EUdentity

Objectives

Identity was a key factor when dealing with the European Union. Some people considered themselves European, while others felt they did not share anything with other countries. With this Youth Exchange, we aimed to make youngsters reflect on who they were, what elements formed their identity, both as individuals and as a group. To narrate their inner considerations and doubts, we decided to use two visual languages we deeply valued: videos and comics. To analyze and narrate their feelings and considerations, participants created, in groups, either a video or a comic strip that addressed the topic of identity. The final result was shared with as many people as possible to encourage reflection on the situation and to contribute to building a tolerant and united European Union.

The main points of our project were:

• To help participants explore the art of video making and comics and understand how these can be powerful tools for personal development and social change;
• To analyze the current state of the concept of European Identity in different countries to produce accurate, diverse, and relevant material;
• To provide participants with the opportunity to learn more about different types of visual arts that they could use in their professional and personal lives after the project;
• To promote intercultural dialogue through the power of storytelling, visual languages, and various forms of narratives;
• To promote Europe as a common background, fostering a European sense of identity;
• To encourage reflection and self-analysis at both a group and personal level for better self-awareness and understanding of one’s own abilities.

Activities

We implemented one activity, a Youth Exchange, led and organized by the hosting team of L’Ayalguina. A total of 26 participants from 3 Programme Countries and 1 Partner Country took part. Each country sent 5 participants and one group leader per national team, except for L’Ayalguina, which sent 8 participants to better coordinate the activity.

The criteria for the selection process included:

• Age limit: 18 – 25 years old;
• Gender balance within the team, while respecting different gender identities, with motivation as the key selection criterion;
• Experience balance within the team (we aimed to include mostly participants with no experience in international projects, though we required 2 out of 5 to have some experience in this field, such as having attended at least one international mobility activity);
• Motivation and willingness to take an active part in the entire activity;
• Enthusiasm for the topics, meeting other cultures, and exchanging ideas and experiences with young people from other countries.

Within this Youth Exchange, we also promoted inclusion by including young people with fewer opportunities. However, they went through the same application process to ensure they matched the project profile, particularly in terms of motivation to participate actively in the activity. We also took the time to understand their special needs and discuss their fears, expectations, and potential contributions.

Impact

With this project, we aimed to stimulate youngsters to express delicate topics such as identity through visual language, encouraging them to think, re-elaborate, and communicate a message with the ultimate goal of fostering tolerance, unity, and freedom of expression. The idea was to encourage people to express concepts they struggled with through art, helping them understand that confrontation is a valuable way to better understand who they are and why it is important to articulate internal conflicts.

Participants had opportunities to reflect on what made them who they were, understanding that each person is defined by complex and variable factors that sometimes align or diverge. They gained insights into why knowing their past is crucial for shaping the direction of their future. We also hoped that the material created would reach other people, helping them think about issues they might not have previously considered, thereby broadening their perspectives on other cultures. The final aim was to reach as many people as possible, contributing to the development of a more tolerant, united, and inclusive European Union.