Stereotypes - a thing of the past

Stereotypes are oversimplified generalizations about groups of people, and they can have a significant impact on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

This activity aims to achieve the following specific goals:

• Increase understanding of stereotypes and their impact
• Promote critical thinking about stereotypes
• Encourage open and respectful dialogue about stereotypes
• Foster empathy and understanding for others
• Commit to challenging stereotypes in everyday life

We developed some specific activities aimed at raising awareness about stereotypes and their potential impact on our lives.

Wear your stereotype:
We started the tandem 'wearing' our stereotypes by asking the ESN volunteers, International and Erasmus students to write a stereotype of their countries. They pinned papers on the T-shirts, so other participants could guess their countries of origin. We continued to talk and everyone had to write down the possible stereotypes of each country. Then the students were guessing which country to connect it to. Finally, the debate began on the origin of these stereotypes and what to do to overcome them.
 

Discussing stereotypes: a great way to promote understanding and break down barriers.

It is important to challenge stereotypes and to promote diversity and inclusion. We did this by:

• Learning about different cultures and groups of people. The more we know about others, the less likely we are to make assumptions about them.
• Being critical of our own thinking. We all have biases, but we can learn to be aware of them and to challenge them.
• Speaking up against stereotypes. When we hear or see stereotypes, we should challenge them. We can do this by pointing out their inaccuracy or by asking questions that encourage critical thinking.
• Celebrating diversity. We should recognize and appreciate the unique qualities of different groups of people. This can help to break down stereotypes and promote understanding.