Irene and Victor, volunteers of Red Íncola, have participated in the “Home away from home” project offered by Erasmus +, training in the “Training Course” with the aim of creating local communities or enhancing community participation of existing ones through three tools: guerrilla marketing, theater of the oppressed and human libraries.
This project, of the Agora Aveiro organization , brought together a group of 20 young people from different countries: Croatia, Italy, Portugal, India, Serbia, Greece, Turkey and Spain. During the stay, different dynamics have been carried out to learn about the starting situation and the possibilities of progress in the lives of people in marginal or unfavorable contexts. Sessions were also held with local associations with initiatives focused on helping other people, making invisible realities visible and showing that, with small actions, big changes can be generated.
After these days of reflection and awareness, the group divided into three to implement the tools learned:
- Guerrilla marketing: spontaneous, low-budget actions, but with great impact. In Aveiro, mirrors were placed around the city with messages inviting reflection, and figures disguised as death with death notices announced “the end of human values”. A direct appeal to the collective conscience.
- Theater of the Oppressed: a tool that transforms pain into action. Scenes based on real situations of oppression were performed, in this case the story of a minor who crossed the Baltic route to emigrate. The theater became a safe space to rehearse the change we want to see in the world.
- Human Bookstores: an intimate and transformative space. Instead of reading books, people listened to real stories told by those who lived them. Migrations, prejudices, dreams, exclusions and resistances. Each “human book” opened a door to understanding and mutual respect.
According to Irene and Victor “The experience in Aveiro has been incredible. It has not only offered us tools for social change, but also made us see a community of committed people, a network of support and new perspectives to build a home wherever we are. Because sometimes, a story told out loud, a scene played out or a simple mirror in the street can be the start of something much bigger.” .
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