Healing Hearts: Transforming Hate through Well-being and Trauma Healing
Hate speech and hate crimes are rising sharply across Europe, dividing communities and hurting targeted groups. While these behaviors are harmful, they often stem from unresolved personal trauma and emotional pain.
The "Healing Hearts" project tackles this issue at its root. Instead of just reacting to hate, the initiative focuses on emotional well-being and trauma recovery to change behavior. By offering support services, running local community activities, and partnering with public authorities, the project aims to help victims, heal perpetrators, and build a safer, more empathetic society based on equality and dignity.
Project Details
Project Number: (HH - 101215053)
Timeline: 1st of July 2025 until 30th of June 2027
Locations: Sweden, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania
Funding: EU Co-funded (CERV-2024-CHA)
Target Groups
- Individuals affected by hate speech/crimes.
- Community members, youth, and educators.
Objectives
- Reduce hate via root-cause healing.
- Comprehensive victim support services.
- Foster cohesion through workshops.
- Enhance reporting with authorities.
Expected Outcomes
- Behavioral transformation & reduced hate.
- Improved inclusion and victim support.
- Youth empowerment & community engagement.
Mindfulness Youth Camp
This initiative brought together 21 young adults affected by hate speech to foster emotional recovery and mindful communication. Through daily yoga, meditation, and advice-sharing circles, participants developed practical tools for handling stress and emotional triggers.
The camp directly advanced the project’s goals by equipping participants with concrete mindfulness, emotional regulation, and dialogue skills that they can apply in future project phases such as the Mentorship Programme and Mindfest. It also helped identify motivated young people ready to take on active roles as peer supporters, mentees, and co‐organisers, strengthening the project’s sustainability and youth‐ led dimension.
Mindfulness Youth Workers Camp
This three-day intensive training brought together 24 professionals including psychologists, social workers, and educators to build professional capacity for supporting youth affected by hate speech and discrimination.
Through theoretical inputs and experiential learning, participants mastered techniques in trauma comprehension, emotional regulation, and restorative dialogue, ensuring they are equipped to mentor local youth and lead future project initiatives like Mindfest.
Mentorship Program
Building on the Mindfulness Camps, this program paired 5 specialized mentors with 20 young adults affected by hate speech. Through 40 group and individual sessions, mentees used tailored toolkits to focus on emotional regulation, self-esteem, and boundary setting in a non-judgmental environment.
The initiative concluded with a celebration of personal growth, leaving participants with self-care tools and a strong network of peer support to sustain their journey toward emotional resilience.
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