CARE ON

Project description

The project demonstrated that even in the worst situations, there is something positive to be found. During the preparation of the project proposal, the containment of the pandemic had just begun, and it became evident that this success was due to unity and mutual support within the EU. To build an even more united and resilient community in the future, it is important to learn from these experiences. To ensure the voices of all social strata were heard, the eight partners held ten thematic debates. Experts, active citizens, young people, journalists, and people with disabilities participated. Together, we analyzed the problems created by the pandemic across various areas of life.

The live debates took place in diverse locations, including schools, universities, conference halls, libraries, clubs, and music studios. In Greece, artists shared "recipes for culture" during times of crisis. In Lithuania, the pros and cons of online learning during the pandemic were analyzed. In Czechia, a large-scale online conference focused on the challenges faced by families, single parents, and women. The Spanish partner introduced young people to EU institutions that provide support to citizens. In Germany, the discussion centered on the need to find one's inner compass to help others effectively. The debate in Serbia featured active participation from people with disabilities, emphasizing the need not only for care but also for access to information. The Polish organization concluded that the third sector plays a crucial role in helping the most vulnerable groups. Poland’s unique experience, with the war in Ukraine adding another layer of crisis, highlighted the society's high levels of care, empathy, and hospitality. In three debates held in Bulgaria, lessons were drawn from the crises in the economy, media (fake news), and healthcare.

The overall conclusion was that COVID-19 was a test not only for medicine but for everyone. We must always be prepared for challenges like this pandemic because such events have happened before and will happen again. It is up to us to have a ready plan to cope with them. As a result of the discussions, interviews, reports, and research conducted during the debates, 42 stories of goodness were collected. The online brochure, available in English, includes photos, videos, and stories—ranging from small acts of kindness, compassion, and solidarity that helped spread hope to the experiences and best practices of groups, communities, and countries, and the effects of sensible and targeted EU policy.

An innovative method used to discuss the project's topic was the World Café. A total of 120 students and volunteers, along with 11 teachers and principals from five schools and one school dormitory in Pleven, participated. Young people aged 15 to 19 displayed awareness, knowledge, quick thinking, creativity, and a rich imagination. They demonstrated maturity by reaching conclusions similar to those of adults in the debates. The final forum, an international conference with participation from all organizations in the consortium, was held in Pleven. Pupils, students, teachers, doctors, public figures, and journalists were present. A presentation prepared by the project coordinator summarized the project’s activities. Discussions and conclusions from the World Café were showcased in a video, with illustration boards from the World Café displayed as background in the hall. Partners shared their contributions, highlighting key takeaways from the debates and stories they prepared for the online brochure. Bill Gates' TED lecture "We Can Make COVID-19 the Last Pandemic" was watched with great attention, followed by a discussion. Based on all the highlights from the debates and ideas from young people, a document was prepared with recommendations to the European Commission for actions to take in case of future crises. The project participants united around the general conclusion that COVID can stand for care, reason, values, unity, and solidarity. 

Objectives

The main goals of the project were:

• to discuss the problems created by the pandemic in all spheres of life: healthcare, economy, education, social care, culture

• to organise 10 debates with experts, public figures and ordinary citizens

• to propose measures and approaches to better deal with the next similar crisis

• to publish an online brochure titled The Stories of Goodness being a collecttion of best practice examples from all over Europe

• to organise an international conference summarising the results of the project

Results

For more indepth information on project results go to the project website here.

News

For news and updates on the project go to our facebook page here.