Diversity in Action

The project brought together 50 young people from diverse ethnic backgrounds for a week-long residential Diversity Hub Academy, where they explored identity, human rights, and social inclusion through non-formal education methods. A central outcome of the Academy was the development of 16 youth-led local initiatives – ranging from exhibitions and podcasts to sports events and creative workshops – each aimed at breaking stereotypes, fostering empathy, and building bridges between Moldovan communities.

These initiatives were supported with mentoring and seed funding, and their results were later showcased in public exhibitions across Moldova. The project concluded with a study visit to Berlin to inspire participants for their future interventions, bringing them into contact with local activist examples and sustainable initiatives.

Project Goals

The project aimed to strengthen interethnic understanding and social inclu-sion in Moldova by equipping young people with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to become active drivers of change in their communities. It fo-cused on three interconnected goals:

• Improving interethnic dialogue and cooperation among youth aged 16-20 by fostering meaningful exchanges across ethnic, lin-guistic, and regional divides, and creating safe spaces for exploring identity, values, and shared challenges.
• Empowering marginalized youth, particularly from rural areas, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQIA+ communities, by providing oppor-tunities for leadership, creative expression, and hands-on project development.
• Encouraging intersectional approaches to culture, community en-gagement, and activism by integrating gender perspectives, expe-riences of discrimination, and diverse narratives into all project components – from training content to local initiatives and public exhibitions.

Through these goals, the project supported youth not only in understanding their role in shaping an inclusive society but also in taking concrete action to promote it.

Target Group(s)

Project involved youth aged 16-20 from across Moldova. It specifically en-gaged young people from ethnic minorities, rural areas, and marginalized communities – including Ukrainian refugees, and youth from the autono-mous regions of Transnistria and Gagauzia. Special attention was given to creating a safe and affirming space for LGBTQIA+ youth, ensuring their meaningful participation throughout all project phases.

Planned Outcomes/Achievements

Participants created 16 inspiring youth-led initiatives – including podcasts, exhibitions, sports events, and workshops. These projects ranged from shar-ing cultural traditions through cooking podcasts, to anti-bullying workshops using simulation games, a fashion show celebrating Gagauz heritage, a comic book exploring Moldova’s ethnic diversity, and a short documentary about interethnic and intergenerational dialogue through graffiti and tradi-tional cooking, capturing personal stories of Moldovans and Ukrainians.
The results of these initiatives were later showcased in public exhibitions, where young leaders presented their work and sparked meaningful conver-sations about diversity and inclusion.
A study visit to Berlin further broadened participants’ horizons by exposing them to local activist groups and community-driven initiatives.
Throughout the project, participants strengthened their skills in leadership, teamwork, and community organizing, empowering them to continue driv-ing positive social change in their communities beyond the project.