Creative fertilization

The main objective of the project “creative-fertilization” is to promote a confrontation and an exchange among different European subjects (associations and institutions) engaged in the carrying out of ways, activities and instruments able to promote the development of an active citizenship, through informal learning and non-formal education.

The project foresaw the organization of a workshop in Ancona, during which some local experts and some facilitators from the partner associations introduced their methods of intervention and more significant activities, carried out in different socio-cultural settings, with the joint goal of involving citizens, especially young people, turning them into creative and active actors of their own social background. Art, music, theatre, experiences of voluntary service (such as ESV or other local experiences), and the several activities of peer learning are instruments and languages able to promote a non-selective education, based on inclusion, the empowerment of personal skills, free expression and participation, all basic principles for the building of an active citizenship.

Within the European year for creativity and innovation we aim at promoting the creative element as fundamental instrument for the strengthening of the activities carried out by the civil society. By pointing out the importance of cross-fertilization, therefore, we want to promote an exchange and a confrontation which can strengthen and provide with new instruments the creative potential of individuals, allowing the creation of European common good practices and strategies for the promotion of active citizenship.

The project arises from ARCI’s fundamental principles: the promotion of associations and the right to culture, in all its forms and languages, as a factor of social cohesion, an instrument of civil engagement, to promote peace and citizenship rights, to fight against all forms of exclusion and discrimination. According to these principles “Creative fertilization”suggests a view on education (understood in a non-formal way) as basic way to democracy, relying on everybody’s free participation and expression. Moreover the project aims at bringing together different cultures and fostering their dialogue as well as different tools to promote an active citizenship.

Creativity is the thread of this project as an element allowing to strengthen and express one’s own cultural identity, to create an active involvement within the social background, and thus a sense of belonging to it, and finally to develop an intercultural confrontation based on mutual acknowledgement and respect. Creativity, as a means of self-expression and recognition of one’s own skills, is a worthy instrument to increase self-esteem, and therefore to prevent young people’s discomfort and social exclusion. This “preventive” aspect has been recognized by the World Health Organization, which in 1992 has put creativity among the fundamental “life skills” officially recognized.

Experiences as voluntary service, artistic expression, peer education and associations forming in general, share this democratic-creative participation, the use of values (such as opening one’s mind to others) and universal languages (such as music and art in general), all instruments fostering unity and dialogue essential to the building of a European future and identity.

The seminar realized consisted on creative workshops, discussions (exchanging ideas with facilitators and experts), interactive activities, (in which different skills and strategies was used). Then this internet blog was created, as a platform to exchange and confront good practices, which is foreseen to include an increasing number of European associations and institutions over time.

The other important objective of the project is that of starting a dialogue on these themes within the school background, promoting the knowledge and an increasing acknowledgement of the various instruments and ways you can use in non-formal education.

The interaction with teachers seems to us essential to reinforce creativity’s educative value, as an instrument of personal expression and basic means to acknowledge one’s own cultural background and that of the others too.