Promoting Social Inclusion Through National Traditions Erasmus Project

Project Title

Promoting Social Inclusion Through National Traditions

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Partnerships for Creativity

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Creativity and culture; Access for disadvantaged; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

In our day the concept of national identity has taken on a different relevance, compared to the first decades of the last century. Fortunately, the concept of nationalism as idolatry of the country has been replaced by the concept of national identity, as a set of cultures and traditions that represent our identity.
The knowledge of these traditions often helps us to be even better citizens because it roots us in our territory and pushes us to commit ourselves to it, transmitting a sense of belonging and love for our traditions.
At first, the opening of borders and the entry of many other countries into the EU has generated a considerable benefit, because it has allowed us to travel and get in touch directly with other cultures, creating a new generation of people: the Europeans!
At the same time, however, we did not dedicate resources and time to preserve our peculiarities, forgetting that the motto of the EU is: United in diversity Several questions are asked in this context, among which:
– What is the content of the national identity?
– What is the European identity?
– What are the relations between the two identities?
To try to answer these questions we decided to select an element of our traditions that we think we have in common, structuring it as if it were a passe-partout: the folk dances
We chosed this art also because it makes it easier to attract a widen general public in numerous public events and because through music and dance people can more easily understand that cultural differences unite us in Europe.
To achieve our intent we thought that each partner will build or will involve a dance group who will teach two traditonal dances at the other groups. Furthermore in order to have a diversity of folk arts involved in the project, at each transnational meeting we will have besides the dances and the presentation of the representative traditions of the host countries (workshops). Thus, in Portugal – “Gigantone” workshops (traditional percussion instrument), in Germany we will do woodcut, in Turkey we will do a pottery workshop and in France Wickerwork workshop.

The objectives of our project as follows:
O1: Establishment of 4 sets of European folk dance, each with at least 10 participants (one for each country involved in the project);
O2: learning by each national group at least two popular dances from other participating countries;
O3: at least 4 traditional art workshops (one for each international meeting);
O4: at least 4 public event (demonstration) organization from each participating country (one demonstration with at least 100 people for each transnational meeting), “Night of European cultures”.

Actually we will have
– preparatory visit to Germany to organize project activities;
– 4 international meetings in Portugal. Each country involved in the project will attend transnational meetings from other countries with 10 dancers (including one trainer).
During these meetings, participants from the host country will teach the guests at least two local folk dances. Rehearsals for the dance will take place in the morning and traditional art workshops will be allocated in the afternoon.

During the transnational meetings, we will have at least one activity in the rural areas of each country, in collaboration with local authorities in the relevant municipalities.
At the end of each meeting, a traditional dance show will be held for the widest possible audience (“Night of European Cultures”). Each national group will have at least 30 minutes of performance. Events will be held in public areas or in any person’s rooms with free and free access, with the participation of local authorities. Project activities will provide opportunities for institutionalized links between local governments in the 4 cities involved, including the level of twinning between cities.
During the transnational meetings, meetings will also be held with the authorities in the host city to continue the project activities and

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 162450 Eur

Project Coordinator

Pamoja Afrika e.V. & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Bilgi ve Beceri Dernegi
• ASSOCIATION ADIF
• ASSOCIACAO INTERCULTURAL AMIGOS DA MOBILIDADE