From the start of the financial crisis in 2008 to the 2014 European elections, extreme right-wing and anti-European populism has gained alarming strength in many EU countries; the situation for immigrants and minorities in terms of racism and discrimination has worsened. The project “I-CARE – InterCulture Against Racism in Europe” wants to counteract such tendencies among young people and the general public; and aims to foster concepts of an open Europe as an opportunity and cultural diversity as a positive resource instead. The I-CARE partner organisations have joined forces and have pooled their knowledge to combine an anti-racist/ anti-discrimination/ diversity conscious approach with arts and culture; thus reaching young people both from the majority society and from immigrant and minority families as well as the public on a deep level: Spreading the message of respecting cultural diversity, increasing mutual understanding, feeling European citizenship and combating racism and discrimination. For the I-CARE 2015 exchange, 28 young people from Lithuania, Tuscany and greater Cologne will come together at Landesmusikakademie NRW in Heek-Nienborg to jointly work on the topics of discrimination and racism, guided by professional anti-racism trainers. Diversity consciousness and reflection of own experiences of being discriminated and/or discriminating others will play important roles in this process. Based on that thematical work, the group will create a transdisciplinary performance, guided by professional coaches from the fields of theatre, dance, music and media. There will be two public performances at "Arkadas Theater – Bühne der Kulturen" Cologne. They will be recorded on high quality HD multi-camera video and will be published on the internet and shared via social media platforms. Aims and objectives of the I-CARE project include: – to discover, live and embrace cultural diversity – to bring together 28 young people from Cologne, Lithuania and Tuscany, providing them with a common framework to live and work together and to learn from professional artists, coaches and anti-discrimation trainers – to provide space for intercultural learning, exchange of views and cultural perspectives as well as development of visions for the future – to encourage and empower young people to express their feelings and wishes, ideas and demands with cultural and medial means; to expand their cultural horizons and to counter discrimination and racism – as humans, as young artists and as citizens of Europe – to develop a transdisciplinary live show on the topics discrimination, racism and cultural diversity, which includes ideas and experiences of all participants; and which will be performed in public and will be made available as HD video online to a worldwide audience – to reach a broad audience with the project results, thus raising public awareness and showing constructive options for actions and reflections countering discrimination and racism Target group in all partner countries are young people from 16 to 27 years; mainly, but not exclusively young people from families with migration background or belonging to minorities. We address young people with less access to education, especially to education in culture/arts. Many of our participants have experiences in being targets of racism/ discrimination. Before the exchange, the partners will, together with their local networks, find participants from this target group. National groups will meet and collect ideas and expectations. Two delegates from each country will meet at an international preparation meeting; there, RRCGN's plannings and the input from all partners will get in dialogue, results will be communicated back to all participants. A closed online group will serve as communication tool before and after the actual exchange. I-CARE will have a deep impact on the participants: The experience of working together in interculturally and internationally mixed groups, creating great results and receiving feedback from public audiences will empower the participants and broaden their horizons. Being trained by professional anti-discrimination trainers will sensitize and empower them to combat racism. The international exchange will inspire further intercultural relations between the youth, experts and organisations involved. International friendships and networks will be built and deepened. I-CARE will have an impact on the public: On the visitors of the public performances as well as on the people who will see the performance videos on the internet. The performance will deliver a strong message against racism and discrimination, and for the appreciation of cultural diversity as a positive resource of contemporary societies. Within the ewoca framework, follow-up exchanges are planned for 2016 (in Italy) and 2017 (in Lithuania).