The development and integration of intercultural dialogue among European cultures has always been fundamental to the creation and progress of the European Community. Enabling different European cultures to build networks and shared foundations that promote mutual understanding and interaction is essential to maintaining peace and a strong sense of European citizenship.

The youth exchange project “InterculturACT” involves 30 young people from France, Portugal, Denmark, Germany, and Italy, hosted in San Lazzaro di Savena (Bologna, Italy), in a project focused on integration and the promotion of diversity, intercultural and interreligious dialogue through the performing arts.

The project analyses and addresses social inclusion in the countries involved, focusing on ethnic minorities that are particularly affected by this phenomenon. Some of the young people involved in the project would not otherwise have access to similar experiences of travel, discovery, and learning. The nature of their fewer opportunities is mainly linked to their belonging to ethnic minorities, which unfortunately often exposes them to situations of social isolation, both direct and indirect. Data show that many of them do not even attempt to integrate with their peers living in the same area and tend instead to withdraw and isolate themselves. In some cases, this disadvantaged condition has its roots in unfavorable economic and geographical circumstances.

For this reason, the experience is important not only to rethink opportunities for travel and knowledge, but also the very concept of peaceful coexistence among such diverse cultures—an element that is vital today, considering the current historical context in Europe, starting from institutions such as schools.

Project objectives

By “project objectives,” as defined by the partnership, we mean:

• Engage high school students from the partnership territories in topics related to active European citizenship;

• Promote European mobility in schools in order to increase knowledge of European cultures and awareness of the values of citizenship;

• Promote intercultural dialogue through artistic practices and performances, and enhance the concept of culture as a source of richness;

• Involve young people in an active learning process in order to improve their transversal skills and cultural expression.

Above all, we aim to meet the EU’s need to improve teacher training and the internationalization of school education in the countries involved, through alternative methodologies, mainly based on non-formal education.

The project intends to promote the fundamental values of respect for human rights, including the rights of people belonging to minority cultures, thereby fostering pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, and equality. Young people and schools, empowered by these tools, will be more inclined to use non-formal methodologies for integration and social inclusion, to encourage experiences such as those lived during the project, and to ideally include European mobility programmes and alternative social experiences in their future personal and educational projects.