Project place: Brussels, Belgium
Exchange dates: 18-27 June 2017
Advance planning meeting: 23-26 March 2017
Application deadline: 20 January 2017
ABOUT THE PROJECT/EXCHANGE
The main aim of the project, therefore, is to explore theatre as a social tool and methodology to foster inclusion, integration and intercultural dialogue, giving the chance to young europeans and young migrants to meet and create bridges and to redefine the concept of “culture” by opening themselves to each other.
Inclusion, in fact, is a group process, not a physical state or immutable property. And with every individual that enters or leaves a group at any given time, this group changes and adapts. As a group, culture is a living organism, open and permeable. Most of the times, however, we approach culture as a closed tin: we judge it from the cover, we analyze it from the outside label and image and we don’t even “dare” to open it. In this way, we create stereotypes (i.e. a preconceived notion, a conventional or formulaic conception or image) and we feed our own communities with fear and radicalism. Living in societies that are more and more intercultural and interconnected, with more than a million migrants and refugees who crossed into Europe in 2015, we cannot keep our cultures in safe, closed tins. The risk, is not only to lose any sense of compassion, but even a grip on reality.
“Xenophobes warn that Europe’s cultural identity is at risk, and yet the founding treaty of the EU calls for societies characterized by pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men. That means welcoming refugees, and taking steps to integrate them in a way that respects these values, and their identity.“ (Judith Sunderland – Associate Director for Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division). There’s no doubt that the refugee crisis and the high flow of migrants in the EU pose many challenges, today and in the years to come, and that a path towards inclusion is necessary.
Theatre can help to face some of the underlying issues of intercultural dialogue and inclusion by:
1. Recognizing the value of BEING a person
2. Accepting LIMITS (physical, emotional, etc.) and learn to WORK TOGETHER to overcome them
3. Fostering SELF DETERMINATION
4. Discovering and overcoming the social BARRIERS that make it difficult to participate in the life of a community or society
5. Creating a SUPPORT net and developing resources able to transform those barriers into opportunities and positive challenges
OBJECTIVES:
– To contribute to migrants and refugees integration in local communities
– To promote intercultural dialogue and learning
– To promote inclusion, tolerance and mutual understanding / fight generalization, racism and stereotypes
– To promote the values of an “open culture”, able to change and adapt in order to include others
– To fight radicalization and islamophobia among european young people and local communities
– To enhance and foster the use of theatre as a methodology and tool for inclusion and integration
The expected outputs will be:
– A final theatre forum performance that will be shown in a local refugee camp, through which young europeans and young migrants/refugees will be able to interact and create meaningful connections
– A short documentary video of the whole experience
PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS:
- Between the age range of 18 to 25;
- Are able to work in English;
- Are committed to work for the successful implementation of the convention;
- Have at least basic knowledge on the topics of the project;
- Are willing to act as multipliers of the project;
- The participation of young people with fewer opportunities is suggested;
- Young migrants and/or young people with different cultural backgrounds;
- Full attendance for the duration of the project;
- Previous experiences in theatre would be considered as a value added.
ACCOMMODATION and FINANCES:
YEU International will cover all costs related to accommodation and food.
Travel costs will be refund up to 170 Euro (Reimbursement will be done after receiving all the original boarding passes, invoices and tickets)