Architects of tolerance

Mutual cooperation among migrants and civil society

Objectives

• To foster self-reflecting learning and understanding of acceptance of people from different cultures

• To foster dynamics of group collaboration and interpersonal communication

Expected Outcomes

During the workshop participants will be able to present their thoughts and understanding of acceptance of different cultures. Participants will foster mutual understanding towards each other. They will learn  (as a group) how to communicate with each other in order to achieve a common goal.

Target group

Adults, Youth over 16 years old

Nationals, Immigrants, Refugees and Asylum seekers (preferably mixed group)

Number of participants: 10 -12 people

The degree of expertise needed - 3

The amount of work to prepare and implement the scenario - 3

The relative overall cost predicted - 3

Duration

1h 40 min

Space

Empty room, chairs for participants (for reflection session)

Resources

Scissors, glue, foam board, cardboard, colourful cardboard sheets, colourful papers, soft pastels, gouache, cups for water, different size brushes

Preparation

Facilitator should have knowledge of meanings of acceptance of different cultures. He/she has to prepare all materials before the workshop as well as reflection supportive questions of participants learning.

Conduction

Introduction

Migration is a global process which touches each of us. Because of various reasons people are forced to leave their home countries and move to others ones.  In hosting countries migrants seeks to create their home again from the beginning. During this workshop, we are going to understand and discuss about the meaning of acceptance of different cultures.

Activities

Stage one: Warming up game (10 min)

Split the group into pairs and organise them so, they are standing opposite each other. One person makes a movement, the other tries to mirror them as well as they can. They then continue this for the time allocated (say a minute). Swap roles. When both have played both roles, they can try to coordinate movements with each other, so that both become player and mirror at the same time.

Stage two: Creating a house (60 min)

Participants work in group. The facilitator asks them to, from material provided, build and decorate a house, where everybody could live together. House should be standing at the end of the workshop. Participants can decorate house as they want to: can use traditional ornaments, national colours etc. They are asked to create the title of the house and its story by third person (who live in the house, where it is and so on).

Debriefing

The facilitator invites participants to share their thoughts and discuss about the built house where/how different cultures could live together, importance of mutual cooperation and acceptance using suggested questions: (30 min)

-What does home mean for you?

-What should be inside house?

-What is the name/title of your house?

-What is the story of your house?

-Which symbols on the house represent your country, community, culture?

-Which symbols used on the house are similar to yours?

-What does “acceptance of others” mean to you?

-What personally should I do to help people from different culture, religions could live in “the same house”?

-What was your role during this workshop?

-What was the hardest/easiest part of the workshop?

-What have you learnt, if anything, from this workshop?

Support tools

Inspiration

http://nordplus.sei.lt/

Ideas for action

This workshop is a great activity to implement by NGO specialists, educators and teachers when talking about meaning of acceptance of  different cultures. It is short activity; thus, it could be implemented on one/two school lesson as non-formal education method.

ANNEXES

Annex 1:  Example photos of activity

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Created by Socialinių - edukacinių iniciatyvų centras Plius

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