Democracy and Education: An Example of a Workshop Study

The Enlightenment era further strengthened the values of humanism, equality, justice, and democracy, leading to practices such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, affirming that all individuals, regardless of age, possess equal rights under the law. Starting from the 20th century, both globally and in Turkey, there has been a growing emphasis on the rights of children, including the right to life, education, consideration of their best interests, and the right to participation. Indeed, individuals who learn democratic values can internalize democracy only when they have the opportunity to apply these values in their social lives. The present study aimed to provide democracy education to children aged 9-12 from seasonal agricultural worker families in the Perşembe district of Ordu province, Turkey, through a workshop format between August 3-31, 2023. The approximately four-week-long program resulted in the establishment of democratic values in children. Therefore, it is considered essential to incorporate democracy education into both formal school settings and informal learning environments with a more frequent and intensive program.