ECAPT – Preparation Activities | Cyprus

The Cypriot participants contributed extensively to the ECAPT preparation phase through research, analysis, youth perspectives, and visual awareness tools. Their work focused on racism, discrimination, resilience, and youth inclusion, with particular attention to the experiences of migrant and refugee children and young people in Cyprus.

1. Research on Racism: Definitions, History & Forms

Participants began with foundational research on racism, exploring its meaning, historical development, and modern expressions. The research examined how racism evolved from biologically based theories to socially constructed and systemic forms, which continue to influence societies today.

Special emphasis was placed on identifying different types of racism, including:

  • Everyday racism, visible in daily interactions, comments, and online spaces

  • Structural (institutional) racism, embedded in systems such as education and housing

  • Organized racism, linked to ideological groups promoting exclusion and superiority

This theoretical grounding helped participants better understand how racism operates subtly and structurally in contemporary contexts.

2. Discrimination of Migrant and Refugee Youth in Cyprus

A central part of the preparation focused on discrimination experienced by children, teenagers, and young adults (15–30) with migrant or refugee backgrounds.

The research identified that discrimination most commonly occurs in:

  • Schools – through stereotyping, exclusion, bullying, and racist behaviour

  • Public spaces – harassment, feeling unsafe, social exclusion

  • Online environments – hate speech and racist comments

Participants also explored why discrimination happens, highlighting factors such as:

  • Negative stereotypes and "outsider" narratives

  • Language barriers and lack of adequate support in schools

  • Normalisation and underreporting of racist incidents

The findings showed that discrimination significantly affects young people's mental health, participation, academic confidence, and sense of belonging.

3. Racism in Schools vs. Community Youth Centres

Cypriot participants carried out a comparative analysis of how racism appears and is addressed in schools versus community youth centres.

In schools, racism often:

  • Appears as jokes, stereotypes, or exclusion

  • Is normalised or ignored

  • Leads students to cope individually (ignoring comments, trying to fit in)

In community youth centres, racism is more often:

  • Discussed openly

  • Addressed through dialogue and group activities

  • Met with collective support and empowerment

This comparison highlighted that context matters: informal, non-formal education spaces foster collective resilience, while formal school environments often leave young people unsupported.

4. Youth Voices: What Young People Say They Need

Participants collected direct reflections from young people, giving space to their voices and lived experiences. Young people emphasized the importance of:

  • Respect, empathy, and understanding

  • Language support and fair treatment

  • Teachers taking bullying and discrimination seriously

  • Feeling listened to and included

  • Seeing their cultures represented in school life

Many stressed that discrimination, even when subtle, causes real harm and should never be minimized.

5. Youth Inclusion Policies in Cyprus

The preparation activities also included research on youth inclusion policies in Cyprus, examining national strategies and institutional frameworks.

Participants reviewed:

  • The National Youth Strategy and Youth Strategy 2030

  • The role of the Youth Board of Cyprus

  • Youth participation mechanisms such as youth councils and assemblies

While legal frameworks promoting equality exist, the research highlighted gaps between policy and practice, including limited diversity education and insufficient inclusion of migrant youth voices in everyday settings.

6. Visual Awareness & Educational Materials

To communicate their findings in an accessible way, participants developed posters and visual materials that:

  • Explain racism and its forms

  • Show where discrimination happens

  • Highlight its impact on young people

  • Promote inclusion, resilience, and empathy

These materials were designed to raise awareness among peers, educators, and communities, and to support discussion during ECAPT activities.

7. Video Introduction – Cyprus Preparation Activities

This video presents interviews with students in Cyprus, sharing their personal experiences, thoughts, and reflections on discrimination and racism. Through their own voices, young people describe how racism appears in school life, everyday interactions, and social environments, as well as how it affects their sense of safety, confidence, and belonging.

By giving space to students' testimonies, the video highlights the real impact of discrimination beyond theory and statistics. It aims to raise awareness, promote empathy, and encourage open dialogue on the importance of inclusive, respectful, and supportive environments for all young people, regardless of background.

🎥 The video complements the Cyprus ECAPT preparation research by placing youth voices at the centre of the discussion.

7. Key Contribution to ECAPT

Through research, youth engagement, and creative outputs, the Cypriot participants highlighted the need for safe, inclusive, and empathetic environments for young people. Their preparation work strongly supports ECAPT's objectives by:

  • Centering youth voices

  • Addressing discrimination through education and empathy

  • Promoting non-formal education as a tool for inclusion