Identity trough Heritage is a youth exchange gathering 21 young people from France, Italy, Palestinians from Israel and Palestinians in Palestine tackling the topics related to multiple identities and heritage taking into account different realities of Middel Easy and more secifically Palestine and Israel as well as the European context. What is individual and collective identity? The identity crisis in the era of globalization. Heritage, identity and contemporary life. Individual and collective heritage, standardization or cultural diversity? Are we ourselves or recruited in collectivities? Heritage: a landmark in contemporary society (globalization, migrations, mass tourism, etc.) a stable and unchanging element from the past? What is the link between identity and heritage? How do you define your identity? What is the Christian, Jewish, Muslim heritage for you? Heritage: the construction of collective identities. Ownership of the territory?
Double identity, double heritage? bi-national marriage or bi-religious: what heritage(s) and identity(ies) for children?Palestinian context: Heritage and identity in a conflict zone since more than 60 years.Different religions, multitude of social groups/entities. From a territorial division to a identity division? 48 Palestinians identity: Israeli nationality, Palestinian claims, education problems at schools (denial of « Nakba » in school books).Political context: occupation and colonization. Impacts in identity as an exaggerated nationalism, a different definition of heritage, a denial of a part of History. Is there a place for the individual? Work on personal and collective reappropriation.European context: Different religions and social groups as well. Secularism and identity: how to find your place regarding the inherited religion and culture from parents natives from other countries.Minorities: young generations of foreign origins, Cities: identity issues and space appropriation. Double heritage, double identity? Regional identities and claims: desire of autonomy.The "heritage at all costs"! Why keep the past? Western world frenzy to keep everything, museums, malls, local and regional identity sites, etc, and the costs associated to it. A rich heritage means a strong identity? "Conservation Society". Negations of history: forget parts of our "embarrassing" History. A part of European heritage in the hands of foreigners: they buying old houses in typical villages as second homes but also pieces of art, castles, palaces, monasteries, etc. Loosing heritage means loosing identity? Many are the questions that we wish and think to be important to discuss and reflect on with young people in this world in a positive way as we believe diversity and mixity is richness and should be valued.