‘More Bridges, Less Walls’ a Youth Exchange in Faenza

The European Union and the Erasmus+ program provides a variety of funded opportunities across the European Countries for mobility and acquisition of skills for young people and youth workers, giving them the opportunity to travel, meet new people and cultures, gaining new and more information, creating an international network and promote the founding values of the Union.

After one year of delay due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, SE.M.I association had the opportunity to implement its winning Youth Exchange ‘More Bridges, Less Walls‘ this summer (23-31 August) in Faenza.

The story and the objectives of the project

The Youth Exchange ‘More Bridges, Less Walls‘ is written during the winter of 2020 from three International volunteers, two of them hosted in Faenza by SE.M.I association. Triinu, Danai (SE.M.I association, Faenza, Italy) and Federica (You In Europe association, Nea Moudania, Greece) brought together to write this proposal with main topic the Middle East Conflict and the Refugee Crisis.

The main objectives of the project were:

Raise awareness around the issue of the refugees crisis and how the migration flows from 2015 until today affected the nowadays policy making and decisions all around Europe, and not only;
Give the participants the means to gain information about it, understanding the causes that stand behind this crisis and
become more conscious about these world-wide phenomena.
Fight against prejudice and xenophobia, and ultimately against euro-scepticism.
Improve key competences and skills, support recognition of non-formal and informal learning, create awareness of diversity and encourage the participants to take part in more Erasmus+ projects.

SE.M.I association hosted in Faenza 25 young participant coming from different countries, cultural, social and economical backgrounds, all interested on the theme of the project and they actively participated to all the proposed activities. Through this experience gained not only more information about the topics of the mobility project, but also a series of competences (8key competences) based on the life long learning circle and the principles of the non formal education.

THE PARTNERS

SE.M.I. – Seeds for More Interculture APS – Italy – www.associazionesemi.org

Stating that we are all equal in creativity, SE.M.I. aims to integrate young Italians and foreigners in the local community and also to provide youngsters with the possibility to live in a rich intercultural and creative environment where to exchange opinions and develop new ideas.

SYTEV- Slovakia- https://www.facebook.com/SYTEV/

The aim of the organization is support and development of activities on the local, national and
international level in the area of non-formal education, using free time, cultural-social and
volunteering practice for public, making communities and networks of youth and also focusing on
needs and requirements of people and their engagement to public life.

You In Europe- Greece- https://youineurope.gr/

“You in Europe” is a NGO based in Greece.

In the first place…
Because, “You in Europe” is a space for everyone who loves living through learning… and vice versa.

In fact, “You in Europe” is the formalization of the idea that each of us has the opportunity to involve in the society in a prosperous way, and foster social cohesion through personal development.

Building Bridges Cultural Association- Spain- http://www.yeseuropa.org

Building Bridges Cultural Association was founded in 2008 to promote a spirit and community integration
and to foster European culture awareness among the youth. Building Bridges is presented at local level
as a tool to assist and support the implementation of non formal education courses and improving
knowledge of European labour system practices.

MTÜ Noored Ühiskonna Heaks- Estonia- www.nyh.ee

Youth for Society (YfS) is a non-governmental organization, which unites people of different age, social class, nation and interest who have the same goal: make the world of 21st century a bit better and friendlier to its inhabitants. The main activities can be divided into four big groups: education, democracy, ecology and culture.

ACTIVITIES