Say NO to Extremism

Training Course
Turkey
23-30 November 2016
The training course will take place in Turkey between 23-30 November, 2016 and will involve youth workers, young leaders and multipliers from the EU and non-EU countries Germany, Hungary, Czech Rep. Estonia, Italia, Slovakia, Denmark, Norway, Lithuania and Non-Europe Country;Turkey.

What are the links between youth and extremism?

Much has happened and been discussed in the media over the last couple of years: the UK riots, the shootings in Finland and Norway, the rise of the extreme right in Central Europe, Youth European in Syria are just some examples. But what do we really know? What is just supposition? And what can we do with what we know?

During working days of the Training Course, we will look deeper into the problems of discrimination, extremism, nationalism, intolerance and intercultural misunderstandings. Why do we discriminate? How it is possible that almost everyone agrees that discrimination isn’t good and that we should stop it, but it still exist? And what are the possible solutions to stop people decimating each other? Apart from looking to discrimination in general, we will also address the specific discrimination problems in the different countries where the participants come from. Which groups are discriminated in your country? Why? Are there any ideas how to stop that? What can we learn from the problems and solutions from other countries? And more importantly: how we can bring these solutions into practice when we have returned back home?

NO to Extremism

Within the Europe there is a great variety of cultures, languages and religions. But this does not stop at the borders of the EU or Germany/Turkey. We are surrounded by a number of counties who might not be members of the Union, but who have a strong connections with it through culture, language, religion and shared historical events. In 2004, the European Commission came with the initiative to create the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), which should function as an instrument for foreign relations for the EU to work on their relationships with the country on the south and east side of its territories. It is our belief that it is also quite important to have a cultural and social connection with the neighbours around the EU and this will contribute to more understanding.

Thanks to the meeting young people and active youth workers can learn about the ways of living in other countries, different ways of thinking. In this way we can overcome differences and fight together against prejudice and xenophobia. That is why we would like to involve both EU/EFTA Members states and Non-Europe Country;Turkey.

In all participating countries, xenophobia and discrimination form a big problem. Especially economic crisis contributes to this situation, when foreigners are blamed for stilling jobs. However, it doesn’t matter if you come from the EU/EFTA or from Turkey, what language you speak or which religion you follow, there is discrimination everywhere.

This project aims at finding ways to combat it, by sharing experiences and by learning new tools. Our working methodology will be bases on non-formal education. The Theatre of the Oppressed from Augusto Boal and the concept of the Human Library will be also used. Both tools could be implemented at home and this training course will teach the basics of it.

With this Training Course we aim to empower youth workers and youth leaders with skills, knowledge and attitudes to play an active role towards an intercultural society. Our objectives are the following:
• To analyse today’s multicultural society in different countries;
• To gain knowledge on key concepts, such as stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination, extremism, intolerance;
• To understand the causes of extremism and where it develops;
• To analyse the European values and how they can be used in contrasting those phenomena.
• To discover the right attitudes towards an intercultural society;
• To promote ‘theatre of the oppressed’ and ‘the human library’ as a tool;
• To promote active citizenship, international dialogue and non-formal education.
• To overview the European programs and create new projects related to the topic.

Through exercises, discussions, presentation of examples of good practices, youth policies in the field of combating discrimination and promoting multiculturalism, we want to encourage peer learning and inspire youth workers to discuss follow-up and take action in their own countries following the Training Course. Moreover, during the TC special attention will be paid to developing skills and competencies of the participants that are needed when working with young people, especially people with fewer opportunities and empowering them to make real change in their local communities and societies.