European Youth Mobility Activity - KA1/KA2 (Erasmus+ Program)
BRIDGES NOT WALLS - REDUCING INEQUALITY -
BRIDGES NOT WALLS - REDUCING INEQUALITY -
In its fouth year, the storytelling project 'Bridges! Not Walls' was about the Sustainable Development Goal 10 - Reducing Inequality (Migration, Race and Origin) with KAMM Artistic Europe being a supportive partner of the project. Each year, the young artist-led project brought together international migrants, musicians, artists, and activists with a local community. They developed participatory performance art projects focusing on the themes of migration, race and origin, and inclusion. Each year, this culminated in performances created in collaboration with the local community. These performances intertwined the stories of international artists with the host community's local history. By presenting these shared stories, themes, and struggles, they discovered common ground and bridged the gap between 'natives' and 'migrants'. The project was co-financed by the European Union through Leargas and the federal children and youth plan via the Thuringian Ministry for Education, Youth, and Sport. Additionally, it received support from the European Youth Education and Youth Meeting Center Weimar (EJBW). The management of the project was carried out by Eurobug International Youth Work Ltd and CGE Erfurt eV, in cooperation with five international youth NGOs.
Akwaaba
BRIDGES NOT WALL - 2022
On August 2022, Kelvin Akpaloo our Chairperson and Project manager to part in an Erasmus Plus project called Bridges, not Walls! #Solidarity which was situated in Merkine, a tiny town in Lithuania that borders Poland and Belarus. This project's main goal was to demonstrate SOLIDARITY to migrants by using the Sustainable Development Goals as a point of departure, creative workshops, and performing arts as a means of advocacy in rural areas and cities in Lithuania. The project's location had a significant impact on how it affected the participants, as well as the Merkine community. More than half of the 30 participants—15—had their first Erasmus+ experience and left the project eager to learn tackle more social issues and learn more about Erasmus+ programs and what other options there are for them to continue building their competencies and becoming active global citizens.
Kelvin who is also the Creative Director for Eurobug International in Ireland wrote this project with his director from Eurobug was the project manager and creative director for this project.
