Description
The project addresses xenophobia and hate speech. The ‘Borderland People’ involve social animation (rap workshops, journalism, collecting stories) and anti-discrimination activities (raising awareness of manifestations of discrimination and hate speech) dedicated to young people in three eastern borderland communities of Krynki, Michałowo and Dołhobyczów. Immersed in the realities of Poland’s eastern border (proximity of border, multicultural history, growing xenophobia), the project will identify a group of young local leaders (about 15 individuals in each location), equip them with creative and anti-discrimination knowledge and skills and motivate them to take individual action. As a result, a diversity of grass-root creative and animation activities will be organised involving the entire local community (e.g. city games). The project is implemented in partnership with local community centres which will provide premises and local expertise.
Summary of project results
"The frontier communities of Krynki, Michałów and Dołhobyczów are inhabited by ethically diverse population of Poles, Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians and a religious diversity of Catholics, Christian Orthodox and Muslims. Each community recently saw neo-Nazi incidents, including abusive graffiti and commentd, physical violence, cemetery and synagogue vandalism. All these were recorded in numerous publications. Children and youth follow the stereotypes and become prejudiced against their neighbours. Local institutions failed to offer initiatives for a broad spectrum of groups in the community, especially young people. Cultivating tradition and the local folklore appears to be the major focus instead of channelling attention to the contemporary culture that clearly points to the benefits of cultural diversity and to social integration that would reduce hate speech and hate crime. The aim of the project was to prepare young people for getting involved in activities that promote tolerance and respect for cultural diversity and to strengthen local cultural institutions in their combatting xenophobia and intolerance. In each community, 43 individuals aged 12-18 of the Catholic, Christian Orthodox and Muslim background were trained on the use of culture animation tools and project-based work to equip them with the right skills to implement community art projects that promote anti-discrimination and local cultural diversity. Project participants attended creative and anti-discrimination workshops. Anti-discrimination workshops were delivered to 300 students in local secondary schools. Three city games were organised; Young Culture Animator Congress was held for project youth. Young people completed 16 mini-projects that promoted tolerance and cultural diversity of their local communities. Project participants included young people aged 12-18 in three communities: Krynki, Michałów and Dołhobyczów. The beneficiaries also included Local Culture Centre, schools and NGOs. The Association used the partners' facilities for organising meetings and completing individual projects."
Summary of bilateral results