Newsletter Speak UP +

SPEAK UP+

21- 30 JUNE 2021 BANSKO, BULGARIA

INTRODUCTION

The project intends to raise awareness about the increasing number of people who are at risk of being radicalized. We do this by focusing on the various factors that could lead to this dangerous behaviour.

The exchange focuses on the various issues related to the security of Europe and the safety of young people. It highlights the importance of social inclusion for young people from deprived backgrounds.

We also draw attention to the role of hate speech and social media in providing

a

sense

of

belonging

and

meaning

to

youth,

who

are

often

excluded due to various reasons.

The project aims to have a deeper understanding of the concept of radicalization and how it started, what its effects are, and how media influences it. Also, to raise awareness on hate speech issue, being used as a tool to provoke extremists movements

ABOUT ERASMUS+ Erasmus+ implies 5 main points: 1. Education program 2. Training program 3. Youth program 4. Sport program 5. Age under 13

It was launched by the European Union in 2014, and it covers: tuition fee, living costs, traveling costs and health insurance.

The budget is estimated at 26.2 billion euro.

The program for the 2021/2027 period places a strong emphasis on social inclusion, green and digital transition and promoting the participation of young people in democratic life.

→ → →

Classification: KA1

learning mobility of individuals (i.e. training course +more)

KA2

cooperation among organizations and institution (i.e. Erasmus mundus action)

KA3

support to policy development and cooperation (i.e. European youth together) Non EU countries that can participate: Norway, Turkey, Liechtenstein, Iceland, North

Macedonia, Serbia.

2.ERASMUS MUNDUS

1.ERASMUS INTERNSHIP Gives

education on

an

→

students

in

higher

opportunity to take

internship

in

another

European country.

Specific

for

university

Masters degree level: have a degree or equivalent

Different

Duration:

depending

on the visiting country

Advantages: working

in

another

country,

new

of

European

language

from

skills,

practical training, experience the culture.

How to apply: > Consult your university website

12

to

at

periods

in

2

least

> Choose the country and the job

Erasmusintern.org

24

2

countries

(not home country) Scholarship:

you

receive

a

bursary (no more than 17.500

STEP

for

access of

the

programs

3:

review

description

the

of

the

Erasmus Mundus page STEP 4: visit the official

STEP

5:

collect

information

about

guidance EMA

6:

prepare

your

documentation

consult

the

Mundus

Association:

association)

2:

offered

STEP

60, 90,120 credits

seek

Erasmus

master's degree

euros per year)

To

the

page of the master

> Prepare your documentation > Choose a company

enter

Mundus website

STEP

Requirements: study

1:

catalog

months

experience

STEP official

students

From 2 to 12 months grants

How to apply:

→

(Erasmus alumni

STEP 7: apply online

3.EUROPEAN CORPS

SOLIDARITY

At least 5 people

> Transport

Volunteering program: Short term (max. 2 months) Long term (max. 12 months) Teams

(less

than

2

months

and min. of 10 volunteers)

>

Pocket

150

Accommodation with

other

days

per

month

(besides weekends). >

Working

is

you 2

hours

or

should

not

a

experience!

a

long

term

If

term

a

However, short

if

exceed 5 hours per day.

you

> No study requirements.

experience first, you can do a

> No paid work: no financial and

do

one.

long term afterwards.

organization responsabilities.

of

and refugees

and migrants

experience you can not do a short

Reception

integration

lifetime do

Topics: >

It

Holidays:

(shared

volunteers

platform

>

In your home country

European values

> Insurance (CIGNA)

Youth

From 18 to 30 years

to

From 2 to 12 months

> It is necessary to register on the European

80

host family)

> Age: from 18 to 30 years.

→

(from

> Food allowance >

Characteristics:

money

€)

flat

Portal.

Solidarity projects

Everything is covered:

term

>

Citizenship

and

democratic participation >

Disaster

prevention

and

recovery > Environment and natural protection > Health and wellbeing > Education and training >

Employment

and

entrepreneurship *Fun fact: Sapin is the European

traineeship and jobs:

Union's country with the highest

From 2 to 6 months

number of members signed up to

Full time job

the European Solidarity Corps.

Salary

> Creativity and culture >Sports

4.ERASMUS FOR YOUNG ENTREPENEURS Cross-border aspring

exange

program

entrepreneurs

the

that

chance

offers to

new

learn

or

from

experienced entrepreneurs who run small or mediums businesses in other participating countries.

5. YOUTH EXANGE Age: from 18 to 30 years (líderes with no limits).

Methods: non formal education.

Duration: from 5 to 21 days.

Countries: EU+ partners

It started running in 2009.

