Student groups from UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) members all over the world were invited to participate in the Arts Contest "Opening hearts and minds to refugees". The contest was an opportunity for students of all ages and their teachers to do research and reflect on why people leave their homes and flee from their countries, who the people leaving their countries are, how their life in their home countries and in the transit or destination country is, what refugees and non-refugees have in common and how one could better help them to feel safe, welcome and included.
Under the "Global Citizenship Education" focus of the ASPnet, the contest helped students to develop critical thinking and to enhance awareness and knowledge about the lives of refugees while stimulating creative expressions through various art forms.
Launched by UNESCO in collaboration with the Federal Research and Methodological Centre for Tolerance, Psychology and Education (Moscow, Russian Federation), the contest is open to children and young people from pre-schools, primary, secondary and vocational schools and teacher training institutions.