Depolarization Activism for Resilient Europe

In recent years we noticed growing polarization in Europe and have become increasingly concerned about the fact that it tears communities apart and prevents people from coming together in order to...

The 'DARE - Depolarization Activism for Resilient Europe' project was a strategic partnership aimed at creating innovative educational materials for both formal and non-formal civic education, applicable in online and face-to-face contexts. These materials aimed to inspire civic engagement and activism among young people, addressing issues such as radicalization, exclusion, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and discrimination that undermined European values. The project's objectives were: a) To develop original blended-learning educational materials promoting depolarization, fostering youth civic engagement, supporting European values, enhancing critical thinking, and strengthening youth resilience in times of crisis. b) To empower teachers, educators, and youth workers by providing materials enabling them to address complex contemporary topics using pedagogically innovative methods. Our goal was to provide educators with the means and confidence to address these difficult challenges as well as remind youth that their thought and participation are not only welcome but of paramount importance for the health of European democracy.

The implementation of the 'DARE - Depolarization Activism for Resilient Europe' project involved several key activities: a) Four (4) transnational project meetings were carried out, each hosted in one of the partner organization's countries. First introductory meeting, hosted by the project beneficiary Hrvatska edukacijska i razvojna mreža za evoluciju sporazumijevanja - HERMES, took place in Zagreb (Croatia). Project meeting lasted from January 27th to January 30th. Two working days were devoted to detailed planning of project management, timeline and communication, also brainstorming about the topics of educational materials each partner organisation should create. Second meeting took place in Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina) where a detailed timeline and work division on intellectual outputs creation was finalized (methodological guidelines, educational materials, videos). An important part of the meeting was defining the procururement criteria for animators and translators. Third meeting took place in Belgrade (Serbia). The meeting’s focus was on the fine-tuning and final edits of the materials, enhancement of inclusion and multiperspectivity elements, cross-national and intercultural adaptations. The last Transnational project meeting took place in Berlin from February 28 until March 3, 2023. The meeting was focused on the multiplier events and additional dissemination planning. b) The creation of educational materials in 6 project languages: Ten (10) DARE to Care Activist Interview Feature Videos with accompanying lesson plans; Ten (10) Modern Challenges Animated Videos with accompanying lesson plans; European Values timeline cards set with accompanying lesson plan; Radicalisation Awareness Training materials; Healthy Conflict & Constructive Dialogue Classroom - Educators' Guide to Depolarisation c) In-person and online multiplier events were held in each partner country, engaging over 300 teachers and educators in the dissemination process. d) The project has successfully established a website that consolidates all the educational materials developed throughout its duration. This digital platform serves as a comprehensive repository, facilitating seamless access and dissemination of the project's outcomes.

The outputs and results of DARE project are the following: 1) The “Healthy Conflict & Constructive Dialogue Classroom - Educators' Guide to Depolarisation” was created. The purpose of this manual is to build educators’ and youth workers' skills in the domain of addressing and successfully engaging with polarizing topics. The Guide consist of a theoretical section, explaining the phenomenon of polarisation from a sociological and psychological perspective, as well as activities and exercises that build skills in depolarization of communication, empathy and a willingness to engage with people who hold diverse perspectives. 2) Each partner organization created two (2) “DARE to care” feature interview videos, each highlighting a different young activist that provides a positive relatable example of civic engagement. The videos are applicable in classrooms throughout Europe due to the universal nature of the topics they cover. The following videos are created: Animal welfare - created by HERMES Historical human rights education - created by HERMES Cyberbullying - created by Kreisau Initiative e. V. International Youth Exchanges - created by Kreisau Initiative e. V. Entrepreneurship & Self-employment - created by Mreža Zapadnog Balkana Civic engagement - created by Mreža Zapadnog Balkana Debate education - created by Otvorena Komunikacija LGBTQIA+ rights - created by Otvorena Komunikacija Interreligious dialogue - created by Transform Social cohesion - created by Transform 3) Each project partner created scripts for 2 key-themed short animated educational videos, together with accompanying lesson plans. The animated videos frame concrete modern challenges in our society. Each partner organization concentrated on topics that they had experience with while also taking into account the nuances of their own country context. Nevertheless, all the addressed topics remain applicable to the other countries represented by the partner organizations due to their universal nature. The following animated videos were created: - Polarisation - created by HERMES - Nationalism - created by HERMES - Where are you from? - created by Kreisau Initiative e. V. - Nationalism - created by Kreisau Initiative e. V. - Peace building & Active Citizenship (Chocolate riots) - created by Mreža Zapadnog Balkana - Emigration - created by Mreža Zapadnog Balkana - Pollution - created by Otvorena Komunikacija - Mental health - created by Otvorena Komunikacija - Radicalisation - created by Transform - Violent extremism - created by Transform 4) The European Values Card Set consists of a mix of European Union history, events, notable individuals, culture, institutions and events, accompanied by contemporary dilemmas and questions about the role and importance of European values in our societies. They provide an interactive teaching tool for educators that allows them to introduce the very important but often neglected topic of European Values. 5) The Radicalisation Awareness training is a training program for teachers, youth workers and educators on the topic of radicalisation. The training program is based on knowledge sharing with the aim of providing educators with information that helps them understand the process of radicalisation (both online and offline), identify groups at risk, recognise the signs of radicalisation, and learn about inspiring practices for prevention and intervention. 6) Project website: https://depolarisation.eu