Crossing Borders

Workshop on Saturday, September 24th – Apply now!

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Your city, your community – your voice! Do you know this feeling? Living in a place for a while but nothing makes you feel at home, nothing makes you feel like you belong, you feel alone in your head, not knowing what is going on around you. Like a tourist, forever. Sometimes you feel grateful, and then there are times you ask yourself, “what the hell am I still doing here”? Sometimes you even begin to feel like this while you are in your own country, between your people and speaking the same language. This is what happens when you are being excluded from your surroundings, because of who you are or how you identify yourself. Inclusion is the key. When systems, people, and policies include you, you will feel it! When you feel included, the place you live starts to feel like home. When you are being seen, recognized, acknowledged, and appreciated. But inclusion is not a responsibility of one side. It is a collective action from all sides that facilitates the road to “home”. Therefore, it is important to define and communicate your needs, and tell your stories so that other people can listen and respond to them properly. If you join us in this workshop, we will focus on two methods, that we believe will help you with that. The first part of the workshop will be Community Mapping, and in the second part, we will practice Storytelling. So what exactly do we want to do? In the first part, we will discuss and learn about Community Mapping. It’s a method we use to discover what people resonate with, both positively and negatively, about the places they live in. Is there a park that makes you feel calm? A bakery you walk past where the smell of pastries brightens your day? Is there a place that feels like it was made to include you and feels like ‘home’? Or is there somewhere that you avoid, that feels unsafe, or where you feel unwelcome? Through discovering how people feel connected to their community we can learn more about how to make our city inclusive to all. After you’ve created a detailed overview of your community, we’ll move on to the second part of the workshop: storytelling. We’ll listen, you tell your story! Stories connect people, empower and educate, and help bring to light things that have not been talked about before. By sharing your story you are owning your words, and claiming a spot in that community you always wanted to be in. But telling a story isn’t easy, it takes a little bit of knowledge on how to do it and even more courage to actually share it with others. In this part of the workshop, we will learn all this together. Share your experiences with other participants, discuss problems, and find ideas for change in your community. Interview each other, express your feelings, and develop local strategies that can move Copenhagen in a direction that represents all its citizens. By participating in this workshop, you are helping yourself and many others that feel the same way you do, because Crossing Borders will include your input, suggestions, ideas, and concerns in a report that will be used to raise awareness in the public and to address city councils and government. If you live in Copenhagen and have a migrant background, speak English, and are interested in making a difference, this workshop is for you! Bring your grandparents or others whose stories need to be heard, but who may not be as well connected as you.Come join us at our beautiful new headquarters in Nørrebro. This workshop is all about dialogue, connection, and fun. We’ll provide great food and drinks, fun activities, and a safe environment for all. Here you will find a safe space regardless of where you come from, how old you are, what religion you belong to, or whether you are part of the BIPOC, disabled, LGBTQIA+, or any other community. We want to include anyone who feels lost and not heard in a place where they seem to not belong. Claim your space and tell us what you think! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us write directly to the project manager at emma@crossingborders.dk This workshop is part of the INCLUDATE Erasmus+ project, co-funded by the European Commission, which aims to educate migrants or people with a migrant background on how to make their voices heard. To apply or if you have any questions send an email directly to emma@crossingborders.dk

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Mandela Day 2022

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“Do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are” The essence of Mandela Day – take action, inspire change, and make every day a Mandela Day – is more important than ever before. As always, Mandela Day is a unique opportunity to do good for those who need it most. Hence, every year we at Crossing Borders seize this opportunity to serve food, drinks, and distribute clothes and play music for the homeless and other citizens who need it. This year, we celebrated Mandela Day in a very special way together with YouPeople. With the participation of the South African Ambassador HE Ms. Magubane and a representative of the Mandela Foundation, we had an unforgettable day with the homeless in Copenhagen. We shared food, donated clothes, and danced to the uplifting music by the great DJ Kipanga who brought his gears and played South African music. Previous Next A million thank you to the Crossing Borders Team for planning and implementing the event. We are grateful to all those who supported and attended the event especially Ala’a at Sorte Firkant restaurant. The Nelson Mandela International Day campaign remains rooted in the call Nelson Mandela made in 2009 to honor him by working in communities rather than by celebrating his birthday. While 18 July remains a focal point for the campaign. About YouPeople: YouPeople is a morning café for the homeless in Copenhagen. They are located in Folkets Hus and we serve coffee, tea, and breakfast 6 days per week from 7-10.30.  They are a part of Kirkens Korshær/DanChurch Social. CB news Crossing Borders // Roskilde Festival 22 June 23, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest CB news The key element in the “working together” recipe – PISH Project June 22, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest CB news We are partnering up with Transparency International Zambia on a new project – Check it out May 31, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest

