"4Include - For an Inclusive and Democratic Europe" is a project co-financed by the European Union under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) 2021-2027.
The DICA ETS Association, representing the Municipality of Sant'Andrea Frius, served as the coordinator of the partnership, which included Dimos Mesa Geitonias (M Geitonia) from Cyprus, Ftz-Community Foundation (Community Ftz) from Malta, Dimos Agia (Dimos Agia) from Greece, Scandinavian Integration Youth Center (SIYC) from Sweden, Asociacion Pasos Solidarios (Pasosolidarios) from Spain, Kyttaro Enallaktikon Anazitiseon Neon (K.E.A.N.) from Greece, and Biedriba Gribu But (Bribu But) from Latvia.
The project started on October 3, 2022, and concluded on October 2, 2023. The overall objective of the project was to create a network among public and private organizations for the exchange of best practices regarding the integration and social inclusion of foreign citizens, aiming to promote an alternative and comprehensive narrative on issues such as reception and combating discrimination.
Through project activities, participants were offered the opportunity to explore the cultural diversity of refugees, promote citizenship rights and associated values, and foster social development in a sense of belonging to European culture.
The project was inspired by key EU principles such as minority inclusion and equality, as they constitute the necessary foundation for strengthening understanding, mutual tolerance, and developing peaceful relationships among citizens of different countries. These objectives were complemented by active citizen participation at the local level and cooperation between municipalities. This was achieved through a series of activities such as lessons in secondary schools and organized cultural visits, as well as the creation of project Facebook and Twitter pages, where images and videos of events were shared, and live streaming of roundtable discussions, which were highly successful.
Within the project, 8 international events were organized, including 2 in-person events in Greece and Italy and 6 virtual events in Spain, Malta, Latvia, Sweden, and Cyprus. Following each online event, the local partner organized a local event in schools to convey the messages and information discussed online.
In-person events included open public roundtable discussions with participation from experts in the field to address the meeting's topics, chosen by the hosting organizations based on their expertise, experiences, and the needs of the territory.
The topics discussed were diverse, ranging from the condition of migrants addressed in Greece to the increase in refugees resulting from the war in Ukraine discussed in Latvia and Italy, etc.
As part of the project, alongside the events, the partnership developed the 4Include Map, an "Inclusive Europe Map," an informative tool that currently gathers over 50 best practices for the inclusion of third-country citizens in disadvantaged conditions identified during the meetings.
The Map, through an interactive geographical representation, highlights the places where best practices have been implemented, including descriptions, specific information, and providing photos and a link for contacts (websites, social networks, phone numbers).
The Map highlights best practices for the integration of unaccompanied minors, as well as selected activities of various NGOs working with migrants-refugees or asylum seekers in different fields: some focus on campaigns to save the lives of asylum-seeking migrants, others on raising public awareness through media on inclusion, or integrating migrants into the education sector.
The highlighted best practices were chosen because they are considered examples of innovative and stimulating methods with the potential to be applied in other national contexts, promoting new integration methods and policies. This is why the 4Include Map has been highly successful and greatly appreciated by the European Commission.
The map can be accessed from the 4Include Project website and is still open and continuously updated. Its implementation will be possible thanks to community involvement, as users have the opportunity to contribute by submitting their own best practices, and with the realization of new projects in this area.
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