The Braga experience:
the Intercultural 5-Day Training of the Voices of Migration project
The Intercultural 5-Day Training of the Voices of Migration project took place in Braga (Portugal) from 29 April to 3 May 2024, hosted by Casa do Professor, one of the three project partners.
Voices of Migration aims to promote empathy, understanding and inclusion among young migrants and refugees by preserving and sharing personal experiences through the practice of Public History, so the cultural exchange within the project was a unique opportunity for young people from different parts of the world to meet, share experiences and learn from each other.
The objectives of the training in Braga
The training set several objectives:
- To promote intercultural understanding: to provide participants with the opportunity to learn and appreciate the different cultures represented within the group;
- To promote and strengthen empathy between the members of the new generation;
- Fostering the exchange of knowledge and skills: enabling young people to share their experiences and learn from the experiences of others, thus promoting personal and professional development
- Stimulating global awareness: exposing participants to a variety of cultural and global perspectives to foster greater awareness of global problems and challenges.
The target group
The project involved young people aged 16 to 29 years with a migration background, from different parts of the world, including Sao Tome, Angola, Ukraine, Belarus, Morocco and Nigeria born, living definitively or temporarily in the three consortium countries. These participants were selected for their motivation, their interest in understanding and sharing their culture and their willingness to actively participate in project activities.
The activities
During the cultural exchange, participants took part in a series of activities designed to foster intercultural interaction and knowledge exchange.
These activities included:
-Icebreaking sessions, which played a key role in fostering interaction and cohesion within multiethnic and multicultural groups. When young people from different nationalities meet for the first time, it is important to create a comfortable and welcoming environment that fosters communication and collaboration. Participating young people tried their hand at outdoor games, including a treasure hunt in which teams were created to bring together participants from different national groups who had never seen each other before;
-Educational workshops, in which the young people explored the themes of cultural identity, storytelling and empathy;
-Cultural workshops: sessions in which the participants presented their culture, traditions, cuisine and music to the other group members;
-Cultural visits: Braga and its beauties was the epicenter of the cultural activities, with its monuments, large green spaces and traditions. On the penultimate day of training, there was also an excursion to nearby Porto, where the young people had the opportunity to have fun and discover Portuguese culture;
-Team-building activities: games and activities designed to promote collaboration and teamwork among the participants. These included a contest in which the youngsters had to tell their experience in Portugal through a reel on Instagram. The products were all worthy of mention and highly creative, meeting with great success.
The program
● Day 1: Welcome and Introduction (29/04/2024)
The first day of training began with the participants’ welcome at Casa do Professor, located at Avenida Central, Braga. In the afternoon, the participants gathered for a light picnic lunch at the Central Avenue Garden. This informal moment allowed the participants to get to know each other in a relaxed environment.
Subsequently, in the afternoon, there was the presentation of the training agenda and objectives, followed by two icebreaker activities titled “What’s in a Name?” and “Treasure Hunt”. During these activities, participants were encouraged to share personal stories, possibly adding photos, and to refer to the “Voices of Migration” project. Additionally, there was an introduction to the Cultural Identity of Groups, led by experts from Casa do Professor.
The day concluded with a group dinner and discussion at the Casa do Professor restaurant in the evening, where the participants had the opportunity to reflect on the day’s activities and share their impressions.
● Day 2: Cultural Identity Exploration and Communication (30/04/2024)
The second day of training took place entirely at Casa do Professor. The morning was dedicated to Cultural Identity Exploration, conducted by CESRAM. Participants followed the first part of the video lessons on the topic and participated in practical exercises. After a short coffee break, the second part of the video lessons and further practical exercises continued until lunch. The group lunch took place at the Casa do Professor restaurant. In the afternoon, the focus shifted to Storytelling and Communication, with video lessons and practical exercises conducted by CDP, interspersed with a coffee break.
In the afternoon, participants took part in an outdoor creative contest, during which they were encouraged to create a video or a reel using their cell phones. They could use images captured throughout their stay in Portugal. At the end, they presented their works to their colleagues and there was a vote to award the best story. The day concluded with free time, followed by a group dinner and reflection on the day at the Casa do Professor restaurant in the evening.
● Day 3: Empathy and Understanding (01/05/2024)
The third day focused on developing empathy and understanding. At Casa do Professor, in the morning, participants followed the first part of the video lessons on Empathy and Understanding and participated in practical exercises. After a coffee break, the second part of the lessons and practical exercises continued until lunch.
The group lunch was held in the afternoon. In the afternoon, the focus shifted to Inclusion and Diversity with video lessons and practical exercises. After a period of free time, during which participants shared their reels for the digital contest, there was a visit to the Braga Cathedral, the city center, and the Santa Bárbara Gardens. The day concluded with a group dinner and reflection at the Casa do Professor restaurant in the evening.
● Day 4: Cultural Identity of Porto (02/05/2024)
The fourth day was dedicated to discovering the city of Porto. The participants met in the morning at the Braga train station for a train journey that arrived in Porto later in the morning. From there, they took a bus to the beach, where they explored the Passeio Alegre Garden and the sea. The group then headed to the Via Catarina shopping center for lunch, followed by a walking tour of the Ribeira district in the afternoon. During the tour, participants discussed Porto’s cultural diversity, including its maritime history, trade influences, and immigrant communities.
The return to Braga was by train in the afternoon. The evening concluded with a reflection on the training experience at Casa do Professor, followed by a farewell dinner and the digital contest awards.
● Day 5: Wrapping Up (03/05/2024)
The last day was dedicated to the program’s closure and evaluation. At Casa do Professor, in the morning, there was a closing and evaluation session. The project partners held a meeting in the morning, while the youth participants visited the Bom Jesus Sanctuary. The partners also visited the sanctuary.
The impact on participants
The cultural exchange had a significant impact on the participants, who reported a greater appreciation and understanding of the cultures represented in the group. In particular, participants reported gaining new perspectives on the world and developing new friendships with people from different cultural backgrounds. To the organizers’ great surprise, the youth team bonded immediately from the very first activities and found it very difficult to part on the day of departure. Furthermore, many participants reported having acquired new language and intercultural skills that they will be able to apply in their personal and professional future.
