Our project “Some call it Europe, we call it Home” is a multilateral youth exchange with 50 participants from 4 EU (Germany, Greece, UK, Cyprus) and 6 neighboring (Armenia, Egypt, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia Federation and Jordan) countries. The project will be organised in Agros viIlage – Cyprus between 27/4-05/5/2018. It’s aim is the cultural diversity, inter-religious dialogue and empowerment of youth from various social, religious, cultural and ethno-racial backgrounds. Especially we would work with marginalised youth with less possibilities, particularly refugees and asylum seekers or those coming from low income families or rural areas. We expect that our participants

are mainly newcomers with small experience in youth work, but a strong willingness to develop. The project would provide them with social tools and skills and would help to raise the awareness for their cultural diverse surroundings, to find out and understand the differences as well as to be proud to except their cultural and personal identity. By doing so they will develop respect and understanding towards other groups and nations. The project leads also to achieving personal, social and professional development.

The main objectives of this project are to promote inter-religious dialogue, raise awareness of one’s own identity and culture and to cross borders to other traditions, languages and mentalities by involving actively with participants from other countries. One important part of the project would be dedicated to address prejudices in all its kinds and how to fight it. We expect to develop cooperation between different cultures, religions and civilizations by working on same tasks and creating new projects. Participants are going to get to know each other better and get profound knowledge about culture, history and religion of others. During the project we will additionally exchange cultural information through music, dance, songs and quisine. This will be done in an interactive way in intercultural learning environment.

Through activities including group work, outdoor activities, interactive lectures, quizzes, role games and workshops, the participants will find out more about the factors that may separate us (like nationality, religion, mentality, sexual orientation, background, etc.) and learn how to benefit from this diversity instead of seeing them as obstacles. By getting in touch with the other participants, they will broaden their horizons and improve mutual understanding. Also during the project we will organize intercultural nights where all the partner groups will present their country, their culture, traditional foods, drinks, music and dances.

The main purpose of the project will be the active participation in the integration of everyone. We will try to find reasons which promote conflicts, to find difficulties and communication barriers by stimulating conversation about intercultural differences, discussions about situations and sharing of views.

The participants will deepen their knowledge on the subject of intercultural and non- formal learning, draw a map of existing attitudes towards non-formal intercultural learning as achieved through cross-border volunteering. They will as well explore the values and impact of intercultural non-formal learning and volunteering and share best practices of promoting and increasing visibility of intercultural learning and volunteering as well as develop new practices. The opportunities of using Youthpass in ERASMUS+ activities as a tool for self-reflection and evaluation will also be discussed. By working, creating and cooperating together our participants will become more aware of cultural diversity in Europe. The working programme uses informal learning in form of discussing, games, group activities. Through this, they will experience a new way of discovering their own history. In turn, these young people will act as multipliers among their cohorts who in the long run will become better citizens.

Participants