"<< Background >>The 'Anne Frank Youth Network - Remembrance & Action for Equal Rights' (hereafter: AFYN (RE)ACT) project is a cooperation partnership focused on strengthening, evolving and paving the way for the sustainability of Anne Frank Youth Network - a network whose purpose is to foster youth' sense of common values, civic engagement and participation, in Europe as well as beyond. As a growing global network built on volunteering and youth civic engagement, it is inspired by Anne Frank’s diary and her life story. All AFYN activities aim to raise awareness of the dangers of antisemitism, racism, discrimination and the importance of freedom, equal rights, and democracy. Through AFYN activities:— The wider youth public gets an opportunity to learn about the life and work of Anne Frank and the history of her time in an inspiring and meaningful way that connects with their own experiences (peer-education based traveling exhibitions; educational youth activities disseminated through Toolkit training seminars).— Young people active in the AFYN participate in workshops designed to build their skills and competencies that enable them to make a positive contribution to communities and societies. These skills and competencies are subsequently applied and further developed through the implementation of youth educational and awareness-raising follow-up actions in their local communities.There are currently a number of interconnected threats to common European values that are creating tensions and presenting challenges to European communities, countries, and continent. Such developments include the challenges associated with successfully integrating newcomers, growing nationalism, increasing polarisation and a questioning of European cohesion, identity and future. The need to address these tensions has been recognised in the Paris Declaration (2015), and the AFH has for many years taken up the challenge of promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and anti-discrimination through education.As the institution entrusted with the preservation of the place where Anne Frank went into hiding and wrote her diary during the Second World War, the AFH mission is to raise awareness of the dangers of antisemitism, racism and discrimination as well as the importance of freedom, equal rights and democracy. This is why we were particularly concerned when we witnessed a disturbing increase in antisemitic incidents all across Europe during the period leading up to the pandemic outbreak: ""France reported a 74 % increase in the number of offenses against Jews, and German police announced a 60 % rise in violent antisemitic attacks."" (The Atlantic, Feb. 2019). The resurgence of antisemitic scapegoating can be witnessed in the antisemitism present in Dutch soccer (‘’Jews to the Gas: the antisemitism shaming Dutch soccer’’, CNN, March 5, 2019), and the antisemitic newspaper sold at a kiosk in the Polish parliament (featuring the article advising ‘How to Recognize a Jew’, March 2019). In 2021, we are grappling with a year and a half-long pandemic whose protracted uncertainty is inflicting various harms and negative consequences, from economic ones to mental health repercussions. We spent most of this past period online – working and learning, interacting with our friends, colleagues and peers, and being subjected to an onslaught of (negative) news, some of which classifiable as conspiracy theories or disinformation. The pandemic and its ‘new vocabulary’ and imposed reality of social distancing, self-isolation, quarantines and general alienation from our old lives and habits have only amplified the problems and divisions in society that existed prior to its outbreak. Research indicates that youth have become disillusioned with democracy, and that their apathy and lack of participation is driven by this loss of faith in the system. AFYN is as an avenue for rekindling youth's sense of civic engagement, and for fostering positive personal agency.<< Objectives >>AFYN (RE)ACT project promotes active citizenship and youth civic engagement practices that strengthen European identity, democratic citizenship and European values in order to contribute to a more open, tolerant and inclusive European future.The AFYN (RE)ACT cooperation partnership's objectives are: a) Increasing knowledge and education about the Holocaust among young people, developing new forms of remembrance in the light of dwindling knowledge about the Holocaust and lack of engagement with issues related to it, as well as b) Improving skills of young people who have prior experience as peer educators by increasing their international competences turning youth members of the network into youth leaders. c) Developing innovative (digital, blended and face-to-face) educational materials, activities & tools that increase the capacity and engagement of youth, their schools and communities in prevention and educational and awareness-raising responses to various (modern) forms of antisemitism, xenophobia, racism, discrimination and other types of intolerance;d) Strengthening the quality and relevance of Anne Frank Youth Network and its activities throughout Europe, consolidating its past successes and paving the way for the evolution of its digital and blended-learning materials designed for fostering youth civic engagement, as well as its sustainability-oriented digital and structural infrastructure, including creation of a long-term comprehensive strategy.The partnership is meant to stimulate non-formal educational practices that will generate a critical learning space for a collaborative, inclusive, human rights centered, youth-led and action-oriented experiential education about the phenomenology of antisemitism, polarization, xenophobia, discrimination, exclusion, marginalization and disenfranchisement of various racial, sexual, ethnic and religious groups throughout Europe.