A youth exchange funded by Erasmus+ at the wannseeFORUM Berlin.
In spring 2025, the International Easter Workshop, a seven-day youth exchange funded by the EU's Erasmus+ program, took place once again at the wannseeFORUM Foundation in Berlin. Under the motto "Borders & Bridges," participants from Poland, Belgium, Croatia, and Germany creatively explored the meaning of borders and connections in personal, social, and political contexts.
The project focused on the core values and goals of the Erasmus+ program. It promoted intercultural learning, social inclusion, creative thinking, and active European engagement. Central to the project were questions such as: What divides us – what unites us? Where do visible or invisible boundaries lie in our world, in our society, and within ourselves? And how can we build bridges – through understanding, encounters, and collaborative creation?
In artistic workshops using painting, photography, theater, and music/songwriting, the young people developed creative answers to these questions. The artistic methods offered space for personal expression, an intensive engagement with the topic, and the shared experience of cultural diversity as a resource. This interdisciplinary work not only strengthened creativity but also the ability to perceive different perspectives and productively connect them.
A key focus of the program was the excursion to Bernauer Straße in Berlin and the Berlin Wall Memorial. There, the theme of "borders" experienced firsthand within its historical context. Participants had the opportunity to reflect on the division of Berlin, its overcoming, and the significance of freedom, democracy, and solidarity – values that remain of central importance in Europe today.
The encounter at the wannseeFORUM allowed the young people to experience themselves as active shapers of a shared European future. At a time of increasing social divisions and political challenges, the project made an important contribution to promoting tolerance, solidarity, and cultural diversity. Language barriers were quickly overcome through everyday interaction, workshops, and shared leisure activities – genuine encounters took place.
At the end of the workshop, the results were presented in a public presentation. The artistic contributions reflected the diversity of approaches and experiences and demonstrated how creative engagement can build bridges between people from different countries and backgrounds.
With the “International Easter Workshop 2025”, wannseeFORUM has once again created a space where young people can learn, create and grow together across borders in the spirit of the European idea and the goals of Erasmus+.