Cultural Crossroads Erasmus Project

Project Title

Cultural Crossroads

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 : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Ethics, religion and philosophy (incl. Inter-religious dialogue); Integration of refugees; Migrants’ issues

Project Summary

As consequence of “migration crisis” in Europe was emerging a relevant issue in working with adults citizens, referred to stereotypes and false perception of immigrants and refugees.
The migration issues have common points in several EU countries interested by migration crisis/terroristic attacks: the transferability of the tools and methodologies used to define the model, together with the transferability of the same model – subject to verification of its adaptability – to other EU countries that have the same peculiarities that is, a considerable number of immigrants of Muslim religion and increasing phenomena of intolerance by local communities in their regard. Moreover, the pandemic caused a growing stigmatization of Asians and other ethnic groups all over the world (Noel 2020).
The intercultural dimension of living is an issue to be addressed at least at European level, especially for those countries more interested by migrations and who are facing local movements based on discrimination behaviors.
While the refugee and migrant crisis is an existential problem for Europe, it is also a huge opportunity. The way it is handled will critically impact not only the future direction of Europe, but also its identity — the European ethos — economics, demographics and indeed culture.

Cultural Crossroads project has been focused on 1) preventing and combating xenophobia and anti-migrant hatred, through activities creating better understanding between communities, including interreligious and intercultural activities, 2) developing capacity building of educators and professionals, 3) and building in-community coalitions.
Objectives of the project were:
i) implement knowledge and develop skills from trainers, educators, professionals, civil society organizations and targeted communities in relation to phenomena of discrimination and other forms of intolerance such as Islamophobia;
ii) transfer and adapt to different national contexts instruments, measures and educational activities that are effective in dealing with racism and other forms of intolerance
iii) implement integration strategies that, in addition to structural elements such as home, schools, work and training, take into account cultural and religious variables.

Main target groups of the project have been:
– Multi-sector Operators: social workers, intercultural mediators, educators, psychologists, sociologists, intercultural and interreligious operators
– direct beneficiaries as immigrants and refugees and people in the hosting countries,
– regional stakeholders: representatives of local, immigrants and cultural communities, educators and trainers, local / regional / national authorities.

Starting with Research and Surveying, the project results have been:
1) set cooperation networks to implement knowledge and develop skills from public authorities, professionals, civil society organizations and targeted communities in relation to phenomena of discrimination and other forms of intolerance such as Islamophobia
2) designed, tested and validated a Cultural Crossroads Model, as a toolkit that provides guidelines, materials and activities suggestions for the implementation of intercultural activities aimed at promoting meeting, discussion, stereotypes’ prevention referring to mixed users – immigrants/refugees and local citizens -, through flexible activities in the fields of arts, music, food, sport, active citizenship and communities’ activation/organization.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 202624,52 Eur

Project Coordinator

Consorzio Social Lab Società Cooperativa Sociale & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Associazione Novissi Onlus
• FUNDACION DE LA COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA DEL PACTO PARA EL EMPLEO EN LA CIUDAD DE VALENCIA
• Adiyaman Milli Egitim Mudurlugu
• G.G. EUROSUCCESS CONSULTING LIMITED
• Stichting Kenniscentrum Pro Work
• EYROPAIKO INSTITOYTO TOPIKHS ANAPTYKSHS