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The key element in the “working together” recipe – PISH Project

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Youth are leading the talks on the greatest challenges that the world is facing nowadays from climate change to social inequalities. These challenges are global and require collective effort in solving them. This implies that people from different backgrounds and cultures will have to work together in order to solve these problems. But what is the key element in the  “working together” recipe? Working together requires clear communication, and in this case, youth need to be competent in intercultural communication. In this context, students in STEM education, who are fighting climate change and other global challenges, need to develop competence in intercultural communication. However, their education is often focused on building their professional capacity, and most of the time cultural barriers prevent effective communication and collaboration. The PISH project (Problem-Based Learning, Intercultural Communications, and STEM in Higher Education) observed this problem and has brought partners around Europe skilled in Intercultural Communication within education together to build solutions that will enable students to develop competencies in intercultural communication in a peer-to-peer learning environment. The last meeting within this project took place in Volos, Greece where Emma – our EU program coordinator, and Aurore, from our communications team, attended. CB news The key element in the “working together” recipe – PISH Project June 22, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest CB news We are partnering up with Transparency International Zambia on a new project – Check it out May 31, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest CB news Update: leave no one behind – Localising the SDGs in Ghana April 8, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest CB news And this is how we localize the SDGs! When people on the grassroots level can influence policymakers. April 1, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest Check out the PISH project for more information Learn more

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We are partnering up with Transparency International Zambia on a new project – Check it out

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With this goal in mind, to facilitate a civic contribution to strengthening accountable governance through building the capacity of CSOs and youth movements to conduct digitally-driven advocacy in Zambia, Crossing Borders (CB) and Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) are putting hand in hand in a common project funded by CISU. The project’s purpose is to capacity build other civil society actors in Zambia on the use of digital tools, this will happen by achieving those 3 main objectives:   Conduct evidence-based analysis of the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on civic engagement as well as identification and utilization of civic engagement opportunities created by the change of government in Zambia. Strengthen the capacity of CSOs and youth groups to apply digital tools in their work. Facilitate collaboration between CSOs and youth groups in conducting digitally-driven advocacy for improved transparency and accountable governance through holding government and duty bearers accountable. The project mainly will work with Youths, CSOs, and the media in four districts in Zambia (Lusaka, Choma, Ndola, and Kabwe)  Youths, including local-level youth groups, as well as Secondary school and Tertiary level students.  CSOs, at a local level and focus on community engagement, governance, civic education, and accountable governance. Media, including journalists and other media partitioners working for Radio, Television, and Print media houses.  Stay tuned for more news from this project.  Check out our partners Know more about Transparency International – Zambia Click Here

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Apply Now! 11-19 June 2022 – Training Course – Romania

