Diversity

Accepting Diversity-Appearance Based Discrimination

“Discrimination Based on Appearance”

Accepting “Diversity”=Accepting “the Other” = Accepting “the Different”

“How do I look? We are all different, we are all beautiful.”

Discrimination is ever-present in any society. It is based on unexamined stereotypes and results in the prejudicial treatment of people who happen to be members of a particular group. Being different in appearance in a group of people is often converted in forms of discrimination and this is acted on every level of social life. Society makes assumptions which are unquestionably adopted by the majority of people. As a consequence ‘the Different” is automatically rejected. Through the Greek subtopic, “Combatting Discrimination of Appearance-Accepting Diversity”, and our YoUtopia project in a wider context, we are investigating forms of discrimination upon ‘the Different’ and are pointing out the effects that such a behavior has upon people. Heading to the opposite direction, by working under the principles of Equality and Tolerance, developing a spirit of Volunteering as a top significance procedure in social affairs, we equip ourselves with those qualities that can develop a collective conscience on combatting discrimination of appearance or of any other kind. Accepting diversity seems to be the only means of maintaining cohesion of society, coexistence and collaboration of individuals in a multicultural society of today. We hope that this project, through getting sensitized on Appearance Based Discrimination issues and promoting Diversity principles, will challenge the participative members and the wider social circle that is being involved in activities one way or another to exhibit the benefits of being a multicultural society with respect for the “Different”. As an impact of this endeavor we hope that students, teachers and parents are going to get more emotionally mature, develop empathy towards the subtle issues of Diversity and Human rights and confront their own bias and prejudices. Our common goal is to make apparent that Acceptance of “the Other”, “the Different”, enhances our quality of life and transforms us to thinking spiritual individuals that stand for the Right and for Justice.

Kapetanidou Theodossia

(Coordinator Teacher for the Greek Subtopic-Mathematics Teacher)