Projects: International Understanding and Tolerance

The best projects of international understanding and tolerance are those where you don’t notice that they are projects, don’t you think? Simply a plus on wide heart. Interested? But what does projects wide heart mean in practice? After all, it’s easy to write one’s name on the banners; but it’s a well-known fact that you can recognize the tree by its fruits.

KS-Plus Self-conception to Projects Wide Heart

Projects wide heart means for us nothing else than that the idea of international understanding, appreciation, respect and tolerance are central components of all KS-plus projects. Instead of pointing this out demonstratively, we find practice lived in the individual projects much more effective and also more appropriate. In this way supporters can avoid a feeling of paternalism that is otherwise often encountered and that can spoil everything. Nobody really wants such a feeling if you are honest. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter whether it is intentionally conveyed as a characteristic of perceived superiority or whether it is unintentionally the result of well-intentioned helpfulness. Only vigilance helps.

Prerequisites for Plus in wide heart – is there such a thing?

Every human being starts from what he knows. We are shaped by our culture, whether we like it or not, whether we are aware of it or not. It is said that man is a creature of habit. This gives us a feeling of security not to be helplessly exposed to the environment “out there”. At the same time, people are more or less receptive to new things, open to challenges and also to foreign impressions. Why else would so many people travel to other countries and cities, want to get to know foreign cultures? At the same time we have our point of view like a backpack with us, see everything like through coloured glasses. Remembering that when something seems “funny” and does not want to fit into our imagination is the basis. First of all see what is behind it. Often it turns out that instead of “right around” you can also “left around” dodge an obstacle, and with a plus in wide heart you get completely new approaches. Even if you “only” try to do your best, the opposite will sooner or later have the same effect, you will get on “one wavelength”. It may sound theoretical, but in practice it works surprisingly well. Working together on something, exchanging ideas, working for something, that helps to grow understanding and is a good basis for the future. Of course, it sometimes takes a lot of staying power, not everything works out overnight. But it is always worth it, a plus at wide heart for a future worth living. No bombastic actions are needed, many small steps are enough.

Such “small opportunities” include workshops in college, exchange programs and courses at the Academy, concrete projects with the hospital such as the eye specialist, the dental treatment unit, helping with a camp and much more.