Remember the Rebel

ended

30 years after the withering away of the last dictators of Europe in 1989, the EU democratic system is under pressure; being challenged by radical movements, fake news and populists questioning fundamental values of diversity, democracy and political freedom. The invasion by Russia of Ukraine stresses the vulnerability of the democratic system even more. Remember the Rebel contains of 3 elements that are presented together to a diverse group of young people (age 15-30): 1. a traveling exhibition of oral histories of Europeans who took part in resistance, dissident or oppositional movements before 1989. Resistance played a key role in European democracy by fighting occupation, overthrowing totalitarian regimes and fighting to defend fundamental freedoms. It is crucial to celebrate and educate about these instances, actors and groups as examples for today and the future to defend fundamental freedoms. This ‘pop-up museum’ of stories is a touching and immersive experience that makes people realize that democracy is not something you can take for granted: it is fought for by Europeans, and every citizen can play an important role in defending it. 2. an interactive game in which young people are confronted with all the systems (political, ideological, commercial, (social) media and (fake) news, etc) that are forming their thinking. In a playful manner participants learn how to think as autonomous as possible and why it’s needed to question the status quo and think critically. They learn practical tools on how to distinguish facts from fake. 3. launching ceremonies and workshops in at least four different EU-countries (NL, RO, IT and PL). In the events the stories of resistance of the past are being linked to the current situation. We play the interactive game in groups and debate on critical thinking and how to protect the important values of our democracy. Each launching event is tailer made with a country specific focus like populism, and EU enlargement.