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Fill in the application form Apply Now! Facts: Dates: First trip: June 11-19 / Second trip: August: 6-14 Place: Bicycle, Lazareni, Bihor Romania Fee: this trainman in its all phases is free of charge. However, to apply, you need to become a member of Crossing Borders (pay the annual membership fee) and pay 500 DKK administration fee. All other expenses including travel and accommodation will be covered by the project.  Who can apply:  Residence in Denmark Works with youth, a youth leader, a social worker, NGO worker, Volunteer, community worker, etc..  Application Deadline: Sunday, June 5th, 2022 at 12:00 PM  Give yourself time and space to grow and fly. In simple words, that’s what preventive education is about. Nevertheless, it takes time and practice to assimilate prevention work and to deliver it to your beneficiaries, and that’s what we plan to do in this project. This project aims at bringing preventive education as close as possible to the final beneficiaries of this concept, namely teenagers. We invite you to join an intensive educational process on preventive education that consists of three phases: Phase 1: 11-19 June, Training Course in Romania. We will explore methods on preventive education and will discover others’ practice and expertise in addressing this topic with teenagers at a local level. We expect 3 participants / country. Phase 2: 20 June – 1 August. Local activities in each country, using the methods experienced in the Training Course. To be discussed during the TC. Phase 3: 6 – 14 August, YE in Romania with the youngsters who attended the local activities. One of the participants from the TC will be a national GL (Group Leader). Each national group is formed bye 4 pax + 1 GL. Each partner will select the group for the YE. The goal of this activity is to equip you with a very good understanding of the impact created by the prevention work among teenagers and on how this concept should be delivered. We will cover many topics, such as development of addictions, cycle of addictions, principles of prevention work, creation of preventive educational methods, local transferability. You, as a participant, will be part of a great opportunity to collecting relevant methods, tools, principles and other elements from those who are involved in this field. Important: This TC (Training Course) is dedicated to professionals who are active in youth work, education, teaching, social work, support services for young people, psychologists, youth leaders, facilitators, trainers, etc., and have a clear interest in exploring the topic of preventive education in general, and prevention of substance abuse in particular. For the TC we expect to have a group of motivated professionals who have experience in working with groups of youngsters and have organizational support for transferring the practice in their work. The working language will be English, therefore an average level of speaking, reading, and listening is desirable. Nevertheless, should any confirmed participant need support for translation and interpretation, we will be happy to assist with this aspect during the TC. What is expected from you: Homework: before arriving to the event, please prepare a research (no longer than one page), with the following elements: Describe what do you understand by `addiction`. Describe which do you consider that are the effects of tobacco/alcohol/cannabinoids on health, social and financial status (choose one substance). Indicate one national and EU programs on addictions implemented in your country. Send the homework to the facilitation team before the first day of the Training Course. It will be used as a basis for the intercultural learning process. Participation during the Training Course: Full attendance at sessions is mandatory and it is a condition for reimbursing of travel costs. Active involvement. During the week, you will be assigned with different roles that will stimulate the overall group dynamic. Stay tuned for more details Follow-up activities: the participants at the Training Course are expected to initiate: Minimum one local workshop using the methods used in the TC with their groups, to collect feedback and provide pictures from the activities. Dissemination of the TC and the learning outcomes, including the visual elements of the project and Erasmus+ Programme. We need this contribution as part of the visibility of the project. Each participant is expected to contribute to minimum one dissemination activity (details to be provided during the TC). Practicalities: Further practical information will be provided after the selection process of the participants is completed.  Location: we will stay in a rural area named Bicăcel (Lăzăreni), în Bihor County, 30 km away from Oradea, the main city nearby. We will be hosted in new wooden houses, with 2-3-4 beds in one room (single person beds). Each house is equipped with one bathroom and all needed facilities. Fill in the application form Apply Now! Do you have any question? Write to the project coordinator Catherine Namuswe on catherine@crossingborders.dk and she will provide further information. 

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Food and Identity

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By Grace Hou, intern at Crossing Borders Food is undeniably a huge part of my identity, and is a past-time I am engrossed in and fully absorbed by. My earliest memories of my life in Melbourne, Australia, involve food. Being born into a Chinese family, food has always been an important part of life and connects everyone in my community together. I have countless, treasured memories where my family friends and immediate family have congregated in the kitchen, with delicious aromas wafting while we sit and cook, chatting and laughing about life. Making dumplings is a social past-time, and recipes are not written down but rather passed down from generation to generation, with matriarchs protecting family recipes zealously. Crafting dumplings is an art form, and it is the perfect opportunity for Chinese parents to engage in the cringeworthy act of boasting (and comparing, much to my chagrin) each other’s children. It is a ritual; an age old tradition that unites my community. Through the history of China, there has been scarcity of food and famine – in fact, from 1959-61 there was widespread famine and devastating suffering. So many families perished during this time. Now, as a nation and as a people, we appreciate everything we have and we love to eat. How we enjoy, how we relish each moment ¡ Food is closely linked to my identity. When my mother cooks, I can sense the care and the love she has put into every fibre of preparing the food. In Australia, the concept of what food is acceptable has changed significantly over time. I recall being a young child and having my mum pack candied yams for my lunch, and having the other children tease me. I remember so clearly desperately trying and yearning to fit in, and wishing my mother would make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich so I could be just like the other children. The truth is, it was challenging being an ethnic minority in a very Anglo school where there was only a meagre smattering of other cultures. Don’t miss Blog When laws fail to stop hate speech – What can we do? well here is the answer! May 11, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest Blog Where to start? Inspirational Talk about Entrepreneurship and results from our project FAMET March 24, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest Blog This is how we celebrated the International Women’s Day 2022 March 15, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest Blog The story of Natasha Al-Hariri – How did she end up doing what she is doing! March 15, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest Join the CB Global Family Support Crossing Borders

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Update: leave no one behind – Localising the SDGs in Ghana