<< Implementation >>The project's cooperation partnership will be realized through the following activities: A. TRANSNATIONAL PROJECT MEETINGS1. In “AFYN (RE)ACT Kick-Off Meeting”, the partners will formulate their cooperation fundamental guidelines and processes (communication, timeline, general frame for production of different project results, the utilization of each partner’s networks, project management, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance mechanisms). 2. In “AFYN (RE)ACT Materials Draft Review Meeting”, partners will conduct a peer review of the draft versions of produced project results to ensure the materials’ quality. 3. In “AFYN (RE)ACT Materials Finalization & Multipliers Events Planning Meeting”, partners will provide near-ready drafts of their project results, so this meeting’s focus will be on the fine-tuning and final edits of the materials, enhancement of inclusion and multiperspectivity elements, cross-national and intercultural adaptations. It is during this meeting that partners will also make clear plans for the dissemination of project results, especially drafting the plans and programs of different multiplier events andnpartner cooperation and participation therein. 4. In “AFYN (RE)ACT Project Evaluation & Sustainability Meeting”, following the conclusion of all the multiplier events, the partners will gather to compare the evaluation and dissemination results of the AFYN (RE)ACT project. They will also conduct introspective and reflective analyses of the cooperation partnership, explore opportunities for further cooperation, and outline AFYN (RE)ACT project's follow-up and sustainability action steps within each organization’s purview and networks. B) PRODUCTION OF PROJECT RESULTS, i.e. different sets of mutually-reinforcing and complementary materials that will strengthen and advance AFYN mission and activities through enhancing its digital, educational and structural infrastructure:1. AFYN website2. AFYN digital platform3. AFYN Digital Resources Collection4. AFYN Digital Engagement Strategy5. AFYN Toolkit 2.06. AFYN Activities Set for Civic Youth Engagement7. AFYN Follow-Up Activities Framework8. AFYN Outreach Guide9. AFYN Facilitators' Handbook10. AFYN International Youth Forum Organizers' Manual11. AFYN MERL Policies and Tools12. AFYN Safeguarding Standards13. AFYN Long-term Sustainability StrategyC) MULTIPLIER EVENTS & LEARNING ACTIVITIES:Multiplier events each bringing together 25 youths from 4 countries for 2-3 day project-results dissemination events:1. AFYN (RE)ACT NL Youth Forum '23 2. AFYN (RE)ACT PL Youth Forum '23 3. AFYN (RE)ACT CRO Youth Forum '23 Multiplier events taking place online, each bringing together 25 youths from various European countries for a full-day online training using project results:4. AFYN (RE)ACT Digital Forum - Digital Engagement 5. AFYN (RE)ACT Digital Forum - Historical Human Rights Education6. AFYN (RE)ACT Digital Forum - Civic Engagement7. AFYN International Youth Forum '24 (learning-teaching-training activity bringing 50 youths from 12 countries from throughout Europe for a 5-day training event)<< Results >>At YOUTH level:90 youths participating in multiplier events + 50 youths participating in the learning-training activity, as new AFYN members, will each organize an estimated 3 peer education follow-up activities. Making a very conservative low estimate that each such peer education activity will have 15 peers taking part, it is expected that project results (educational materials, tools) will reach...~6,300 youths. An additional 1,500 youths are expected to be reached through various digital engagement activities (digital multiplier events, social media campaigns, etc.) AFYN new members are expected to have:1.Improved knowledge about the Holocaust; 2.Increased awareness about the various forms in which antisemitism expresses itself in the modern society; 3.Increased resilience in addressing the issues of antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and other forms of intolerance such as hate speech; 4.Enhanced critical thinking and self-reliance skills when it comes to considering own personal responsibility in making a positive contribution to society, especially in the face of various dangers challenging peace, European values and cohesion; 5.Deeper understanding and higher levels of active citizenship and community involvement as evidenced through AFYN youth participation in volunteering, activism, social movements, public interest advocacy campaigns;6.Gained new competences and tools to counter and address manifestations of racism, antisemitism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance;7.Gained the necessary competences to collaborate with young peer educators around ‘understanding, respect and dialogue’ in school contexts;8.Learned how to mentor, collaborate with and support young people who launch social media campaigns/outreach educational activities; 9.Learned how to create and foster an ‘atmosphere of active dialogue and understanding’ in the schools;10. (youth participating in peer-education activities) - Increased inspiration by the youth positive role-modeling of active citizenship. This overall