Honlap címe
The aim of our project "Intercultural whirlabout" is to establish and strengthen the relationship between Roma and nonRoma young people in four countries (Macedonia, Poland , Romania and Hungary), to start intercultural dialogue among young people, to raise awareness of minorities and Roma in particular. Through this, the aim is to reduce the prejudices and discriminatory attitudes towards the Roma and, in principle, the disadvantaged, from the majority society, by means of culture. Furthermore, for the disadvantaged youngsters belonging to the project's target group, it is also urgent to understand and realize their rights because they are exposed to racist and discriminative behaviours daily. We see and experience that prejudices come from the lack of acceptance of cultural diversity, the lack of understanding of the culture of the Gypsies.
Asociatia De Tinerte Plantogetheris currently implementing its project "Treasures and Values", in frame of which it collects local Roma cultural values with young people in 9 settlements of the Cristuru-Secuiesc district and nurtures Roma traditions with the widest possible involvement of the population. The aim of this program is to introduce the Roma culture described above to the majority society, in which we emphasize the sensitization of the majority society towards the Roma by presenting the culture. The program is continuously attended by 10 young people from all settlements, whose goal and task is to preserve Roma values and further enrich the local vaults.
The project idea comes from young people participating in our current program, who want to learn and get to know the culture and cultural values of other countries, by raising the knowledge gained in that program to international level , with an emphasis on the values of Gypsies. Outlining this need and idea to potential partners, they and the young people in their vision also supported it. The idea was then further developed, supplemented by several proposals. The basic aim of the program is to help bridge the gap between minority and majority societies, increase acceptance and thus in the long run promote the integration of the Roma through the preservation and nurturing of Roma culture and traditions. We plan a program and activities that bring Roma culture to young people closer and thus contribute to reduce prejudices. In order to preserve and pass on the traditions, the program includes value-creating elements that provide the target group with opportunities for development in the field of social responsibility and solidarity, while encouraging the participants to engage in community activity.
Our aim is to strengthen community awareness, community cohesion, which we want to strengthen in young people through group activities. In this way, we contribute to the awareness that together we are able to change the situation of our own environment and community in a positive direction, and with a better understanding of each other, to break down the factors that hinder it. Through joint activities, we contribute to the strengthening of the community, the strengthening of its mutually supportive role and thus the making of settlements more attractive and livable.
Thus, the aim of the exchange program is to get to know the culture of the Roma in several ways by involving young people from several countries, to do joint creative work, to expand young people's knowledge through culture, and to start common thinking on topics that affect and interest young people. We expect young people to acquire the skills to serve their own interests on the one hand and their community on the other, and to contribute in the long term to strengthening the community of young people living in their settlements, preserving their cultural identity and eliminating differences between majority and minority societies. A process will be launched in which young people will take an active role and which will contribute to peaceful coexistence. In addition, we want to reach that the majority society pays bigger attention to this target group and disadvantaged sections of the society. It should be accepted that our society is diverse, we have to live with. In addition, young people will take a much more effective and long-term interest in preserving local values and nurturing traditions.
Cultural diversity and cultural whirlabout will take place during the program, since Roma and non-Roma young people will learn from each other and gain knowledge, while sharing their experiences from the cultural aspects of four countries. Our program is related to the Erasmus + program. The topic itself, the culture, creativity is one of the priorities of the program and it is associated with the fact that young people want to work with community development in favor of catching up the lagging settlements, which projects social activity and mobility.
