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It's Ok to Be Different

2021-1-LV02-KA152-YOU-0000080392021Mobility of young peoplefinalizedGood practice
Countries: LV|GE|IT · Grant: €40,956
Creativity, arts and cultureEuropean identity, citizenship and valuesKey competences development

Objectives

The project "It's Ok to Be Different" was a two-part youth exchange program with its first phase conducted in Kobuleti, Georgia, and the second phase held in Bauska, Latvia. This project was an endeavour to foster a spirit of tolerance, pluralism, and diversity among young individuals from different backgrounds. It provided a valuable platform for participants to share 'best practices' from their multicultural societies and encouraged them to engage in international collaborations. We aimed to equip young people with the skills necessary for independent judgment, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning. The participants from Latvia, Georgia, and Italy were involved in the project. The participants significantly enriched the diversity of our project. During the program, they had the opportunity to explore various important topics, such as the values of democracy, mutual understanding, respect for diversity and tolerance, breaking stereotypes, and establishing collaborative networks. Given the ethnically and religiously diverse populations of the participant countries, the exchange was an excellent conduit for combating prejudice and fortifying tolerance through the bolstering of civil society. This youth exchange served as an eye-opener for participants, highlighting the multitude of opportunities that life offers for both personal growth and societal contributions. By focusing on the creative interests of youth, the project aimed to increase confidence in young people from diverse backgrounds, empowering them to positively express their ideas and to recognize the different ways in which they can actively contribute to society. The central values of the youth exchange program were the following: 1. Making cross-cultural dialogue between the participants from different countries to promote mutual understanding and tolerance; 2. To raise awareness of youngsters about different cultures/histories/religions; 3. Development of creativity and involvement of young people in civil life through promoting "Erasmus +" opportunities among them; 4. To let youngsters from different backgrounds, nations, and cultures unite; 5. To learn how to respect each other's opinions and break stereotypes through conducting evaluations and discussions with young people from different countries; 6. To promote good neighbourly relations between the EU Members and the non-EU States and to provide space for friendship and relationship through art and culture. The project "It's Ok to Be Different" led the youth to understand the importance of involvement, also developing their interests and creativity. As life offers youth a world of opportunities for activities and fulfilment, the project aimed to raise the confidence of young people with various backgrounds to express their positive ideas and show that there are many exciting ways to take action.

Project partners (3)