increased awareness and sensitivity towards the problems of antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance in society will be fostered in youth primarily through two modes: their direct involvement in their own educational process (where they will be co-designing their learning experiences, as well as taking charge in passing on knowledge to their peers) and the innovative approaches to Holocaust education.At PARTNER ORGANIZATION level:It is expected that each partner organization will have at least 3 new young people of those actively participating in the project becoming active members and/or interns/junior staff in these organizations. Owing to the emphasis on building both digital as well as structural infrastructure, as well as systematization and standardization of quality assurance mechanisms, it is expected that the partner organizations will improve their own youth work standards and practices in the course of AFYN (RE)ACT duration. They will have an enriched toolbox of innovative methods, approaches and pedagogies in addressing these complex issues through (non-formal) education as well as strengthened expertise in using webinars and social media as educational instruments.At ANNE FRANK YOUTH NETWORK level:The Anne Frank Youth Network overall, as result of this KA2 project, is expected to have1.A consolidated legacy of past successes, in the form of a.Newly created digital infrastructure;b.Updated educational materials and tools (revised and improved existing materials and tools + newly created educational tools and materials in historical human rights education and youth engagement domains);2.A strengthened partnership coalition, with a new model of sustainable functioning, enhanced througha.New digital infrastructure;b.Regional hubs activities;c.Newly created MERL mechanisms and tools.d.Long-term strategy"

<< Background >>The aim of the strategic partnership JustNow - A Toolbox for Teaching Human Rights: Blended-Learning Edition is the further development of methodical-didactic materials for (historical) human rights education with elements of the simulation game as well as the addition of methods of diversity learning for use in non-formal youth education. Since all partners are also networked with schools, the aim is also to use the materials across sectors that is why this project needs to be carried out transnationally. The partner organizations from Germany, Croatia, the Netherlands, and Poland have been working together for more than ten years as part of the Model International Criminal Court (MICC) project, which has been funded several times since 2009 by Youth in Action and later by Erasmus+ Programme. In the simulation game, young people simulate the final phases of historical cases before international criminal tribunals. Through intensive workshops on human rights, the historical background of the situations, and training in criminal law, an intensive and lasting learning experience is achieved. However, these youth encounters are designed for one week and take place in English. This makes access difficult or impossible for many young people due to language barriers or their economic situation, their school or training situation, or their residence status in the case of refugees.The JustNow 2.0. the learning platform is intended to further develop the MICC project but also prepare the learning content in other forms and formats for new target groups. It is intended to support youth workers and young peer educators in actively creating and using learning opportunities for (historical) human rights education. In order to make the abstract topic of human rights tangible for young people and to pick them up in their own real-life, there should be offers for different types of learners on the learning platform. There will be exercises and texts, blended learning concept, but also audiovisual content such as animated films, podcasts, timelines, with the help of which young people can acquire knowledge about human rights, diversity, basic democratic values, and the rule of law, independently or with the support of youth workers or educators. The aim is to enable young people through “JustNow 2.0.” to recognize human rights violations and to stand up for their protection. With the innovative approach of creating small-scale learning modules, youth education institutions receive a method box that enables them to carry out high-quality educational projects that are adapted to their needs and target groups.With JustNow 2.0., the project consortium reacts to the results of internal evaluations and wishes that have been formulated by the youth organizations and schools that have participated in MICC in the past and additionally throughout the experience made in implementing the JustNow project (in the period of 2017-2019), inputs and evaluation of the project. Learning materials are to be developed that are available online as open source so that they can be used more flexibly and by different target groups and require less prior knowledge to be used in work with young people. All materials will be further developed and translated into German, Arabic, Polish, Croatian, and English in order to overcome language barriers in their use and certain materials will be translated in other international languages to have a broader impact (based on the experience from JustNow project 2017-2019 - where the animation videos were translated into over 15 different languages as internal support of our partner network).