Fairstep is a European Union initiative officially founded in October, 2012. The project aims to collect humanitarian, and environmental projects from all EU countries, and introduce them online.
The vision for Fairstep originally came to its founder, Antonios, in 2005. As he described for us: “In more than 25 years traveling around the world, especially in Europe, I had the great luck to meet and talk with many people(s). It was and is still a magnificent experience to learn from others, to see the world with their eyes. But there was one point I faced everywhere: people do not really know each other, neither in their small neighborhood, nor in the wider world. This is not only a pity, but it makes life more difficult. The interesting thing is, if you give people information, explain circumstances and transfer emotions from others, they are mostly pleased to get them and are keenly interested. And that is why we say today: Closeness creates understanding, distance causes misunderstanding!”
Antonios’ next challenge was to develop an organizational approach that could expand his realization and bring it to a wider audience. “How could we share differing information about all the other peoples, with all the peoples? If many people act a bit, all together we can move mountains, and if we combine information with charity, we become a team and help others.”
Fairstep’s process collects projects from around the European Union, and gives all donors the possibility to vote on which projects should be sponsored. Donors are not allowed to vote for their own country’s projects, or projects in neighboring countries. As such, they must learn about projects from more distant, probably lesser-known countries, thus gaining information and reality-based experiences from them. Antonios explains: “As a result, we hope to create rapprochement, and in the future, live together in respect and dignity, as well as with tolerance and understanding.”
Fairstep’s partnership with Translators without Borders began in December 2012, when its website, first in German and English, needed translation into all official EU languages. The Danish translation is already available, and several other languages are in progress. As Antonios remarks: “This basic translation work is absolutely necessary, because everyone in the EU should have the possibility to understand the aim and message of Fairstep, and as such, have the chance to be an active part of its development.”