With this project we wanted to increase collaborative cross border action against polarization of European youth by boosting the organizations’ expertise in raising awareness about current challenges as well as creating and implementing innovative artistic methodologies that can address them.
We applied for this project to enhance cooperation among European organizations focused on youth, aiming to strengthen organizational capacity and share best practices in tackling polarization. Multiple studies show that Polarization is a global issue, moreover severe polarization damages all institutions essential to democracy. Our goal was to refine the use of theatre methods to foster dialogue and fight radicalization and polarization among young people, including those with fewer opportunities. We saw these issues as universal and felt they required a transnational effort that transcends borders and integrates the diverse needs and contexts of Europe's North, South-West, and South-East regions. The project aimed to harness the unique strengths of each partner, emphasizing that young people should be the primary agents of change - a concept strongly supported by current research and policy development. Through this initiative, we aimed to create a significant impact by collaboratively developing a toolbox and a documentary that addresses polarization in youth work.