<< Objectives >>The achievement of the project will be the resulting platform with learning materials that are freely accessible and can be downloaded free of charge. The materials can already be used by future instructors in the four advanced training courses. The target group of these events is youth work specialists, young peer educators, teachers, volunteers, and other interested parties such as scientists and journalists. The aim is to distribute the materials as widely as possible because many organizations are already active in the field of human rights education or history education. These organizations can be supported in creating synergy effects with the materials that are available free of charge. In addition, we will also promote the materials at future training courses and youth exchanges that are funded by Erasmus +. As expected, we will reach more people in the four participating countries, but assume that the method will also spread beyond online accessibility.The consortium expects an intensive exchange from the strategic partnership on the qualitative improvement of youth work with offers that are target group-oriented, diversityconscious, and contemporary. The partners want to supplement existing offers of (historical) human rights education and develop them for new target groups. The high-quality product that is to be created as part of the partnership will be the web-based learning platform “JustNow”, which will make learning materials, animated films, podcasts, timelines, and texts available for use and download free of charge. The same platform which is already created (JustNow project 2017-2019) will be furthermore developed with new intellectual outputs and content and later after the project ends, expanded by the partners. During the project implementation of the previous JustNow project 2017-2019, we engaged 212 multipliers from 25 European and MENA region countries, and additionally, we reached 5000 beneficiaries directly (example: workshop participants) and 6000 beneficiaries indirectly (example: unique website visitors and video viewers).Since the official end of the project, the JustNow materials reached additionally 2450 beneficiaries directly and over 24000 beneficiaries indirectly (Google Analytics for the JustNow website and Youtube views on animation movies). The JustNow animation movie about Migration was viewed over 20000 times on Youtube. Based on the statistics, JustNow materials are approximately used by 840 users every month since the platform is created, which shows the need for such learning platforms.Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in online education throughout Europe, we realized that we needed to enhance the JustNow 2.0. materials by creating blended learning adaptations of the existing content (primarily created for classroom-based/offline use), as well as address the complexity of Europe’s contemporary human rights challenges by developing educational content based on new themes.<< Implementation >>In six transnational meetings, the partners will compose and compile texts, learning materials, and videos mainly in English and translations in German, Croatian, Arabic, and Polish, which are available for download on the website of JustNow 2.0. All downloads are free of charge. Through multiplier events over 250 youth workers, teachers and peer-educators will be enabled to use the materials in their work contexts. At the end of the two-year project, symposiums will take place in one of these countries. These events will reach 100 people directly. As we offer the JustNow materials as OER we expect to reach 25000 people in two years. The high-quality product JustNow is especially aimed at youth to support them in creating and seizing learning opportunities. The openness of the simulation game approach allows self-determined participation. Through the innovative approach to create small learning modules, organizations active in the youth field receive a collection of materials that allow them to conduct high-quality educational programs that are the right fit for their needs and target groups.<< Results >>Creation of learning materials which will include the following content:- Pedagogical concept of (historical) human rights education in the MICC project: basics of non-formal education, use of the simulation method, learning from history, contemporary human rights education, learning from the dilemma, diversity-conscious learning;- Learning modules in the area of human rights of 45 minutes each, which can be used individually or as a series;- Practical manual for the application of the learning modules with information and recommendations on the target group, age of the young people, level of difficulty, dealing with language;- Good practice examples from other providers.Following education materials will be created and added into the JustNow Toolbox:a) 3 - New animation moviesb) 22 - New learning modulesc) 10 - Podcastsd) 4 - New timelinesAll currently available materials will be reviewed and edited as a blended-learning adaption.The new materials will cover the following topics:- Contemporary human rights issues (e.g. LGBTIQ rights, feminism)- Contemporary society issues (e.g. right-wing extremism, populism)- Media Education and Polarization (e.g. media literacy, countering disinformation, digital safeguarding)The concrete topics will be decided on by the project partners upon interviewing focus group teachers (from within the partners’ network), to determine which topics would be of most use and interest to them, to cover with their students.

