Many societies are currently facing the issue of polarization. It increases the gaps in societies and enhances the “Us” vs. “Them” dynamics among communities. And to prevent polarization and contribute to the process of depolarization, a project entitled “Euro-Med Youth Work for Intercultural Democratic Citizenship Preventing Polarization” is being conducted. The project consists of three different phases. The first phase was an implementation of a training course for a group of youth workers from four different countries. The course addressed the theories and the models of polarization and depolarization while delving deeper into the different roles that can be played during the process. The conflict cycle and the polarization cycle have been addressed, which helped us further understand the different phases of the cycle and the ones where preventing polarization can be achieved. On the other hand, the theory was accompanied by the practice, where we discussed the different initiatives in different contexts, as well as practiced simulation and interactive activities that helped us better relate the theory with the practice. The training course included an intercultural exchange between participants from different Euro-Mediterranean countries, which provided us with the opportunity to discover, learn, and contribute from our diverse experiences.
The training course will be followed by the implementation of local initiatives and reaching out to different target groups, aiming at contributing to the depolarization process where the people can reconnect, recognize, and reconcile with each other.