Europe Matters

Europe Matters is an idea, a programme, a new kind of ‘think tank’. A special kind of facilitation is needed to grapple with how the past shapes our current interactions and to develop the awareness, responsibility, direction, leadership and creativity to build a different future.

Europe Matters focuses on issues of identity, issues facing minority groups, and dealing with the tremendously violent history within Europe and in its colonial history, to discover new pathways to build our future, as thriving multicultural societies. ‘Social Inclusion in Action’ and ‘Europe Matters ‘ projects since 2004 have been in cooperation with partner organisations in the UK, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Lithuania, and Croatia, with grants from the EU, including Grundtvig, and EACEA Europe for Citizens.

Europe Matters may include:

attitudes between east-west
changing identities in Europe – national, ethnic, multicultural and European identities
migration and asylum
discrimination based on race, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, mental health and more
youth
accountability and how to move from our history of colonialism, memories of war and tyranny to a creative and thriving future
global issues including the environment
violence prevention
the role of media in building multicultural societies

Facilitation and leadership skills:

intercultural communication
facilitating the complexities of rank - privilege, prejudice, power
diversity awareness
facilitating conflict transformation
Deep democracy and new leadership
Stepping out of cycles of violence and building a different future

Two large ‘Worldwork’ style forums took place in Sturovo Slovakia, in 2007 and 2009.

Here are two articles:
Europe Matters: creating community through deep dialogue, in IAF (International Association of Facilitators) Newsletter May 2009 http://iaf-europe.eu/newsletter/newsletter_may09.pdf

Third Way Communique, European Multicultural Foundation: http://www.cfor.info/EMFnewsletterOct09.pdf
Photos by Boris Sopko, Michal Duda and Kiro Zabinska