Citizenship Education
What is it?
In the Portuguese context, the public body that manages education (Direção-Geral da Educação) defines it as:
Civic Education or Citizenship Education aims to contribute to the training of responsible, autonomous, solidarity people, that know and exercise their rights and responsibilities in dialogue and respect each other, with a democratic, pluralist, critical and creative spirit, having as a reference human rights values.
European Vision
Education for Democratic Citizenship means education, training, awareness raising, information, practices and activities which aim, by equipping learners with knowledge, skills and understanding and developing their attitudes and behaviour, to empower them to exercise and defend their democratic rights and responsibilities in society, to value diversity and to play an active part in democratic life, with a view to the promotion and protection of democracy and the rule of law.