humanlibrary.edu Erasmus Project

Project Title

humanlibrary.edu

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 youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Open and distance learning; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

humanlibrary.edu has been an 18-month strategic cooperation developed by the Xeración (Spain) and LOS (Czech Republic) cultural associations. The objective of this cooperation has been the promotion of a novel and very effective methodology to raise awareness about the absurdity of many stereotypes and to promote a more inclusive society called Human Library. Thus, we have developed a series of 6 events in which, using the metaphor of a library, the public was invited to chat in a safe and intimate environment with people who suffer some kind of social stigma. In this way we seek to create channels of empathy between the people of Ferrol and Liberec, destroying stereotypes that, in too many cases, degenerate into discrimination. Three of the libraries had an added value thanks to the project as they had the participation of books and stories from the other partner country. Around 200 people (students, books, organizers and readers) participated in the set of human libraries organized within the framework of the project. On the other hand we have developed an online and free course that helps future HL organizers from all over Europe to become familiar with the principles of the methodology. The course has an important audiovisual component with around 30 minutes of videos that are complemented with various exercises and texts. It is available through the Udemy platform in three different languages ​​(English, Spanish and Czech). Finally, we have organized two public events in which we have presented both the methodology and the course to more than 40 representatives of social action entities in our respective environments. As a result of the project we highlight the creation of two local groups of 20 people each prepared to continue destroying stereotypes through subsequent HL, as well as the exchange of knowledge and good practices between both partners. That without forgetting the training tool that, in the form of an online course, will prepare HL organizers from all over the continent for an indefinite period of time. With all this work we have done our bit in achieving a more tolerant Europe.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 28350 Eur

Project Coordinator

XERACION ASOCIATION CULTURAL & Country: ES

Project Partners

• LOS-Liberecka obcanska spolecnost, z. s.