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CRS FOCAL PERSONS ZOOM TRAINING. As part of localizing the SDGs, 57 Community Radio Station youth focal persons and their station management members have been engaged in a 3 module zoom training workshop from 22nd to 31st March 2022 on the training handbook that has been developed. Our CRS focal persons deepened their understanding of the SDGs in the Global, National and Local context of ‘leave no one behind’. Analyzing through the illustration of the youth participation ladder, the different levels of youth inclusion in decision making and identifying the best method of youth empowerment in decision making and development. The training also covered the use of a democratic and all-inclusive approach in engaging community youth to select community youth task force members. A criterion for selecting beneficiary communities and Community Level Mini Projects) CLMPs were reviewed. Finally, participants also reflected on the most recurring and common prioritized SDGs as burning issues that are common to the various CRSs and their implications in the development of CLMPs, highlighting SDG #4 Quality Education, SDG#6 Water and Sanitation, SDG#8 Unemployment and SDG#13 Climate Action as the most recurring SDGs. PILOT OF A DEMOCRATIC YOUTH TASK FORCE SELECTION PROCESS As part of the CRSs Focal Persons Zoom Training on the Handbook, a pilot exercise on the selection of a youth task force using a democratic process was done in one of the Ghana Community Radio Network’s (GCRN’s) member Station; Radio Ada, based in the Greater Accra Region on 24th March 2022. The L-SDGs focal persons of Radio Ada led the project coordination team and CISU’s monitoring team to Ada-Foah, a community in Ada to test the effectiveness of a youth-led participatory engagement tool developed as part of the training handbook, aimed at facilitating a democratic process of selecting youth task force members to lead the localization of the SDGs in communities. This pilot exercise included both ‘In-school’ and ‘Out-of-school’ youth between 15 – 25 years of age. They set their criteria, nomination, and further balloting to elect 6 Youth Task Force members of 3 males, 3 females.  CISU MONITORING VISIT Administrative-wise, the Ghana Community Radio Network welcomed and two-member monitoring team from our funding partner organization, Civil Society in Development CISU from 23rd to 25th March 2022. The monitoring visit was aimed at engaging GCRN to understand its mode of operation and methodology in engaging Community Radio Stations to implement the L-SDGs project, to understand also the organizational and financial management systems of GCRN, and finally to know the status of implementation of the L-SDGs. This was done in a flexible dialogue, which fostered an open and productive dialogue between the two teams. The team also took time to visit the piloting of the Youth Task Force selection process in Ada-Foah on 24the March 2022 Don’t miss All CB news Blog When laws fail to stop hate speech – What can we do? well here is the answer! April 6, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest CB news And this is how we localize the SDGs! When people on the grassroots level can influence policymakers. April 1, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest Blog Where to start? Inspirational Talk about Entrepreneurship and results from our project FAMET March 24, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest CB news April 07 – Connecting Youth Through Storytelling: A Conversation of Change Event March 22, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest

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When laws fail to stop hate speech – What can we do? well here is the answer!

