– Formation et Sensibilisation (Luxembourg)
The office of Formation et Sensibilisation, a Luxembourgish NGO focused on intercultural understanding, buzzed with eager energy as the staff prepared for an upcoming project titled “Bridging Cultures.” This initiative aims to foster connections and empathy between youth mentors, youth workers, and young migrants or refugees.
In one corner of the room, the program director finalized training materials while fielding questions from her staff. They wanted to ensure the activities and discussions would allow participants to authentically share their experiences and perspectives.
Meanwhile, around the large conference table, previous participants in Bridging Cultures projects shared their advices and experiences with future participants. A refugee woman emphasized the importance of patience and cultural humility. A youth worker described how the project had challenged his assumptions and reshaped his mentoring approach.
Enthusiastic conversations filled the room as newcomers took notes and peppered the »veterans« with questions about how to build rapport across cultures. As the hour drew to a close, the energy in the room was palpable; these dedicated mentors and youth workers from diverse backgrounds were eager to bring nuance, empathy, and connection to their work supporting young people. The NGO staff felt confident that this preparation meeting had galvanized participants and set the stage for profound intercultural dialogue.
