ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces a number of schools, programmes and approaches which foreground voice and participation. Education Cities is an initiative which links classrooms, schools and regions across Israel and afield with a view to fostering the healthy development of young people by helping each one to find and express their own uniqueness. Emek Hamaayanot in Israel is an Education Valley where there is a fascinating collaboration between different sectors of the education community. Throughout Germany, organisations and initiatives are working to spread the idea of the class council as a means of developing a democratic school culture. The class council promotes self-esteem, the development of moral judgement and political cooperation. Through the encouragement of collaboration at a deep level it supports cross-cultural understanding. Finland is well known for its education system and the fact that Finnish students do well in international comparisons such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD's) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests.
