At the beginning of the 20th century, many ethnic and religious groups used to live in the Sądecki region and Jews constituted one of the biggest community. Although those are distant times, we can now encounter anti-Semitism there. The cases of anti-Semitism get more frequent when cultural events to present the Jewish traditions and festivals are approaching. The research conducted by the Foundation shows that today’s anti-Semitism may be linked to the lack of knowledge in the local community about the rich history of Jews in the region. The research showed that young people easily succumb to stereotypes about Jews.
The aim of the project was to foster the development of tolerance and openness through educating young people in Nowy Sącz and creating a group of Young Tolerance Ambassadors.
A group of 25 youth leaders was set up – they now have the knowledge about the multiculturalism, diversity and the history of Jews in the region and they can counteract hate speech. These young people know how to animate activities, implement projects related to promoting tolerance and how to disseminate knowledge of another culture among their peers.
During the project implementation, young people took part in workshops on archiving and on Jewish culture and religion. They also got involved in active leisure activities and learning, i.e. educational walk, study visit or making a video together. The project participants also played an active part in organizing local events, meetings and conferences. Educational materials related to the project implementation were worked out.
The project beneficiaries were young people from Nowy Sącz and its environs.
Two project partners – SOKÓŁ Małopolska Culture Centre in Nowy Sącz and Ada Sari Culture and Art Centre in Stary Sącz - provided venues and organizational support to educational activities. The third partner - the Educational Society of Małopolska – helped with recruiting the participants and provided expertise for developing educational materials.