On March 9, the Foundation for Democratic Youth’s team was in the town of Ózd, Hungary, at the You Have a Place (Van Helyed) Studio, working with local catalysts. Who are they? People from the helping professions, teachers and musicians, all are drawn together by the desire to change that which seems to be unchangeable: giving local disadvantaged children access to quality education, thereby giving them hope as well. We met with an incredible, dedicated team led by Kriszta Bódis – incidentally also one of the ambassadors of the Dancing on the Square project.

This is what Kriszta writes about the Dancing on the Square project:

“Tolerance means more than just putting up with something; it’s more about approaching others with a real interest in them. With the Dancing on the Square project, we make this act of paying attention to one another into a tradition: a celebratory, joyful event and a major get-together. Instead of just living side by side, we should start living together: talking and meeting with one another. We should approach each other because we’re interested, and not in a spirit of judgment and criticism. The project is also significant because, the choreographers have spent the whole year working with marginalised people, and the experience of learning the dances and preparing is very important to them. This year, children from the You Have a Place Foundation will be taking part as well, which is really wonderful. We have all been children, and all of us have this ability to experience in the most basic way that it’s good to be together. Especially if a fun, shared activity brings us together: a game, dance, music, or a celebration. Every child knows this deep down inside. We mustn’t let this spark die by the time they grow up. We have the chance to create a society filled with countless wonderful shared experiences and work, regardless of where we are from.”