Traditions, habits and values are the backbone of our societies. People usually consider the place where their enculturation took place as their home. They identify with their societies and the latter gives them security and the standard they are living. Europeans are faced with the task of creating a synergy of cultures, of seeing their own culture as a valuable part of a unique community in the context of other cultures. “United in diversity” – that is the declared motto of the EU and a guiding principle of this unique community of nations. To get closer to this goal, people in Europe must come closer. They can do that by learning from each other about their lived cultural heritage: the values, the traditions, customs and habits. The more this takes place, the more fears and prejudices against other cultures can be reduced and valuable synergies can arise. It is like the host, who welcomes the stranger friendly and with curiosity, perhaps to hear things that improve one’s life or give advice that may be useful to the other. At the same time, this requires to consider not only european lived heritage, but also cultures from non-european countries, that are practiced in Europe and the change of cultures in the course of time. 

The project teams from Czech Republic, Germany, Spain and UK will analyse the traditional values and customs in their society and present them with photography, films and other artistic means to the other project teams and target groups outside the project. The exchange between the countries is of particular value. Because people have a certain idea of strangers, which makes it easier for them to classify them. These are stereotypes that are mostly inconsistent with reality. Through the mutual exchange of information about the lived cultural heritage of the respective countries stereotypes can be reduced. The exchange of cultures contributes significantly to the fight against nationalism and xenophobia. Therefore, the project has a high social and educational value.