The European Parliament elections in 2014 were very disappointing for everyone who values youth democratic participation. With remarkably low turnout for young people all over Europe (28 % across the EU, with significant variations between countries), this is indeed a democratic problem. The Erasmus Voting Assessment showed that Erasmus students were much more likely than their non-mobile peers to vote in the European Parliament elections 2014. Erasmus students, both those currently abroad and returned from a study abroad, experience Europe and its many different facets in a very personal way. During their exchange they engage with a different European culture, learn about their host country but also learn to understand the cultural and political limitations of their home country and society. Therefore they are a great source of inspiration and great ambassadors to mobilising other young people to engage and take part in the European elections. In order to improve the situation, two European umbrella organisations (Erasmus Student Network and Bringing Europeans Together Associations) and four of their member organisations in Belgium, Italy, Croatia and Romania have joined forces in this project. Erasmus in Action is a 14-month project aiming to increase the interest in and feeling of ownership of European-level democratic participation for young people in Europe. The objectives of the project are: - To use Erasmus students as ambassadors to inspire non-mobile young people to be interested in European-level democratic participation; - To inspire volunteers from the partner organisations, Erasmus students and, by extension, all young people to vote in the European Parliament elections 2019; - To increase the information available for young people about European-level decision-making. The project will run from September 2018 to October 2019 and include a research report which will be presented at a conference in Brussels, two trainings with 20 young volunteers each, production of campaign material and, most important of all, a campaign during the spring of 2019, leading up to the European Parliament elections in May. During this campaign, the networks of all partner organisations will be mobilised and 50 000 young people will be reached through workshops, EU simulations and social media.

<< Background >>The current pandemic situation and its consequences led us to develop an integrated, innovative approach in favor of social inclusion, diversity and European citizenship for professionals working with disadvantaged groups. Several researches have already shown that, society-wide, the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent governmental responses - social distancing and isolation - have severely affected our social worlds and sense of selves, with preoccupying effects on education, jobs, relationships. And while pandemics and responses affect whole populations, they do not affect all equally: most critically, it is the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of our societies who are likely to pay disproportionate costs. This includes people in insecure jobs, minorities and ethnic communities, NEETs, migrants, and refugees; women and children (as potential target of abusive behaviour) as well as older people. In their recent review Brooks et al (2020), found strong evidence of adverse consequences of isolation, including not only low mood and depression, but also increased suspicion, mistrust, stigmatisation, and disruption of social solidarity. This is where our CanDoCARDs project interveens. CanDo CARDs has been conceived with the aim of re-directing these groups towards the heart of social life through notions of EU citizenship and civic education. To do so and to avoid the pandemic to have a socially structured impact, we believe that educators in the social field (trainers, social workers, teachers, professionals working with NEETs, migrants etc.) need to be empowered with effective tools to become the drivers for positive change – they need to become CHANGE AGENTS (CAs). Our project seeks to empower CAs and allow them to play a role in avoiding the pandemic to have a socially structured impact. Change Agents will be equipped with tools that empower disadvantaged people with creative and innovative skills and competences which reinforce their resilience and increase their European awareness and civic engagement.<< Objectives >>Thanks to the CanDo CARDs project we wish to empower educators in the social field to become 'CHANGE AGENTS'. To do so, we believe that educators in the social field need to be empowered with effective tools to become the drivers for positive change. Change Agents will be equipped with tools that empower disadvantaged people with creative and innovative skills and competences which reinforce their resilience and increase their European awareness and civic engagement. These tools refer to creative methods and approaches for (1)learning democracy (2)intercultural competences (3)improvisation theatre (4)and debate education. The impact of creativity and non-formal education is of great importance in shaping inclusive societies and empowering change agents. Creative and emotional skills allow people to find new inventive resilience strategies, better cope with crisis situations and societal challenges as well as raise their critical thinking and active citizenship. It also allows people to act more effectively both individually and in a group, it encourages cohesion and the attainment of common goals without losing respect for one-another. Thanks to each partner's expertise, our learning setting will combine both cognitive and affective learning experiences by linking forms of non-formal, informal and formal education. CDC will be based on Pestalozzi’s theory of learning through hearth, head and hand, respectively represented by three specific educational methods: learning democracy, debate education, and intercultural/interreligious methods and impro theatre.