Youth-led anti-nationalism movement, systemically changing the civic fabric of Lesvos and reconstructing a shared democratic space in civic deserts across Europe
PeaceBuilders is a hands-on peacebuilding program, where multicultural, cross-generational and gender-inclusive local and refugee children, unaccompanied minors and youth, co-create actions, policies and a public campaign, that citizens, civil society, and policymakers can utilize across pockets of Europe, to systemically reconstruct a resilient civic fabric and shared democratic space, capable of curbing extremist ideology targeting the ‘other’ and the core values of our European community.
Scope
Since 2015, more than 1 million refugees have gone through Lesvos and currently 25.000 diverse people live in abhorrent conditions. Lesvos has transformed from a geographically remote island to an active hotpot of right-wing extremism and nationalism spreading in Europe. The systemic dissipation of civil society, have caused the civic fabric of Lesvos to disintegrate in front of the eyes of locals and the world. Democratic space, has been occupied by local and continental extremists, who weaponise Lesvos as a poster child in promoting EU nationalism. With locals, refugees and civil society experiencing intimidation from extremists, police brutality and ethnic infighting, Lesvos is a magnifying glass for the spread of nationalism across Europe, poisoning our youth and future generations.
Approach
PeaceBuilders is a hands-on peacebuilding program, where multicultural, cross-generational and gender-inclusive local and refugee children, unaccompanied minors and youth, co-create actions, policies and a public campaign, that citizens, civil society, and policymakers can utilise across pockets of Europe, to systemically reconstruct a resilient civic fabric and shared democratic space, capable of curbing extremist ideology targeting the ‘other’ and the core values of our European community.
Funding
The project is financed by Civic Europe, an incubator for locally rooted civic initiatives, organisations and individuals in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe realised by MitOst and Sofia Platform Foundation, funded by Stiftung Mercator.