Mc Ardle contacted the [Post Primary Languages Initiative](https://ppli.ie/) in 2018. They subsequently connected Beech Hill College with a Lithuanian teacher named Kristina. Kristina is now teaching Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert Lithuanian in the school. As a result, students have the opportunity to embrace their native language and culture with a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher.   ![Fostering connections is a key aim of the Erasmus+ programme](https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/P1010155_6b6037da542b40d1377cf65f8e4f93ad_800.jpg) “ *Beech Hill College strives to welcome all pupils, regardless of their background or faith*” ### Celebrate Differences and Acknowledge Similarities On 25 November last year, we welcomed three teachers and 11 students from Vilniaus Gabijos Gimnazija to Beech Hill College. The Lithuanian Ambassador to Ireland, Egdjau Melnai, even joined to celebrate the official launch! During the welcoming speech , students were reminded that Lithuanian history is, in many ways, similar to that of the Irish diaspora. As such, fostering connections, celebrating differences and acknowledging similarities is a key part of the ethos at the Co. Monaghan school. “Beech Hill College strives to welcome all pupils, regardless of their background or faith. We want to build a school where all talents are recognised and where all students are encouraged to be the best they can be". ![School demonstration](https://blog.leargas.ie/hs-fs/hubfs/School%20demonstration.png?width=629&name=School%20demonstration.png) “We want to build a school where all talents are recognised, where all students are encouraged to be the best they can be” ### The Joy of Integration From building robots to baking scones, the students enjoyed a wide range of activities over the course of their week together. Visitors also took part in Gaelic Studies, Coding, Science and Metalwork, and enjoyed playing handball and Gaelic football at lunchtime. As a nod to the school’s visiting students, [The Garage Theatre](https://www.garagetheatre.com/) in Monaghan brought the trip to a touching end with a screening of the Lithuanian Language film ‘[100 years together](https://kinopavasaris.lt/en/programa/6570-100-years-together)’.   ### Find Out More - [Erasmus+ Partnerships for Cooperation](https://www.leargas.ie/erasmus-plus/partnership-cooperation/) - [Erasmus+ School Mobility Projects](https://www.leargas.ie/erasmus-plus/mobility-projects/school-education/) - [Language Initiatives with Léargas](https://www.leargas.ie/languages/) *We welcome contributions to ‘Insights’ at comms@leargas.ie.* ## Related articles ![](https://www.leargas.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/newsletter-icon.svg) ## Signup to our Newsletter [Subscribe](https://insights.leargas.ie/sign-up-for-the-leargas-newsletter) ![scroll-top-arrow](https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Leargas_child/images/scroll-top-icon.svg) ![footer-logo](https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Leargas_child/images/footer-logo.png) King’s Inns House Parnell Street Dublin 1 D01 A3Y8 Email: [info@leargas.ie](mailto:info@leargas.ie) - - - - - - Explore Opportunities - [Adult Education](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-adult-education-opportunities/) - [School Education](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-school-education-opportunities/) - [Vocational Education and Training](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-vocational-education-training-opportunities/) - [Youth](https://www.leargas.ie/explore-youth-opportunities/) - Create a Project - [Erasmus+](https://www.leargas.ie/erasmus-plus/) - [European Solidarity Corps](https://www.leargas.ie/european-solidarity-corps/) - [Application Process](https://www.leargas.ie/application-process/) - [Other Projects](https://www.leargas.ie/other-projects/) - [Languages](https://www.leargas.ie/languages/) - [Manage Your Grant](https://www.leargas.ie/manage-your-grant/) - [Networks](https://www.leargas.ie/networks/) - [EPALE](https://www.leargas.ie/epale/) - [Youth Wiki](https://www.leargas.ie/youth-wiki/) - [Eurodesk](https://www.leargas.ie/eurodesk/) - [eTwinning](https://www.leargas.ie/etwinning/) - [Volunteer](https://blog.leargas.ie/volunteer/) - [European Solidarity Corps](https://www.leargas.ie/european-solidarity-corps/) - [Training and Events](https://www.leargas.ie/training-and-events/) - [Impact Stories](https://www.leargas.ie/impact-stories/) - [About Léargas](https://www.leargas.ie/about-us/) - [Governance](https://www.leargas.ie/governance/) - [Our Mission](https://www.leargas.ie/about-us/our-mission/) - [Blog](https://blog.leargas.ie/blog) - [News](https://www.leargas.ie/news-landing/) - [Jargon Buster](https://www.leargas.ie/jargon-buster/) - [Resources](https://www.leargas.ie/resources/) - [Programme Results](https://www.leargas.ie/resources/programme-results/) - [Get In Touch](https://www.leargas.ie/contact/) - [Freedom of Information](https://www.leargas.ie/freedom-information/) - [Site Map](https://www.leargas.ie/site-map/) - [Newsletter](https://insights.leargas.ie/sign-up-for-the-leargas-newsletter) - [COVID-19 Travel Advice](https://www.leargas.ie/covid-19/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.leargas.ie/privacy-policy/) - [Accessibility](https://www.leargas.ie/accessibility/) © Léargas 2026 Created by Point Blank ![footer-bottom-logo](https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Leargas_child/images/footer-bottom-1.png) ![footer-bottom-logo](https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Leargas_child/images/footer-bottom-2.svg) ![footer-bottom-logo](https://blog.leargas.ie/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Leargas_child/images/footer-bottom-3.svg)