<< Implementation >>The CanDo CARDs project is an ambitious and complex project with four concrete intellectual outputs generated by the close cooperation and integrated working between diverse partners and stakeholders from 5 countries. The projects activities are directly connected to the results to be achieved during the project lifetime. For this purpose, many parallel activities will be implemented throughout the project: Learning Training Teaching Activities, pilot tests, awareness campaign, Transnational Partner Meetings, and Multiplier Events will be held. In the CanDoCARDs project the LTTAs are the core element for the development of the project results. The purpose of these meetings is to train, professionalize and empower the CHANGE AGENTS. The Learning Training Activities are based on our key concepts: Emotional learning, Participative and process-oriented approach and Empowerment. We will enhance the international dimension of education and training, by creating an international network of trainers. In our LTTAs and beyond we will establish sustainable links between organisations engaged in this field on a national and international level to foster deep knowledge, empowerment and professionalization of all partner organisations in the field of innovative methods for civic education. Thanks to the transnational experience the content will be culturally sensitive and take into consideration the particular needs for professionals working with diverse target groups in diverse national contexts. Local pilot tests will be also carried out in each partner country. The results of the project will be tested in processes, trainings, counsellings, according to the needs of every partner. These local pilot tests will be essential for the gathering of additional feed-backs and improving the content of the toolkits with tips and local experiences. An awareness campaign will be carried out all along the project. Thanks to the campaign the project results will reach a broader public, a larger pool of professionals coming from different ‘educational’ worlds. The combined transnational/local activities will facilitate the implementation of the methods, their transferability and replicability, i.e. the capacity to be implemented in any socio-cultural context, and strenghten the European dimension of the project.<< Results >>The CanDo CARDs project has as a goal to:- Develop accessible, free toolkits for professionals working with disadvantaged groups on inclusion, citizenship and empowerment.- Equip professionals with open and innovative practices (methods and pedagogies) developed with creative, participatory and process-oriented methodology- Empower disadvantaged groups with creative and innovative skills and competences which reinforce their resilience and increase their European awareness and civic engagement- Develop positive attitudes towards the European Union and its underlying values In terms of concrete products CDC will develop tools, which thanks to each partner's expertise will combine both cognitive and affective learning experiences. These will be based on Pestalozzi’s theory of learning through “head, heart and hand”. They refer to a number of creative and innovative methods and approaches for:(IO1) Learning democracy: a comprehensive, multidimensional, and ready to be used toolkit describing methods to reveal dilemmas and conflicts both in society and oneself and provoke self-questioning which aims at a deeper understanding of oneself and group processes. Working specifically on an emotional level, this method allows to raise awareness through critical thinking and conflict resolution.(IO2) Innovative methods for intercultural learning: a comprehensive toolkit which will fill the existing gap in intercultural education between cognitive and emotional learning. It will be based on Intercultural impro theater and the Intercultural exercise method, and focussed on performance arts and civic education to fight against discrimination and exclusion.(IO3) Civic RESPONSE-ability Lesson plan: an engaging lesson plan that will bring together young people from 'civic desert' municipalities in the different partners country, in a participatory, innovative, experiential-learning-based civic engagement project in which they embrace their personal responsibility to identify social challenges in their communities, create a short action-research video analysing and spotlighting these local problems, and advocate for change through multi-stakeholder involvement. Within this IO the methodology used will be the Applied Debate.(IO4) Feasibility and Impact Guide: A guide that guarantees that the CDC approach is adaptable, practical and achievable, replicable to other European communities and supporting the development of the desired skills of Change Agents.The CDC main outputs will be designed in a way which makes it easy for other professionals and organisations to apply them in their formal, non formal and informal learning activities and will be embedded in renowned networks related to relevant project areas that will maintain the project results, tools, teaching and learning opportunities also after the project lifetime.The project partnership is led by VIA Bayern, Germany and consists of partners with complementary experience and skills in the field of formal, non formal and informal learning and youth and adult education from Spain, Turkey, Croatia and Sweden.

