Our overarching goal was to promote the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people by combating intolerance through non-formal education, with specific aims: Raise awareness and educate: Increase young people's knowledge of LGBTQIA+ history, rights, and realities to deconstruct prejudice and misinformation. Foster empathy and allyship: Develop respect for diversity and help create a safer, more inclusive environment for all, so every young person feels valued and supported. Empower active citizens: Equip the new generation with skills (critical thinking, communication) and motivate them to become active actors in fighting discrimination within their communities, promoting European values. Strengthen educators' capacity: Provide trainers with innovative and sustainable educational tools, like the SWOT Analysis Handbook, to ensure impact long after the project ends. Thus, we aimed to create a lasting legacy: a better-informed, more empathetic generation, and a network of equipped educators to build a truly inclusive society free from prejudice.
We created PrideEDU to address a social emergency: the alarming rise in violence and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people in Europe, particularly affecting youth. The identified needs are pressing. In France, anti-LGBTQI+ hate crimes doubled between 2016 and 2021. In Spain, a 68% increase was recorded in 2021. These figures, underestimated because only 20% of victims file reports, reveal persistent intolerance. The school environment is a risk zone: 43% of LGBTQIA+ youth face bullying, a figure rising to 58% for intersex youth. Yet, less than a quarter of them feel supported by their institution. Faced with this reality, PrideEDU acts proactively through non-formal education. The project creates safe spaces for dialogue, educates 15 to 18-year-olds – an age group shown to be less open to diversity – and provides tools for educators. It is a concrete and preventive response, perfectly aligned with our mission to fight discrimination through awareness-raising and pedagogy.