On Saturday November 25th, 2023, the virtual Training Course “Promoting Intercultural Dialogue Online Among Youth” was held in the scope of the FREE TO BE project. Youth workers from Italy, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Albania, and Montenegro came together to improve their competences on how to promote intercultural dialogue online.
The general aim of the project is to prevent homophobic cyber-bullying among young people: a form of bullying that takes place over digital devices and platforms like mobile phones, computers, social media and tablets perpetrated against LGBTQI youth (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intrasexual).
The main objectives will be reached through the attainment of the following specific objectives:
1. Promotion of a respectful language used through digital devices and platforms referred to LGBTQI;
2. Spreading a respectful and appropriate language when referring to LGBTQI communities, particularly in the use of the internet and social media;
3. Creating a permanent network of youth associations and Youth Workers to promote prevention and raise awareness on the theme of homophobic cyberbullying.
The virtual training course went over a plethora of topics ranging from different methods using non-formal education in working with key concepts, team work and learning by experience working methods, and experiencing different situations and discussing on prevention. Being able to interact with other passionate youth workers from different cultural backgrounds enhanced our level of comfortable connections and open-mindedness toward the world.
Over the course of 8 hours, we:
1) Developed practical approaches to situations of discrimination and intolerance generated by cultural differences affecting young people;
2) Promoted Intercultural Dialogue among young people, youth leaders, youth workers and NGO representatives; and
3) Developed the target group’s capacities (skills, know-how, (re)actions) to deal with culture, tradition and diversity.
Quote: Inspiration and information provisions is the first step to changing perspective and actions.
Stay tuned as the next online workshop is coming soon! Details to be released.