Cultural Encounters

The conversation about climate is a conversation about movement. Scientists point to the slow but steady upward movement of the planet’s temperature. Activists demand movement and change from governments and policy makers. Unprecedented global youth movements have emerged and shifted public discourse. New and more extreme climatic events are forcibly displacing people from their homes or livelihoods, and depleted natural resources threaten stability and peace. Still, beliefs and behaviors about climate are often unmoving.

From 12 October – 11 December 2020, youth from all over Europe and the Southern Mediterranean region will learn with, and from, each other through Virtual Exchange. Stimulated by video lectures and audio-visual materials, participants will exchange ideas and perspectives in their intercultural, online group sessions. With the guidance of certified dialogue facilitators, they will meet weekly to discuss the themes of the course and engage in interactive assignments building 21st-century skills and bringing their online experience to their offline realities. 

Participants develop transversal skills such as self-esteem, curiosity and cross-cultural communication skills and will be awarded Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange digital Badges highlighting the skills achieved.

This course is open and free of charge to anyone between 18- 30 years old who is a national of or resident in one of the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange Project countries.

The application process is closed. 

Interactive Open Online Courses provide youth with the opportunity to learn both with and from their peers across cultural contexts and national boundaries. The facilitated online meetings are organized around relevant skill-building activities and discussing dynamic content provided by expert academics and practitioners.

If you are interested in offering this course to your students, volunteers in your organisation, or other eligible participants, please contact us. We are happy to offer more information and discuss possible partnership arrangements.

Interactive Open Online Courses provide youth with the opportunity to learn both with and from their peers across cultural contexts and national boundaries in facilitated online meetings alongside relevant skill-building activities and dynamic content provided by expert academics and practitioners. These courses combine the deep impact of intercultural exchange with the broad reach of online learning to allow more young people to have meaningful intercultural learning experiences as part of their formal or non-formal education. Interactive Open Online Courses are part of Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange. This project provides an accessible, ground-breaking way for young people to engage in intercultural learning.

An innovative learning experience

Participants in the interactive courses are provided with the opportunity to:

• Engage with youth from different countries, cultures and backgrounds in a virtual classroom;
• Discuss topical themes on technological innovations, social identity and culture;
• Learn from expert content and materials;
• Improve language and communication skills;
• Build 21st-century skills that improve employability, including the ability to work in a virtual and intercultural environment;
• Gain an Erasmus+ digital badge and become an Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange alumni.

This Interactive Open Online Course is part of the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange project and as such produced under a contract with the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, financed by the Union’s budget. The opinions expressed are those of the Sharing Perspectives Foundation, our partners and participants only and do not represent the European Commission’s official position.

©2020 European Union and EACEA. All rights reserved. Certain parts are licensed under conditions to the EU and EACEA.