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World Citizens
Start date: Jan 1, 2015, End date: Oct 31, 2015 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Due to globalisation, migration flows are expanding everywhere and they affect the whole world. Furthermore, the link “citizenship-nationality” is weakening: we have a greater number of mixed families, more people living as citizens of a country even if they don't have the citizenship, fewer borders, more multinational agencies and also the progress of European unification’s project contributes to it. There’s a concern that the eclipse of traditional citizenship will impede the solidarity and social cohesion which are fundamental elements of each national community. To avoid it, it's important to consider how we could adapt the concept of citizenship to the contemporary situation including also those coming from a different cultural background, but with whom we share the same territory. The term social citizenship refers to the progressive extension of the access to public services to those who reside in the country without being citizens in the formal sense, but it involves also participating in the community life and carrying weight in matters concerning our daily life. This Youth Exchange aims to raise awareness about the topic of social citizenship, immigration policies and access to social rights of non-citizens in order to increase young people's social inclusion and well-being, according to the priorities pursued by the Erasmus+ Program in the field of youth. The main objectives are: • To share different opinions about the concept of citizenship and the meaning of “being a citizen”. • To share information about the existing laws to obtain a citizenship in different countries. • To reflect on the rights that can improve the quality life of everybody. • To conceptualize the difference between social and political rights and discuss about possible solutions in order to extend social rights to non-citizens. • To stimulate respect and esteem of the different cultures. • To develop a “Chart of the social citizenship”. The main activity is a Youth Exchange that will take place in May 2015 in Lido di Ostia (Rome-Italy) involving 30 young people between 18 and 25 years old coming from six different countries. It is sought the involvement of young immigrants, or young people whose parents are without the citizenship of the country of residence or young people with dual citizenship, since they will contribute to the project by sharing their direct experiences and by making others aware of their real needs and issues. The activities will be conducted exploring different kinds of non-formal methods in order to stimulate the learning process of the participants in an experiential way using a “peer to peer” approach that allow them to freely express their opinion and feelings, to share personal and cultural experiences. By participating into the Exchange young people will increase their knowledges and get awareness about the topic, know others cultures and reduce their prejudices against others, strengthen their sense of belonging to Europe, develop a critical analysis and thinking as actors of change to achieve an equal society, find common agreement about minimum social rights which will be written in a “Chart of social citizenship”. The latter will have an impact, both on the policy makers to whom it will be presented and on the target group of non-citizens. We pursue to strengthen the ability of the target group to make its voice heard. and to allow young people living in a country for which they do not have the citizenship to bring their requests to the attention of the stakeholders who can take action to change their situation. They can ask to redefine the concept of citizenship including all people who share the same territory, also those coming from a different cultural background, in order to increase their participation into the community life, and therefore their social inclusion and well-being. The dissemination of the “Chart” will also help to raise awareness between citizen and non-citizen about the importance of social rights. We expect to start a community of motivated young people to discuss and take action on the respect and extension of social rights and to put the issue on the agenda of youth organizations. The most important impact at European and international level will be the increasing of inclusion and decreasing of discrimination, thanks to the spread of the idea to belong to a common world. As Einstein was used to describe himself as a “citizen of the world” who sees himself first as a member of mankind and looks at the human community as a whole, we can all take this approach and be “world citizens”!
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