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By Ouafa Zaidi, cultural reporter intern at Crossing Borders Have we become too mean? What is the point of all this hate, intolerance, and distress? What does it really say about us? Where is our good faith, our desire to meet new people, persons of different backgrounds, colors, smells, and looks? That instead of misjudging or not allowing ourselves to appreciate a person different from who we are, we end up making a habit of breaking that human bond in the worst way; by hurting with words, gestures, and toxic reactions the soul, mind, and heart of the person that we do not even allow ourselves to respect. Maybe it comes from our education when our surroundings told us to be wary of those who look different; not to approach them, not to look at them, and especially not to talk to them. But is it a reason? That with all your mind, your humanity, your knowledge, and your own vision of things, without the influence of anyone, you choose hatred rather than friendship, politeness, respect, or conviviality? And that as a first reaction some become tormentors instead of honoring the human bond we all share? Why is it easier to hurt than to appreciate? Hate speech is used to intimidate and harm, employing stigmatic, offensive, bullying, and threatening language, expressed both privately and publicly, against an individual or group on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religion, social status, sexual preference, age, or political views (among others). It is often defined in terms of the harm it will cause and its connection to the principles of dignity, and the ideas it conveys. With the spread of different media, and above all, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, the brutality of certain exchanges and the violence that emerges from them generates not only an audience but also a most disturbing behavior, which as a side effect has to disrupt the sanctity of our mental health and plays with and thwarts our sensibility and our reactions. Moreover, the online experiences of users are managed by algorithms designed to keep them engaged, which contributes to wading into the same ideologies over and over again. And nowadays, trolling is a phenomenon that is all too common on the Internet. Those trolls/people who deliberately hurt and provoke others in interactions that arouse and/or fuel bad feelings and reactions such as hatred, aggression, denigration, and harassment, hijack the conversation in a way that makes it impossible to have a constructive, respectable, and/or benevolent discussion. Studies suggest that the main factor in this behavior is the feeling of not being able to really express oneself, adding to this is the feeling of humiliation, and the feeling of being misunderstood and ridiculed is projected onto others, and so on. Therefore, discussing and questioning the content of the different interactions on social media is an essential action and request for the well-being of society. And especially that young people, while they are the future and are building tomorrow, spend most of their time on it and with content that is most often questionable, or even prejudicial, unknown to their parents or even the authorities. And this hate speech may lead to large-scale violence and conflicts. Although we do have laws against hate speech, they are often difficult to enforce and rely on the victims themselves to initiate their own lawsuits, which can come at a huge personal, emotional, psychological, and financial cost. All governments and countries around the world are facing this problem, just to give you an idea here are some indications about the current laws in different countries:   In Denmark: The main piece of Danish national legislation regarding online hate speech is paragraph 266 b of the Danish Penal Code (“the racism paragraph”). This paragraph prohibits threats, mockery, and degradation against groups defined by race, skin color, nationality, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.  Paragraph 266(b) in Chapter 27 states (violations of peace and honor) of the penal code: Whoever publicly, or with intent to distribute in a wider circle, presents a proclamation or some other message by which a group of persons is threatened, mocked, or degraded because of its race, skin color, national or ethnic origin, faith or sexual orientation, is to be punished with fine or prison up to 2 years.  In determining the punishment, it shall be considered an aggravating factor if the act had characteristics of propaganda”.   Even though everyone has the right to publish their thoughts in both oral and written form, it will be up to the courts to judge whether or not there is hate speech.  New Zealand prohibits hate speech under the Human Rights Act 1993. Section 61 of the Act (Racial Disharmony) makes it unlawful to publish or distribute “threatening, insulting or abusive material or words that arouse hostility or contempt against groups of people because of their skin color, race, ethnic or national origin”. Although there has been some debate regarding the requirement that there be a clear link to violence to justify the regulation over hate speech.  France also enacted a law in June 2020, known as the “Avia law,” requiring online platforms to remove hateful content reported by users within 24 hours (as in India), but a court struck down this law on the grounds that it infringed on freedom of expression in a way that was not necessary, appropriate or proportionate. In July 2015, the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights deemed that “the existing incriminations […] are sufficient.”  However, jurisprudence still punishes hate speech via Article 32 of the July 29, 1881 law on freedom of the press. And the Pleven law of 1972 punishes incitement to racial hatred through this paragraph: “defamation or insult, committed against a group of people belonging, by their origin, to a race or a specific religion, [when it] will have had the aim of inciting hatred between citizens or inhabitants”. it remains a very controversial subject in France.    Germany has the toughest law against online hate speech,

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And this is how we localize the SDGs! When people on the grassroots level can influence policymakers.

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And this is how we localize the SDGs! When people on the grassroots level can influence policymakers. In Zambia, our partners Circus Zambia in the project Localising the SDGs started this process with the youth by addressing three main questions:What a policy is? Who are policymakers? andHow youths could have a concrete impact on policymaking? Yesterday, Thursday 31, Circus Zambia hosted the Policy Reflection Meeting. This comes as an opportunity for the youths to find support among partners and stakeholders in the creation of policies suggestions that might increase the visibility of SDGs in Zambia. The meeting was joined by BORDA ZAMBIA and SISTAH-SISTAH FOUNDATION, and some representatives from UN Zambia and SDG in Centro Africa, two of the main entities that promote the visibility of SDGs in the country. Our task force is now ready to face one of the last phases of the two cycles of the SDGs. Don’t miss All CB news Project Result A guide to Localising the SDGs from Uganda March 25, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest Blog Where to start? Inspirational Talk about Entrepreneurship and results from our project FAMET March 24, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest CB news April 07 – Connecting Youth Through Storytelling: A Conversation of Change Event March 22, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest Up-Coming Events April 07 – The Ukraine-Russia Crisis: Update, Reflections and Perspectives March 22, 2022 Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In Pinterest

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