On the occasion of the International Day of Tolerance, a thematic event in the format of a training session was held at the Congress Center of Sumy State University by students majoring in Social Work, Kateryna Zavadska and Alina Sirobaba, and a senior lecturer at the Department of Psychology, Political Science and Socio-Cultural Technologies, Alina Cherniakova: “Our University is a Space of Intercultural Tolerance” with the participation of foreign and Ukrainian students of Sumy State University.

The important objective of the training was to gain knowledge of conflict-free communication, which are necessary for interaction in a multicultural environment; to strengthen the skills of tolerant communication, intercultural communication and resolution of interethnic conflicts; to form a positive attitude towards cultural diversity.

During the event, participants had the opportunity to develop a number of key competencies according to the list of the European Union, which meet the need to ensure comprehensive and sustainable development, social cohesion and further development of democratic culture, in particular personal, social, learning, civic, gender competencies. The development of these competencies was facilitated by interactive exercises, group discussions, small group work using elements of art therapy to create a Peace Canvas, which encouraged constant active interaction of participants on the tolerance basis , exchange of experiences and opinions within a dialogue of cultures.

The initiative is implemented within the framework of the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Module “European values of intercultural dialogue in education: interdisciplinary and inclusive approaches” (“European values of intercultural dialogue in education: interdisciplinary and inclusive approaches” - EUROVALID) according to the plan of activities of the international summer school “Gender Equality in a Multicultural Educational Space: the Best Practices for Developing Intercultural Tolerance among Female Educational Migrants, Victims of Gender-Based Violence”.