How to fight and forestall extremism

The European Union is a homeland of Democracy, Human Rights, Tolerance, and Understanding. As a success shared with all the world Europe respects the rights of persons belonging to minorities, their freedom, and human dignity. Although it is becoming more and more noticeable the fact that recent years we often hear calls for extremism and xenophobia. This happens simultaneously with the flow of refugees from Southern and Eastern borders to Europe. While several countries and societies organize to host refugees, who left everything in their motherlands, EU residents witness also calls for extremist actions by marginalized political powers. Being concerned with extremist movements in Europe, rising xenophobia, and Islamophobia among European youth, we consider it highly important to gather active young people, youth workers, and activists to discuss questions of multicultural society, inter-religious and intercultural dialogue as well as to think about possible solutions leading to tolerance, integration, and multiculturalism. The training course "How to fight and forestall extremism" will take place in Oivanki village, North-Finland and will involve 25 youth workers from 6 Programme Countries. During the Training course, we will look deeper into the issues of extremism, migration, discrimination, nationalism, intolerance and intercultural misunderstandings. The Training Course will support young people and active youth workers to learn about the ways of living together, accepting differences and fighting together against extremism and xenophobia in these turbulent times. Our aim is to empower youth workers and youth leaders with skills, knowledge, and attitudes to play an active role towards an intercultural society. Our objectives are the following: - To re-explore the key concepts, such as stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination, extremism, intolerance and their transformation in European reality - To analyze what are the main reasons for the rise of Extremism in different European countries - To discover the right attitudes towards an intercultural society - To promote active citizenship, international dialogue and non-formal education - To analyze the European values and how they can be used in contrasting those phenomena. - To develop new projects promoting tolerance and multiculturalism The TC will foster the participants in the acquisition of learning outcomes necessary to fight and forestall extremism. The project will improve the participants professional development, their involvement as considerate and active citizens in society, raise participants' awareness and understanding of other cultures and countries, offering them the opportunity to build networks of international contacts.