With the objective of promoting among young Europeans the building of a more inclusive Europe in the context of the current migrant and refugee crisis unfolding in most EU countries, International Youth Cooperation managed the cultural exchange: “Migrants at our Doorstep: Crisis or Opportunity for Europe?”
The activity was a 7-day youth exchange between 50 youngsters, 18 to 25 years old, from six different countries: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Spain and Ireland. The youth exchange took place in Ennis, Ireland, from 24th to 30th July 2017, and among other activities, young people participated in workshops, discussion forums, debates and inter-cultural activities, all related to the theme of the project: the migrant crisis.
One of the objectives was to reconnect the youth with the issues we face in Europe. With guidance from expert practitioners in the field, the participants were able to propose and deliver positive outcomes by the end of the exchange, such as changes of attitude and prejudices among their peers, which they can now share at local, national and even international level.
Given the variety of nationalities involved in the project, there was a great sense of multicultural learning arising from it. A series of cross-cultural activities, with contributions from each of the partner organisations, helped to facilitate this learning.
