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EURODANCE

2022-3-DE04-KA152-YOU-0000937652022Mobility of young peoplefinalized
Countries: DE|CY|RO|IE|ES · Grant: €22,800
Cultural heritageEuropean identity and valuesCreativity, arts and culture

Objectives

European society is becoming increasingly heterogeneous, multi-ethnic and multicultural, due to its own internal diversity and new demographic flows responsible for the presence of a growing number of migrants. In this context, conducive to the emergence of confused and sometimes contradictory identities, the necessary construction of a European identity is a challenge. It is true that immigration societies need to have a shared identity, but never on the basis of exigency, and therefore it suggests the construction of an intercultural European identity based on the idea of multiple citizenship. This is a task in which education is playing a leading role. The acquisition of a true sense of belonging to Europe implies the learning of certain skills and competences by young people, such as respect for cultural diversity, tolerance attitudes and understanding of other cultures. Cultural learning should present culture in different ways and link it to everyday experiences, education and art. In the European Union, this means developing more coherent and closer concepts of European belonging, such as the idea of Europe as a source of cultural identity. These values should therefore be linked to cultural references beyond Europe and give prominence to silent and marginalized groups around the world. Thus, discovering and understanding our culture allows us to know each other as individuals, communities and societies, through the dialogue and collaboration of all citizens. The active participation of young people is essential to preserving culture, fostering social integration, improving intercultural understanding and a sense of belonging to the community. Part of the success of intercultural relations lies in the efforts to raise awareness, in the quality of the relationship to oneself and in one’s capacity to be open to the other. Cultural exchanges, through dance and music, become complementary aspects to the improvement of intercultural relations. Dance and music are an excellent approach to developing awareness and understanding of intercultural differences and similarities that allows access to cultural learning in the form of fun and entertainment. Through dance and music, young people can open their minds and express themselves naturally without fear of rejection or judgment because rhythms, instruments or all forms of expression carry cultural symbols. The main objectives of this project were: 1. To foster dialogue among cultures and respect for diversity. 2. To identify common elements shared among young people to build a common sense of belonging to Europe. 3. To underline the role of dance and music as tools for communication without distinction of nationality, race, gender, age and religion. 4. To raise awareness of European cultures through dance and music. 5. To sensitize participants to other cultures and countries by giving them the opportunity to build networks of international contacts. 6. To promote the inclusion and active participation of young people with fewer opportunities in the project. 7. To raise awareness of the Erasmus+ program and the opportunities it offers to young people. This project was a shared space of cultural diversity in favor of the values of solidarity and brotherhood that underpin the European Union, through the use of the universal language of dance and music. This allowed participants to learn about themselves and other cultures beyond social, religious, cultural differences or language barriers. In addition, issues such as cultural identity, intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity addressed as well as needs such as the promotion and participation of young people with fewer opportunities in international projects, in particular those of migrant origin or refugees, in particular newly arrived migrants, persons belonging to ethnic or national minorities, persons with difficulties in linguistic adaptation and cultural integration, young people from rural areas, etc., to improve understanding of other cultures and to develop skills and good social practices.

Project partners (5)