On the 5th and 6th of March 2024 the European Youth Meeting of the Butterfly Effect project took place in Das Packhaus, Marxergasse 24/2, Vienna.
The event brought together more than 30 participants from Italy, Austria, Greece and Croatia and from different backgrounds: youth activists, social workers, NGOs.
The meeting started with a session conducted by Ali Dönmez (Speech Therapist and teacher for German as a second language) on racism in schools with a focus on the Austrian school system; in particular on the Austrian law and practice of German Remedial Classes as examples of institutional racism.
This led the participants to have a more interactive discussion in a World Café format on the following topics: racism in schools and in educational curricula and textbooks; self-care for young people affected by racism and other forms of discrimination; strategies on how to fight hate speech, hate crimes on a personal and collective level. Participants shared their experiences, shedding light on the current issues at stake in schools within their respective countries.
Then participants continued the exchange on migration, racism and anti-racism with a historical perspective through an interesting study visit to the Vienna museum.
The second day was dedicated to the development of the EU social media campaign strategy thanks to the facilitation of Susanna Owusu Twumwah, Communication Specialist. Participants brainstormed ideas and strategies to raise awareness of young people, educational authorities and the general public on the impact of hate incidents on youngsters’ lives.
The focus of this EU Youth meeting was empowerment, education and collaboration. It aimed to create a platform where participants can deeply engage with issues of racism and discrimination, exchange insights and experiences, and collectively work towards fostering enduring transformations in societal attitudes. By directly addressing systemic injustices and nurturing empathy, understanding, and proactive strategies, this meeting was highly successful.