Participants

must

do

an

internship

and

What

is

covered:

collaborate for a period of 1 to 6 months.

accommodation,

There is no age limit.

reimbursement

Goal: connect new entrepreneurs that want to

distance band.

learn and host entrepreneurs that want to teach

Profile:

what

the specific topic.

they

do.

Creation

collaboration.

Financial support: 530 to 1100

of

a

project

in

young

Composition

€/month.

countries

and

travel, according

people

of

food,

the 5

to

the

interested

group:

on

min.

participants

2

per

country.

Why hosts should do it? It is an opportunity to receive

Certification YouthPass.

someone

Managed by the Youth organization

and

improve

language

skills,

get

contact networks and teach your skills.

How to apply?

→

Erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu.com

new

informal group, 4NGO.

6. MOBILITY OF YOUTH WORKERS Age: from 18+.

Methods: non formal education.

Duration: from 5 to 21 days.

Countries: EU+ partners What

is

covered:

food,

accommodation,

travel,

reimbursement according to the distance band.

Profile: youth leaders, social workers, volunteers, NGO's members…

Certification YouthPass.

Managed

by

the

Youth

organization

informal

group, 4NGO. Why:to create new partnerships between NGO's, improve working methods, share own knogledges…

SPEAK UP+: RADICALISATION, HATE SPEECH AND EXTREMISM

Freedom of expression refers to the right to express beliefs and interests openly.

However, it becomes a concern when freedom of expression is used to advocate or use violence to achieve a political, religious, or ideological goal.

Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies. They can be from a diverse range of ethnic, national, political, and religious groups. As the person radicalises, they may begin to seek to change society or government significantly. If fear, violence, or terror are used to achieve their aims, this is violent extremism.

Whilst the radicalisation process is unique to each person who undergoes it, risk factors that lead to the radicalisation of youth are important to consider so that they may be effectively

detected

and

enable

government,

organisations,

or

society

preventionist or interventionist strategies and offer necessary support.

to

implement

Hate speech can consist of comments, images and symbols that generate hostilities, motivated by prejudice towards a person or group, on the basis of who they are.

Exposure to hate speech can be direct, however it is increasingly witnessed online, through social media platforms and even gaming sites. Children already growing up in a vulnerable, stressed environment will be more impacted by the stress they are also exposed to long-term online.

Communities play a vital role in assisting people to move away from violent extremism and intervening to stop acts of violence before they are committed.

DAILY ACTIVITIES SUMMARY

6/21/21

Once all the countries had arrived in Bansko, we started doing various activities to get to know each other better. We participated in games that helped us remember each other’s names.

6/22/21

We continued to get to know each other in the morning. During the day, we began to go through important topics such as radicalization and hate speech. We made mind maps and notes in groups and put the most important things on paper, which we then presented to the rest of the group. In the evening, we had a tour of the town in groups in the form of a treasure hunt to get to know each other and the town better. In the evening, we had a social night where we all spent time together and had a fun night.

6/23/21

In the morning, we went through various erasmus projects and what these projects involve and

to

whom

they

are

directed.

During

the

day,

we

went

through

other

funding

opportunities and also learnt how to and who can apply.

In the afternoon, we started going through important topics such as radicalization and anger speech and discussed them in small groups. We took notes and mind maps that were later presented to the rest of the group.

In

the

evening,

we

had

the

intercultural

night.

Each

country

brought

something

that

represented their own country, such as food and drink for others to taste. Each country also showed some kind of video of their own country or different traditions. In the late evening, everyone celebrated and listened to music from each country.

6/24/21

In the morning we talked a little more about youth radicalisation in groups. During the day we considered youth radicalisation within our own countries and gave presentations of them to everyone. In the afternoon we started planning the project outcomes to create the final video, testimonials, brochure and articles, allocating tasks to each individual.

6/25/25

In the morning, we tried to arrange which factors lead to and connect the next stage of radicalisation and extremism. This helped us to visualise how every step, no matter how minor, is interconnected and something that may seem minor, such as stereotypes, can have a snowball effect. In the afternoon, we discussed

radicalisation

and

the

factors

that

influence

this.

We

then

engaged

in

an

activity

that

considered the roots/reasons and effects of hate speech, youth radicalisation and extremism through the visualisation of a tree. This was presented to the group to demonstrate the similarities in the root causes of the topic and where prevention can be implemented.

6/26/2021

Trip day to Rila Monastery and Blagoevgrad: we visited the old convent and cave. Afterwards, we went to town to try local food and visit the shops.

6/27/21

In the morning, we went through a radical hold again in groups. From the afternoon we continued our projects and they started to be completed at a good pace. In the evening there was a free evening again and we went on an excursion to the woods and then we came to spend the evening at the hotel.

