Migration and xenophobia in our time – A challenge for the European democracies. Erasmus Project

Project Title

Migration and xenophobia in our time – A challenge for the European democracies.

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; Migrants’ issues; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

During 2015 a large refugee stream started in and through Europe. In 2016, the number of refugees culminated in Europe. The refugee stream has affected us in several ways. The arrival of refugees at our schools has caused the size of classes to grow, more staff has been needed, language advocacy problems and cultural clashes have occurred. As a consequence of the influx of refugees to our schools, we have noticed an increase in prejudice and xenophobic tendencies. This is not an isolated phenomenon in our schools and in our neighborhoods but also applies at national as well as international level. The increase in xenophobic tendencies and the return of nationalism in every country in Europe is going to be a big problem, not only for us in the local communities, but also in Europe as a whole. If we are to solve the problem of xenophobia, racism and increased negative nationalism, we must start locally in our schools and work actively to ensure that our young people do not get caught up in a development that we definitely do not want in Europe.

The main objective of the project is to reduce xenophobia in our respective societies and countries, counteract hatred and promote empathy and tolerance among our students and their parents, as well as teachers and other staff in our schools.

A total of five partners are involved in the project; schools based in Sweden, Germany, Italy, Greece and Turkey. The partners were selected on the basis of them all being, in different ways, affected by the migration flow into and through Europe.

All activities of the project; lessons, seminars, lectures, study visits and workshops all have one thing common goal, to reduce xenophobia in our respective societies and, in the long run, also throughout Europe. As our pupils, teachers and parents get knowledge and share their experiences, their own and other people’s prejudices will be reduced, and in the long term, the understanding that all humans have an equal worth and contribute in different ways to develop our common societies will take hold and get spread. The activities will spread the knowledge that, in the long run, migration always means something positive and developing for the recipient countries.

The results envisaged are reduced prejudice, xenophobia and racism, based on increased awareness, knowledge and a systematic work, in schools and communities, for tolerance, inclusion and open-mindedness, countering xenophobic tendencies and antipathy toward migrants and refugees.
Through the creation of a joint action plan to facilitate an effective reception of immigrant pupils and counter xenophobia and racism we can quality assure the projects objective by giving each of the partner schools a long term structure of working with these issues. Xenophobia occurring is inevitable, with this plan in place at our schools we have a way of attacking the problem as it occurs and a method of countering it that will benefit and facilitate the schools work and it’s staff and pupils for the foreseeable future.

Project Website

https://maxerasmusplus.wordpress.com/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 54151,7 Eur

Project Coordinator

Bollebygdskolan Bollebygds kommun & Country: SE

Project Partners

• Peutinger Gymnasium, Ellwangen
• Gebze Sarkuysan Anadolu Lisesi
• 1st General Lyceum of Patras
• Liceo Classico, Linguistico e delle Scienze Umane B.R. Motzo