TRAINING TOOLKIT

We would like to invite you to the part of the toolkit in which we have included exercises which aim to prompt self-reflection and discussion on diverse items related to religion based hate and extremism, while, at the same time, to encourage a self-critical attitude.

HERE YOU CAN FIND ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO:

HEI administration and policy-makers

Teaching and non teaching staff

University students; students’ unions

Other inspiring sources

HEI ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY MAKERS

This tool includes assessment items related to ‘core’ programmatic strategies to address religion based hate and extremism.

Policy makers should understand that taking care of religion and belief in the campuses means to achieve positive effects:

Increase students’ and staff ‘s wellbeing

Generate higher levels of attractiveness around the world

Organize better and more complete curriculums

Engender adequate plethora of skills for graduates to work in global world labor markets

SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY 1 “MAPPING STRATEGIES”

Does your HEI/Faculty/Research Center pursue any of the following strategies?

Instructions:

Indicate Yes/No plus comments. In case your answer is ‘Yes’ please provide comments regarding what you think are the major strengths and weaknesses of concrete actions already pursued. In case your answer is ‘No’ please briefly explain why your HEI didn’t not follow the strategy in question.

Download activity here

SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY 2 “IN ACTION”

This tool includes assessment of core activities related to institutional strategies to address religion based hate and extremism.

Instructions:

Answer to the following questionnaire clarifying exactly what is the situation in your organization. At the end, you need to make the sum of points obtained in each domain, in order to take conclusions.

If your score is between 4 and 11 points, that means that your institution is far from being aware of the issues related to religion based violence and crime, and there is a need to foster your knowledge on the situation, compare with other institutions, and define a strategic plan.

If your score is between 12 and 18 points, that means that your institution is on the track to build a culture of non-discrimination, and religion based violence prevention, however there are still many aspects that need to be faced, whether in relation to health, communication, privacy or involvement of publics more vulnerable to religion based violence.

Questionnaire

To what extent your university is an institution where people from different religious or non-religious backgrounds and beliefs get on well together?

Download activity here

SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY 3 “GENERATE”

This activity should be done at the beginning of the academic year and involve rectors, vice- rectors, and head of schools/departments and council directors.

Policy makers and course directors and other institutional representatives should be involved in building reception programs that promote intercultural exchange in the campuses.

An especial part of the reception session should include this moment for interchange: 

Organize a speed dating session that counts with presentation of oneself

A group of tables and chares are displayed in a room or an open space (such as an entrance hall).

Each table has a word on it (connected to intercultural dialogue, e.g. culture; dialogue; past experience; equality).

Students are invited to discuss all the topics, resting about 10 minutes in each table.

At the end, the person in charge for the session organizes the contribution, passing a clear message about the relevance of mutual respect at the campuses.

SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY 1 “DEBATE”

Promote regularly work meetings with non-teaching staff including an evaluation on the incidents, or problems involving teachers and students and analyse each case, after listening the stories of each person about the same issue.

This analysis should be done in an informal tone, so people can be reflexive and understand it and how their behavior is biased concerning religion, and faith, or other characteristics.

Identifying and Challenging Religion Based Hatred and Extremism on Tertiary Education Campuses You may use short videos on hate crimes to persuade people to participate.

Learn more here: https://hatecrime.osce.org/odihr-tools/enhancing-victim-protection-and-support

TEACHING AND NON-TEACHING STAFF

SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY 2“I AM YOU”

Non-teaching staff is strongly important. Positive actions should be taken to involve these people in counter hatred actions. As with other personal, including teaching staff and other policy makers, non-teaching staff should be involved in learning activities that increase their religious and belief literacy, and provide them tools to intervene in case of hate – related incidents.

In a wide room people sit in chairs around a stage

Some persons from the group are previously chosen and instructed to play the role of students coming to a service signaling some short of religion/belief singularity.

The chair of the session gathers information, and organizes a debate, ending up by summing up the importance of resisting to misunderstanding and stereotypes associated with religion and faith, and that are often linked with other concerning culture traits.

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, STUDENTS' UNIONS

Challenge your teachers, colleagues, staff, student union, and other organizations in your community to try these group activities. Break down prejudices together!

Together with institutions policy makers, students’ representatives should be aware of the need to take religion and belief as serious matters within the campuses. A part from the participation on the actions taken by policy makers at the institutions, and be involved in disseminating the initiatives, student representatives must know cultural bias and be able to identity them in their peers.

Periodically, Students Unions can provide moments for students to connect into each other (e.g. picnic, or other type of leisure activity), promoting initiatives that allow people to get a closer view and experience of the others.

Students Unions can also invite students to mobilize and work for national and international organizations working for the identification and eradication of hate speeches. Information can be obtained through national organizations, as well as in the Council of Europe, where you can find many videos used in campaigns.

ACTIVITY 1 | CHALLENGING YOUR (ACADEMIC) COMMUNITY

1.Put together a group of 7-10 people.

2.Organize a storytelling moment among students of different religions, so that each one can share his or her experience based on religion.

3.You might want to cover the following topics:

Are there differences across different courses in your institution in terms of religion balance?

If so, what are the differences?

What are the cultural roots of such differences?

What can we do to change it, from an individual, institutional and social point of view?

This exercise is designed to help you identify and reflect upon factors influencing career paths and to develop reflexive thinking regarding standardized religious roles.

ACTIVITY 2 | BREAK THE TABOO

1. Form a group of about 10 people, as diverse as possible.

2. Put people in pairs to discuss their views regarding religious diversity or problems related to religion. The goal is for each participant to contribute arguments that may change the other's preconceived idea.

3. At the end, have a reflection time together to see if the people in the group have been open to other opinions and points of view, and even if they have changed their own opinion in any respect.

ACTIVITY 3 | (DIS)RESPECTED

1. Put the participants together in pairs or groups, and ask them:

Given the propositions described below, imagine how respected they would or would not be within your community. Then discuss which prejudices still need to be combated in your environment and possible ways to address them.

Two burka-covered ladies from Afghanistan;

An Imam from a London mosque with his son;

An Orthodox Russian bishop traveling with two young priests;

A conservative Jewish Rabbi (with top hat and long sideburns) and his wife;

A party of tourists from the Humanist Association;

A British Christian missionary and his wife with a small child;

Three members of the Hare Krishna in orange robes;

A Hindu couple from India with a teenage daughter;

2. Organize a debate

Exercise adapted from: https://www.forb-learning.org/freedom-of-religion-or-belief- exercises.html

ACTIVITY 4 | READY TO REFLECT? LET'S DO IT!

1. Divide the participants into groups of 5-8.

2. Hand out a number of pictures or postcards to each group to each group and let

them look at the pictures for a while, thinking about the following question:

What does freedom of religion or belief mean to you?

3. After a while, ask each person to mentally pick one picture that symbolizes their feelings and thoughts when they think of religious freedom. Ask them to share which picture they chose and why with their group.

4. Gather all groups together and ask a few volunteers to share which picture they chose and why.

5. Stress that there are no right or wrong answers.

Discuss together:

What did you feel?
Was it difficult or easy to choose a picture? Why?
Did other people’s reflections bring something new to your mind?