As educators, our mission goes beyond helping students succeed academically; we aim to prepare them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society. In an increasingly diverse and multicultural world, fostering diversity and tolerance in classrooms has become a fundamental priority for schools and adult education. By nurturing empathy and open-mindedness, we not only empower learners to understand and respect differences but also help build stronger, more inclusive communities.

The new edition of the course “Diversity in the Classroom: Teaching Tolerance and Overcoming Prejudices and Discrimination” took place in Palermo from 29/06/2025 to 05/07/2025. The participants came from all across Europe, with María José Cara Gaitán from IES Fuente Nueva in Spain; Manuel Díaz Buiza and Álvaro Merino Hens from Colegio Santa María de Guadalupe in Spain; Blanca Pons Miscopein and Ona Maria Spruce Boronat from Fundació Privada Gentis in Spain; Eugenia Ferrer Pujol from eoi Palma in Spain; Mariya Shapochka from Wolfgang Borchert Schule in Germany; Tom Tautermann from IGS Mornewegschule in Germany; Lena Danielsson and Agnes Evertsson from Hagaskolan Örebro Kommun in Sweden; and Soraya Nepomuceno from
Cork Educate Together Secondary Level in Ireland.

​The initial important step of the course involved exploring the concept of identity. Teachers participated in a hands-on and visual activity designed to help them express their own identity. Their task was to create self- portraits, with one half depicting their outward appearance and the other half illustrating their inner personal traits and values. Following this, we discussed how our identities influence the way we perceive the world and others around us.
We also addressed major challenges and concerns related to recognizing and promoting diversità culturale. A TED talk prompted us to reflect on the significance of asking “Where are you local?” rather than “Where are you from?” emphasizing that what shapes us and our students is not simply nationality but a complex, interconnected cultural identity.
​It is well understood that exploring diversity inevitably involves addressing stereotypes. We examined the reasons for their existence, their positive and negative effects, how stereotipi develop, and the consequences they can lead to. Through storytelling activities, we explored how stereotypes can escalate into pregiudizi e discrimination.
Additionally, we approached the sensitive themes of awareness and respect. The perspective through which we view the world is shaped by our identity, meaning reality can appear differently depending on the “lens” we adopt. We engaged in numerous activities and simulations focused on critical thinking to better understand how our values influence culture, and vice versa.
The section of the course devoted to iscrizione helped us realize what it feels like to be excluded and how challenging it can be to welcome others into our social groups. The geese exercise, which demonstrated different leadership styles, was an ideal way to illustrate this.
Finally, the week concluded with a focus on empatia. We explored emotions and feelings in depth, encouraging teachers to see the world from others’ perspectives. Recognizing our own emotions is essential, but it is equally important to develop the skills to express them effectively—for both ourselves and our students.
Overall, it was an enlightening week filled with fresh knowledge, hands-on practice, meaningful exchanges, thoughtful discussions, inspiring ideas, and heartfelt emotions.