Description
Project Misery in Slovakia / with experiences boost awareness of teenagers to vulnerable group of Gipsies and remove discriminatory and racial behavior / is needed because right now in Slovakia neofascist political parties are gaining ground. Project targets teenagers in regions of Banska Bystrica and Nitra, especially since Marian Kotleba, leader of right-wing extremist party ĽS Naše Slovensko, was elected governor of the region of Banska Bystrica. Project aims to raise young people's awareness about politically and socially relevant issues and to eliminate racial hatred through arts. Thanks to the artistic activities (performance of the play "Krajina nepokosených lúk" followed by workshops on literature, theatre and visual art), discussions with experts from theatre and from non profit organizations, around one thousand teenagers will learn how to assess the veracity of information on the basis of the source, to formulate their views, to contribute to the continuous renewal of liberty in a democratic state.
Summary of project results
All planned activities and their results were completely fulfilled in the project Misery in Slovakia. Partial results as well as the main mission of the project will continue in 2016. The artistic works created during the project will be exhibited in at least 6 galleries or culture centres in Slovakia. A catalogue and a bulletin of the project Misery in Slovakia will be parts of exhibitions. The realisation of the project Misery in Slovakia in 2015 will be presented during the opening exhibition. Theatre Pôtoň will continue in realising educational projects for secondary students and keep working with experts who participated in discussions. Starting points of the project as formulated in 2014 (mainly the results of the students´ Euro-election, when the students would send M. Kotleba from the ĽS NS / People´s Party Our Slovakia to the European Parliament) intensified because of the escalating conflict connected to the migration wave hitting Europe in 2015. From this point of view the project Misery in Slovakia was definitely an asset because its ambition was to lower the tension, extremist and xenophobic moods among the secondary students who often have misrepresented information and easily take simplified opinions or solutions. Most of the participating students discussed the topics in such a wider spectrum of opinions for the first time. In an anonymous inquiry 84% of students and teachers claimed to gain new information about the topic which we consider a positive result. This fact offers an assumption that the students were affected by activities and they can benefit from the experience in the future. Nevertheless, it is important to constantly shape their critical thinking, ask questions and lead them in historical as well as social questions. It is evident that giving knowledge and experience fails on the side of teachers and parents. A special activity was prepared to sensitize young people and show them positive models from given milieu: a living library, an experience of two guests – Roma people who told the students about their personal and intimate experience.
Summary of bilateral results