“I have a dream”
Some days ago I came back from my first European Youth Exchange program in which I participated. The name of the project is “I have a dream” and it was indeed a dreamy one! It took place in Pervolia, Cyprus, a little seaside village near Larnaka during 17-25 of March 2022 and in the program participated representatives from 7 different countries. The object of the program was to raise awareness regarding eradicating discrimination, stereotypes and racism. In particular, the aim of the program was to understand the causes, the forms, the effects of discrimination and prejudice. We delved into concepts such as xenophobia, stereotypes, the value of tolerance and gained knowledge about how youngsters and adults can combat discrimination and promote acceptance and how we can all embrace the differences among our unique cultures. Whilst there is diversity, there are also similarities in
many aspects of everyday life, such as music, traditional dances, food and so on. And now the active part... The project included outdoor and indoor activities, like interactive, icebreaking and team-building games, workshops, presentations, discussions and debates. We also worked in small or bigger groups using non-formal and informal educational methods. The most important factor that made this experience unforgettable for me was that very soon, especially due to all this constant interaction, all the participants came close to each other and we made new friendships. Even though it was the first time I had met all people there, from the very first hours I felt like I had known them from long and I had a truly wonderful time. Me and my teammates from Greece laughed loudly all the time and we enjoyed every single activity. Apart from the above, we learned about social-political conditions in other countries, habits, foreign languages, new music styles and tasted food and drinks from each country. I realized that regardless of our origins, we are all residents in the same planet, we all have common needs and concerns and that with patience, tolerance and love, we can thrive. A feeling of happiness and gratitude still overwhelms me.
Souzana