6/28/21

In the morning we did plays on different subjects and then the group had to fix the situations. In the evening we finished all the projects to finish after which we had a BBQ night and everyone had a good evening

PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCES 1. Samuel (SPAIN) “NECESSARY” I’m learning a lot from other cultures, practicing English as well as sharing time, space, experiences and knowledge with a big group for first time in my life which is teaching me so much.

The main things we’re learning here are the different necessary human rights movements and also, we can debate to see others points of view, how do they see those realities from their different countries and cultures which is really interesting.

I strongly recommend to youth people live this experience not only for practicing English but learning many tools that will be useful not only here also in your daily life

2.Naroa (SPAIN) “OPEN YOUR EYES” You

don’t

only

learn

about

from

the

project

topic,

also

a

lot

from

your

partners

life

experiences.

Learning and realizing about another cultures, things what you may think there were happening in the same way in fact may be really different despite the fact that we are “neighbors” countries.

I will recommend to young people live this opportunity because it opens your eyes, you go out of your comfort zone and you encourage to open yourself and share in different language.

3.Teodora (ROMANIA) “CURIOUS” I found many information that I didn’t know before and I didn’t use, like the experiences of other people regarding to hate speech and discrimination, definitions and so on.

I

also

met

people

from

other

cultures

that

I

haven’t

met

before

and

I

hadn’t

had

experienced with. I also met people that their cultures and shared geography’s experiences which were unknown for me and I have really enjoyed it so much.

I definitely recommend experience it.

4.Dimitri (ROMANIA) First experience in Bulgaria and I don’t regret it at all. I love that here, in Bansko, I’ve met so many open people and their unique experiences life stories. From the first days we made a strong relationship by sharing all our stories. I think I’ve learned many things here about real issues in our world and how to prevent them. For sure I’ll come back to Bulgaria and Bansko for future projects. I recommend to live this experience almost once in life.

5.Ferdinando (ITALY) “CHALLENGING” I’ve realized in this project, even more, how much is challenging and amazing take part in these kind of opportunities even if is not the first experience. That’s because meeting new people makes everything different and new, giving always a new perspective regarding our role in the society and what we could do to improve ourselves.

For sure is an experience that everybody should experience to realize about how powerful is.

6.Francesca (UK) “THOUGHT-PROVOKING” Learn something new about difficulties, understand the topics and receive new tools. It’s been really interesting and so insightful learning about other countries perspectives and also about hate speech and radicalization from different points of view.

The best part is meeting new people, make friends around Europe and grow together.

7.Hemma (UK) This project is incredibly eye opening and allows everyone to be themselves. We all shared ideas, langauge, food and experiences together. This was one of the best experiences of my life and I really encourage anybody who is interested to take this opportunity!

8.Ella (FINLAND) “WILD EXPERIENCE” There are so much information that we are learning here, I think is good and a great thing.

The definitions and realization about the different categories from the main topic.

The most important it’s been about hate speech and radicalization because I didn’t know almost anything about it when I came here but I actually know more. It’s also been really interesting learning about LGTBIQ+, it gave me different points of view about why it’s important to spread and share this information, for sure I know more than when I arrived.

If you want to grow, learn and know more things this is a great way and experience for that.

BANSKO

Bansko

is

a

town

southwestern

in

Bulgaria,

located at the foot of the Pirin

Mountains.

popular

ski

It

resort.

is

In

a

your

free time you can enjoy the forests, which are only a 5 minute

walk

away.

There

are lots of restaurants, bars, and nightlife.

We are accommodated in a hotel

that

from

the

The

hotel

amenities

is

a

short

centre

of

also such

as

walk town.

includes a

gym

swimming pool, tennis court and a games room.

KAZANLAK

PLOVDIV

SOFIA of

Plovdiv is the second largest

Kazanlak is the centre

Bulgaria and its largest city.

city in Bulgaria, Plovdiv has

of the ROSE VALLEY.

There

preserved extremely valuable

Sofia

is

the

are

capital

many

unique

places for walks. In Sofia you

monuments,

can see cultural places as:

impressive of which are the ROMAN

the

ODEON

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral,

colorful

Museum

AQUEDUCT,

the

Earth

and

,

People,

walla,

And many, many more.

THRACIAN

.

The

the

treasure

ANCIENT

you must visit.

of

THRACIAN

TOMB,

included the UNESCO

magnificent

list, and the MUSEUM

mosaic, the the

the

the fortress

remains

of

SETTLEMENTS.

OF THE ROSE. Nearby is the ancient city of Seuthopolis,

and

is

The treasure of Plovdiv is the

Valley

that

ANCIENT THEATER, that you

THRACIAN KINGS.

Plovdiv

THEATER,

and

the

The city has preserved

the

STADIUM,

Museum of sport,

of

most

must visit.

of

the the

THANKS EUROPE FOR THE ERASMUS+ PROJECTS!

SEE YOU SOON

THE END!