The European youth campaign All Different All Equal, led in the UK by The National Youth Agency in 2007 and 2008, was a milestone in reinforcing the fight against racism, anti-semitism, xenophobia and intolerance.
It encouraged young people throughout Europe to participate in building peaceful societies based on human rights, diversity and inclusion, in a spirit of respect, tolerance and mutual understanding. The campaign was targeted at all young people in Europe aged between 12 and 30, civil society organisations at national and European levels, non-governmental youth organisations and youth initiatives and schools and other education and training sites.
Now, although the campaign is officially closed, the Council of Europe has released one of the outstanding achievements of the campaign, a book of the graffiti project.
Ralf-Rene Weingartner, director for education, culture and heritage, youth and sport at the Council of Europe, said: "It is a homage to all those who put their hands into the paint, to those who supported them and also to those who were simply supportive in spirit. The book is proof that imagination has no boundaries and can inspire further promotion of the values we believe in. The Council of Europe is glad to have supported this initiative - it will be a source of inspiration for future action and we trust that European young people will continue to challenge stereotypes and discrimination. The book is a message of hope - let's listen to it."
Campaign manager, Michael Raphael, writing in a preface to the book, says: "As a popular youth-oriented art form, graffiti attracts young people who otherwise might have never been involved or heard about the campaign. It invited young people to participate in constructing public space."