"<< Background >>The challenges that this project is most concerned with is the presence of polarization in Europe, the most extreme form of which is radicalisation, coupled with the absence of youth voices, participation and agency in our current democratic systems. Research indicates that youth have become disillusioned with democracy, and that their apathy and lack of participation is driven by this loss of faith in the system. Moreover, the European ‘project’ has long lost the wind in its sails with stalled processes of enlargement and accession of new (Western Balkans) members, and the Union’s general inability to address the democratic shortcomings and illiberal tendencies in some of its member states (e.g. Hungary, Poland). The continuing presence of anti-European/anti-systemic/populist political parties and their voices in Europe is an additional legitimacy and stability threat that needs to be addressed. The 22 months long strategic partnership ""Depolarization Activism for Resilient Europe - DARE"" is a project of particular importance to all the partners involved, since it builds on the experiences and demands that we perceive in the current educational systems in our respective countries. In order to further substantiate our perceptions and observations, we conducted a brief survey to solicit high school teachers’ opinions and thoughts about the most pressing topics that should be addressed with youth today. Therefore, seeing that this partnership is partly demand-driven (by educators asking for classroom-adapted educational materials inspired by the themes of addressing polarization, fostering civic engagement, countering apathy, building resilience), we appreciate this opportunity to apply for strategic partnership support because we believe it is an honor to have the ability to develop and disseminate learning materials and curricula in a pan-European working group. The project is meant to stimulate innovative learning and teaching practices that will generate a critical learning space for a collaborative, inclusive, human rights-centered, youth-led and action-oriented dialogue about the phenomenology of polarization, euroskepticism, xenophobia, populism, discrimination, exclusion, marginalization and disenfranchisement of various racial, sexual, ethnic and religious groups throughout Europe. Its objective is to create new learning and teaching methods and approaches that will strengthen European identity, citizenship and values and prevent radicalisation through promoting and amplifying youth voices and participation. DARE project will serve youth workers and educators in the field of promoting democratic citizenship and European values in order to contribute to a more open, tolerant and inclusive European future.<< Objectives >>The 'DARE - Depolarization Activism for Resilient Europe' (hereafter: DARE) project is a strategic partnership for the creation of innovative, creative educational materials for use in non-formal and formal civic education, in both online and face-to-face contexts. All the educational materials that will be created throughout the course of the project will seek to foster civic engagement and activism among young people, addressing topics (radicalisation, exclusion, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, discrimination) that undermine European values.The objectives of our project are: a) To create original blended-learning educational materials that promote depolarization, foster youth civic engagement, build understanding and support for European values, enhance critical thinking and strengthen youth resilience in times of crisis and uncertainty. b) To empower teachers, educators and youth workers by equipping them with materials through which they can address difficult or complex contemporary topics with their students through pedagogically innovative methods.<< Implementation >>The project's strategic partnership will be realized through the following activities:a) Five (5) transnational project meetings, each hosted in one of the partner organization's countries:1. In the first meeting, titled “DARE – Inception & Planning”, the partners will formulate their cooperation fundamental guidelines and processes (communication, timeline, general frame for educational materials & methods production, mapping the content areas as well as dissemination strategies, the utilization of each partner’s networks, project management, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance mechanisms). The meeting will take place in Croatia, under HERMES’ organization.2. In the second meeting, titled “DARE – Content, Methods & Educational Materials”, partners will finalize the detailed timeline and work division on intellectual outputs creation (methodological guidelines, educational materials, videos), outlining the peer-review and focus-group testing process for materials’ quality assurance. The meeting will take place in Serbia, under OK’s organization.3. In the third meeting, titled “DARE – Content, Methods & Educational Materials Finalization”, partners will provide near-ready drafts of their educational materials, so this meeting’s focus will be on the fine-tuning and final edits of the materials, enhancement of inclusion and multiperspectivity elements, cross-national and intercultural adaptations. The meeting will take place in Germany, under Kreisau Initiative’s