The AFYN (RE)ACT cooperation's objectives are: a) Expanding young people's understanding of the Holocaust and developing innovative ways to foster remembrance amid the declining of knowledge and engagement about the Holocaust and issues related to it. b) Improving the skills of youth with prior experience as peer educators by increasing their international competences turning network members into youth leaders. c) Developing innovative educational materials and activities that increase the ability of youth, their schools and communities to engage in prevention as well as educational and awareness-raising responses to various forms of discrimination. d) Strengthening the quality and relevance of AFYN and its activities across Europe by consolidating its past successes and the evolution of its materials to promote youth civic engagement. e) Partner organizations learning from each other's experiences and perspectives, fostering European exchange. The partnership is meant to promote non-formal education that generates a collaborative, inclusive, youth-led and action-oriented learning space to address various forms of discrimination, polarization, and the disenfranchisement of various ethnic, sexual, and religious groups
The AFH, Krzyzowa and HERMES applied for the Erasmus+ K2 grant to answer the needs of the existing international youth network, Anne Frank Youth Network, by tackling post-pandemic challenges and redeveloping outdated educational materials. In 2021, a year and a half into the pandemic, prolonged uncertainty brought diverse challenges. This period was mostly spent online – working, learning, and facing an onslaught of negative news, some classifiable as conspiracy theories or disinformation. The imposed social distancing and self-isolation amplified pre-existing societal issues. In many cases, youth became disillusioned with democracy, with a decline in participation driven by a loss of faith in the system. In recent years, various threats to European values created tensions across Europe. These included challenges with integrating newcomers, growing nationalism, increasing polarization and a questioning of European cohesion, identity and future. The mission of the partner organizations mission became especially pressing with the rise of antisemitic incidents and Holocaust denial. We recognize the importance of Holocaust education for youth and its direct impact in behavior and understanding of different forms of discrimination.