From 29th March to 6th April 2024, the Infinite Opportunities Association organised a 7 days exchange programme called ‘Our Rights: Human Rights’, which was co-funded by the European Union.

The aim of the programme was to bring together youth from multiple countries in the world, and give an international and intercultural perspective on human rights. There were 36 participants in total, of which 5 were from Turkey.

Each day was packed with workshops and activities aimed at understanding human rights issues and to encourage conversation on challenging topics. These sessions included: understanding stereotypes and prejudices, freedom of speech versus hate speech, women’s rights and gender equality, understanding privileges in society and who are the underprivileged.

Non-formal learning approaches were used to try to give a solution to the issues discussed. Gamification and campaigning were discussed as tools for promoting social inclusion and human rights. Participants were also encouraged to share literature such as books and leaflets, enriching each other’s understanding and commitment to human rights advocacy.

Intercultural nights allowed participants to share their local foods and drinks with those from other countries, and promoted learning about different cultures too. There were also recreational activities such as tourism or sports that allowed for team building and forming friendships.

By the end of the programme, these young ambassadors returned home, ready to uphold human rights and effect positive change in their communities and beyond.

Young people from Turkey had a chance to participate in a project in Bulgaria. Between 25 – 31 May, they gathered with other young people from Europe in a Lozen, a village located in the Stolichna Municipality of Sofia.

The project dealt with the importance of sport as an educational tool for intercultural learning, fighting discrimination and promoting social inclusion. Imece network was represented by 4 participants and 1 leader. One of them was Efe, who shares: “For me this project was incredible. Before the project, I always had a question mark about its subject, but they told us the subject in a very good way with the workshops they prepared meticulously.”

The moment he remembers the most is when they took on the roles they gave them and tried to play them for 1 hour.“This left a good impression on me. We cannot prevent discrimination in sports, even if we do not want it due to the media. While everyone knows very famous male actors, we may not even be aware of the existence of female athletes with the same degree. This is true for all sports and athletes.”

The project in Sofia left an impact on all participants. Efe adds: “I have removed one more obstacle in my mind”.