05/07/2026
🌉 BRIDGES – Together for More Resilient Communities!
An Erasmus+ experience that brought us together beyond borders, broadened our perspectives, and inspired us to build stronger communities through education and dialogue in the face of identity-based hate, disinformation, and media manipulation.
From 28 June to 4 July 2026, the Mediation, Consultancy and Training Centre (Association CTCM Onești, Romania) participated as a partner organization in the international training course "BRIDGES – Building Resilience Against Identity-Based Hate in Global Contexts", held in Massy, France, under the Erasmus+ KA153 – Mobility of Youth Workers programme.
The mobility brought together youth workers and representatives of partner organizations from France, Romania, Germany, Italy, Morocco, and Türkiye, creating a genuine space for learning, collaboration, and intercultural dialogue. United by a common goal, participants worked together to develop the competencies needed to build more resilient communities capable of responding to identity-based hate, disinformation, and media manipulation.
The project was coordinated by Hajia Adiza (France), together with the partner organizations: Training, Consultancy and Mediation Centre Association (CTCM) Onești (Romania), Agdz Volunteers Without Borders (Morocco), AGIC – African German Information Center (Germany), World Net (Italy), and Pandemic Generation (Türkiye).
Throughout the seven-day training programme, participants explored, through non-formal education methods, key topics relevant to youth work, including identity and cultural diversity, stereotypes and prejudice, the mechanisms of hate speech, radicalisation, nonviolent communication, intercultural dialogue, and the role of education in promoting and building democratic, inclusive, and resilient societies.
A central component of the programme focused on media literacy, where participants examined how disinformation, fake news, and media manipulation influence young people's perceptions, emotions, and behaviours. Through practical exercises and collaborative activities, we learned how to identify the mechanisms behind the spread of false information, verify the credibility of sources, and strengthen the critical-thinking skills essential in today's fast-paced information society.
Guided by the strategic principle "Think globally, act locally," the mobility programme included a wide range of participatory and experiential learning methods—Fishbowl, Gallery Walk, World Café, simulations, role plays, case studies, team-building activities, and reflective sessions—which encouraged dialogue, cooperation, and mutual learning. Participants also discovered and practised effective stress management strategies, conflict mediation techniques, empathetic and nonviolent communication tools, and methods for facilitating dialogue in multicultural environments, all of which are essential competencies for youth workers operating both within local communities and in broader international contexts.
One of the most significant outcomes of the mobility was the collaborative development of the BRIDGES Guide, an educational resource for youth workers that brings together practical methods, activities, and tools to prevent identity-based hate, promote intercultural dialogue, and strengthen community resilience.
Beyond its professional dimension, the mobility was also a truly enriching intercultural experience. Bringing together participants from different countries and cultural backgrounds demonstrated that diversity is not an obstacle but a valuable resource for learning, cooperation, and innovation. Cultural visits, informal activities, and shared moments strengthened relationships of trust and laid the foundations for future European projects and partnerships.
For all partner organizations involved in the project, participation in BRIDGES represents another important step in their shared mission to promote non-formal education, active citizenship, and intercultural dialogue. The competencies and resources acquired during the mobility—from strengthening critical thinking and media literacy to developing effective stress management strategies, conflict mediation skills, and intercultural dialogue facilitation—will be put into practice through dissemination activities, workshops, and educational programmes for young people, teachers, youth workers, and everyone committed to building more informed, inclusive, and resilient communities. By multiplying the project's results, we aim to transform this Erasmus+ learning experience into concrete opportunities for community development at the local level.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the coordinating organization, Hajia Adiza (France), for its professionalism, warm hospitality, and outstanding organization of this mobility, as well as to all partner organizations for their collaborative spirit, openness to dialogue, and shared commitment to making education a powerful and authentic tool for preventing identity-based hate, disinformation, media manipulation, and social polarization.
🌉 Let's build bridges of communication, not walls! Let us choose dialogue over hate speech, critical thinking over manipulation, and active engagement over indifference.
Join us! Be part of the change! Together, we can build stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient communities!