ESC: Interculturality, citizenship promotion and local actions

A popular education association, Romans International has for more than 25 years the vocation of working towards rapprochement and friendship between peoples. To move towards this general mission, it has adopted a specific mandate which is to contribute to living together and to social ties through education for international citizenship. Whatever the group, the society, the world to which we belong, the interdependence between human beings is a reality which can be a source of difficulties, misunderstandings or conflicts but also of multiple riches and solidarity. Faced with this reality and what it generates, we believe that to take part in the community within the city, each individual must be able to participate in the decisions that concern him and thus be an actor in his own life as a citizen. This ability to decide is not innate, it is learned. It is the role of popular education in addition to other vectors to help build the capacities of individuals. Citizenship must be conceivable at the local level (building, district, city) but also at the global level. Opening up to the world therefore appears to be a necessity in order to grasp the complexity of the economic, social and environmental phenomena that affect us on a daily basis and to be able to meet and flourish with the Other in society. By valuing the international experience, we wish to broaden the conception of citizenship for each individual since our decisions made here have an impact there and vice versa. For each of us, this means having sufficient self-esteem and certain abilities that are acquired through various vectors. The non-formal education actions that we offer help build self-confidence, raise awareness of the potential for positive action that everyone has and thus acquire the necessary prerequisites for living an active citizenship. For us, to offer each individual and especially at the level of young people the possibility of feeling “citizen of the world”, it is to promote the rapprochement, the mutual knowledge and the understanding between the peoples and thus to make work of peace. (RI) is an association of citizenship education and international solidarity which has been working for a better living together, more acceptance of differences and rapprochement between peoples for 22 years. Our means of action are information for the general public, awareness of intercultural encounters, the fight against discrimination, global inequalities and support for all solidarity and civic initiatives of young people. Our program of activities revolves around 4 axes: 1. Public information on mobility projects (CES, Solidarity projects, and youth exchanges) ERASMUS + (Around 1,000 people informed per year). 2. Awareness and training of YOUTH STRUCTURES. 3. Strengthening the civic capacities of YOUNG PEOPLE. 4. Support for taking action through participation in an international and citizen MOBILITY project. These 4 areas of intervention are part of an effective approach to support young people and optimal for the promotion of the ERASMUS + youth system. RI is therefore made up of a MOBILITY POLE and an EDUCATIONAL POLE. The activities developed are the subject of a transversal approach. If one of the employees is responsible for it, all the skills present within the team are mobilized on the action in order to compare views and know-how. (ERASMUS + administrative manager, trainers, specialist educators, international project manager, etc.). All our activities benefit from iterative monitoring and evaluated according to the methods adopted in sociology with a principle of partnership dynamics and optimization of networks as a lever for support around a young person.