organization.4. In the fourth meeting, titled “DARE – Dissemination & Multiplier Events”, the partners will present the finalized educational materials, as well as make clear plans for their dissemination, especially drafting the plans and programs of different multiplier events and partner cooperation and participation therein. The meeting will take place in Bosnia-Herzegovina, under MZB-WEB’s organization.5. In the fifth and final transnational project meeting, titled “DARE – Evaluation, Sustainability & Future”, following the conclusion of all the multiplier events, the partners will gather to compare the evaluation and dissemination results of the DARE project. They will also conduct introspective and reflective analysis of the strategic partnership, explore opportunities for further cooperation, and outline DARE project’s follow-up and sustainability action steps within each organization’s purview and networks. The meeting will take place in Stockholm, under Transform’s organization.b) Production of project results, i.e. different sets of mutually-reinforcing and complementary educational materials dealing with the topics of depolarization, civic engagement and activism, modern challenges, European values and (preventing) radicalisation:- One Educator's Guide to Depolarization (~50 pages);- 10 ""DARE to Care"" short educational interview-videos with accompanying lesson plans;- 10 MODERN CHALLENGES animated/graphics educational videos with accompanying lesson plans;- One set of European Values educational cards (35-40 cards);- One radicalisation awareness training scheme.c) Several multiplier events (carried out by each partner organization), disseminating the project's produced results to groups of teachers, educators, non-formal education specialists, youth workers who demonstrate intent and ability to further apply and use the DARE educational materials in their classrooms, community centers, associations:- Bringing together ~180 participants in two to three days long training events, in person;- Further engaging ~ 100 educators, teachers, youth workers through online training seminars;<< Results >>The consortium expects from the strategic partnership an intensive exchange on addressing polarization in Europe and inspiring and empowering youth for civic engagement through age-appropriate educational materials that are diversity-conscious and addressing contemporary challenges and problems. The high-quality blended learning educational products developed within the framework of the partnership will be added to the DARE website which will be the repository of all DARE learning materials, available in multiple project languages and free of charge for use and downloading. The innovative educational materials created throughout the project, or in other words, produced DARE project results, will be:a)Educator's Guide to Depolarization (whose purpose is to build educators’ and youth workers' skills in the domain of addressing and successfully engaging with polarizing views);b)""DARE to care"" educational videos (that will feature inspiring young individuals who are civically active in different fields, in order to provide role models of youth civic engagement in addressing different societal problems and challenges in Europe);c)MODERN CHALLENGES content pack (that will consist of short (max. 3min) animated/graphics educational videos with accompanying lesson plans, that frame concrete modern challenges in our society and assist teachers in facilitating classroom conversations and discussions about them);d)European Values - educational cards set (that will teach about European Union history, philosophical/human rights/democratic values principles, and contemporary dilemmas and questions about the role and importance of European values in our societies);e)Radicalisation awareness training scheme (that will build teachers’, educators’, youth workers’ understanding of the process of radicalisation online and in real life and knowledge about inspiring practices in prevention and intervention).Using and learning from DARE educational materials is expected to have the following impact: a) Educators will feel empowered and be equipped to address difficult and complex contemporary topics with their students in their classrooms, feeling confident through having practiced various pedagogies applied in the project (critical pedagogy, Positive Youth Development, Bohmnian dialogue) in the Multiplier Events (=teacher/educator training seminars). b) Youth learning with DARE educational contents will have their critical thinking strengthened through engaging with the educational themes and topics of depolarization, radicalisation, European values, modern challenges, civic activism and engagement.It is expected that thanks to ~280 directly engaged teachers, educators and youth workers through multiplier events, the DARE educational materials will reach 5,600 students through a single implementation effort (assuming a conservative estimate of standard class size being 20 students). Previous experience in educational projects and in working with teachers has shown us that most teachers apply quality educational materials with multiple classes, across different grades, and often over the course of several years - allowing DARE project's produced educational materials to potentially reach a much larger number of students."