At the end of January 2023, a group of young people from Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine and Poland came together in Rzeszów as part of the “Beyond the Borders” project. Very quickly, it became clear that this was about more than just a programme or a series of workshops.
At the beginning, there were differences. Language, experiences, ways of seeing the world. And the natural questions that appear whenever people from different countries meet. Only with time did it become clear how much they actually had in common.
The exchange programme became more of a starting point than a goal in itself. Through shared activities, games and conversations, participants moved toward topics that genuinely mattered to them. One of the central themes was stereotypes. Where do they come from, why are they so easily repeated, and what happens when we begin to question them?
During the workshops, participants confronted what they had heard about other countries with what they were now experiencing directly. Out of this came not only conclusions, but also something more personal, a shift in perspective.
This process led to creative outcomes, including collages that reflected the values shared by young people across different cultures. In many ways, there was less difference than anyone might have expected.
Between sessions, there was also time to explore the city. A visit to the Rzeszów Underground Route offered a glimpse into the history of the place that, for a few days, became a shared space for the whole group.
Intercultural evenings were another important part of the exchange. These were moments when participants presented their countries in the most direct way possible, through food, music and conversation.
At the end of the project, each participant received a Youthpass certificate. But what stayed with them went beyond that, in the conversations, experiences and relationships that formed over those few days.
The project was made possible thanks to funding from the European Union.
