Route 2020: Highway to Inclusion
The concept of the project was developed from the idea of vulnerability of migrants and refugees who often become victims of hate crimes as a result of lacking diversity and tolerance, inclusion and respect in the societies. The EU is not an exception, where migrants and refugees are often perceived as potential criminals, and unreliable elements of the community which result in a lack of opportunities, restrictions of access to the labour market or discriminatory practices leading to partial or full marginalisation of the group.Young people are, indeed, one of the most vulnerable targets to racist and discriminatory propaganda and messages against ethnic minorities. That is why they were selected as a primary target group for the project with the objectives of promoting intercultural dialogue, knowledge about acceptance, diversity and tolerance in society, and effective anti-discrimination activities against ethnic minorities through awareness among young people and education in order to foster respectful and inclusive behaviours.
The project aimed to equip selected candidates from Lithuania, Germany and Italy with the knowledge on inclusion and diversity, develop their skills and competencies by employing different methodologies of non-formal education in a joint learning process. Among selected methodologies, the project used Forum Theatre, Education Through Sport and Digital Storytelling, which became a core to the personal and group campaigns of the participants. These campaigns became crucial in exploring the high potential of the methodologies and estimating learning outcomes. Through the activities embedded with these methodologies and tools the project aimed at empowering and provoking participants in order to push them to create social values such as mutual respect, intercultural dialogue, acceptance, cooperation and trust.
“Route 2020 – Highway to Inclusion” (Route 2020) is a KA2 Strategic Partnerships supporting the exchange of good practices in the Youth field among Lithuania, Italy and Germany, that has lasted for 24 months. Route 2020 aims at contrasting discrimination against ethnic minorities by raising awareness among young people and educate them in order to foster respectful and inclusive behaviors.
Promoting intercultural dialogue
Knowledge about acceptance of diversity and tolerance in society
Contrasting discrimination against ethnic minorities by raising awareness among young people and educate them in order to foster respectful and inclusive behaviors
15 people
Every BMYP involves 15 on average young people aged 18-26 (2 Autochthonous, the ethnic majority of participant country, and 3 ethnic minority young people per partner organization) plus 3 accompanying persons (no age limit).
National Couples
During all the mobilities participants are paired in national couples composed by one “native” and one ethnic minority group; the two members of the couple work paired as the emotional support and a point of reference for each other.
Non-Formal Education
The project uses Non-Formal Education methodologies such as the Forum Theatre, Education Through Sport and Digital Storytelling, which possess specific features to approach the delicate topic and issues addressed solutions.
15 people
Every BMYP involves 15 on average young people aged 18-26 (2 Autochthonous, the ethnic majority of participant country, and 3 ethnic minority young people per partner organization) plus 3 accompanying persons (no age limit).
National Couples
During all the mobilities participants are paired in national couples composed by one “native” and one ethnic minority group; the two members of the couple work paired as the emotional support and a point of reference for each other.
Non-Formal Education
The project uses Non-Formal Education methodologies such as the Forum Theatre, Education Through Sport and Digital Storytelling, which possess specific features to approach the delicate topic and issues addressed solutions.
As the main tangible results the project team has developed a Toolkit “Ethnic Unity” which contains all the results of the research phase as well as the workshops and activities employed and tested during the three mobilities carried out in Italy, Germany and Lithuania. As a result of the implemented programs during the mobilities native and ethnic minority youths from each partner country had the opportunity to build a truly international dialogue and establish strong ties based on the principles of intercultural communication.