Learning objectives:

Time:

The necessary time will vary depending on the number of participants but is estimated between 1 and 2 hours.

Necessary materials:

• Flip charts;
• Pen.

Description of the activity:

1. First part:

• The educator invites the group to sit in a circle and on a flipchart writes the words “discrimination” and “equality”.
• The participants are asked to close their eyes and think about what the words mean to them.
• After a minute the participants open their eyes and brainstorm by calling out words or phrases in relation to “discrimination” and then “equality”.
• The educator writes the words and phrases on the flipchart in order to build up a vocabulary around the words “discrimination” and “equality”.
• The participants can be asked questions like “Which groups do you believe experience discrimination?”, “Do any groups you belong to suffer from discrimination?”, “How are other groups discriminated against?, “How does discrimination make you feel?”, etc.

2. Second part:

• The educator places three large sheets of paper on the floor in opposite corners of the room. On the papers it is clearly written “Myth”, “Fact” and “Not Sure”.
• The educator reads out a series of statements related to a certain topic (anti-racism, gender equality, discrimination, tolerance, etc.) and the participants are asked to express their degree of agreement or disagreement regarding each statement by walking over and standing beside their chosen piece of paper on the floor.
• After each statement the educator can ask participants to comment on why they choose to stand where they are and to try and persuade others to change their opinion and position.
• After comments the participants can change their position particularly if they hear a valid or convincing argument.
• In this exercise everyone has the right to express his or her opinion without being judged, put down or disrespected.