‘Journey: Through Thoughts and Words’: a writing competition between the European Schools in Karlsruhe and Varese

This initiative is an interdisciplinary project, within the framework of the Challenge Program, involving the Italian, French, and Philosophy curricula. The students of Ms Annabella Raucci, Ms Céline Le Gall and Mr Frédéric Houam (S5 and S6) took part in a travel diary writing competition entitled ‘Journey: Through Thoughts and Words’, in collaboration with the European School in Varese.

The travel journals produced by the French-speaking pupils were evaluated by a panel composed of French writers Delphine Laurent and Anne-Sophie Brasme, while academic Aldo Venturelli and Simonetta Puleio assessed the travel journals written by the Italian class. For the philosophy jury, Christelle Dabos, a very famous French writer, and her brother Romain Dabos, a French philosophy teacher, will serve as members.

Winners of the travel journal competition:

• French-speaking pupils from Karlsruhe: 1st Sixtine BERNARD, 3rd Oscar CHAIGNEAU
• Italian language pupils from Karlsruhe: 1st Julia KLOSE, 3rd Diya KIRAN (s5itaL4) and 1st Sarah EL GROCH, 3rd Marie RUGGIERI (S6itaL4)
• Philosophy students from Karlsruhe : 1st Michelle NIAKAM, 2nd Eva WELLEMS, 3rd Sarah EL GHORCH.

This event was followed by a visit to the historic gardens of the Estensi Palace in Varese. In Milan, the pupils admired Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus, paintings by Raphael and Caravaggio at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, strolled along the Navigli canals and through Sempione Park, and explored Milan’s business district with its contemporary architecture (Piazza Gae Aulenti, Bosco Verticale), as well as the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. They also experienced Milan’s historic tram system and tasted traditional Milanese saffron risotto in renowned restaurants.

A happy coincidence enriched the experience: a former pupil of the European School, now studying fashion in Milan, joined the group of 29 pupils, including his sister.

The group travelled by train and stayed in a hotel in central Milan from Thursday 16 April to Sunday 19 April 2026.

The project was supported by the Parents’ Association, to whom we extend our warmest thanks.