Theatre, art, activism, and advocacy came together in an event that celebrated the culmination of a transformative European project, where 25 young people from different countries demonstrated how theatre can become a powerful tool for activism and advocacy. The initiative, called “Voices through Water” and developed as part of the MyElections – My EU! project, saw these young people engage in an intense journey to give voice to two of the most pressing challenges of our time: migration and climate change.
Through artistic workshops and meetings with experts in key locations such as Lampedusa in Italy and Zicksee in Austria, the participants transformed their reflections and demands into a powerful final performance. The culmination of the project took place at the European Parliament, where the young people were able to present their demands and questions directly to the newly elected members of the European Parliament, establishing a direct dialogue between the new generation of activists and policy makers.
The closing event was an opportunity for the community to learn more about this unique experience. On October 24, at the Teatro Atlante in Palermo, some of the participants shared their stories, experiences, and emotions, concluding with a short and evocative body percussion performance. The evening provided an opportunity to learn more about the project through photos and videos, offering a comprehensive look at the journey these young people had undertaken.
The launch of the Voicesthroughwater platform
A central element of the event was the launch of the voicesthroughwater digital platform. This is not only an archive of photos and videos of the participants’ journey, but also a fundamental resource for anyone who wants to replicate the impact of the project.
The platform is available in all the languages of the countries involved in the project and, with a view to open source and dissemination, freely offers the methodologies and artistic and advocacy tools used. Through the “Toolkit,” educators, youth workers, and activists can access and use the tools developed in the project to replicate the experience with their own user groups, thus amplifying the reach of art-based youth activism across Europe.
The event ended with a moment of conviviality, refreshments accompanied by a live concert by the group Punamanu, a way to celebrate the success of the project and the energy of its protagonists. Voices through Water is an example of how artistic commitment and youth participation can effectively inform and influence European political debate.
About the project
My Elections – My EU! is a project funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme – Cooperation Partnership in the field of youth, which aims to help young people to understand and critically reflect on European election programmes and to develop their own demands based on real experiences, thus increasing voter participation in the 2024 European elections.
Partners
- SUDWIND VEREIN FUR ENTWICKLUNGSP OLITIK UND GLOBALE GERECHTIGKEIT (Austria, coordinator)
- Ekumenická akademie, z. s. (Czech Republic)
- Fundacja Kupuj Odpowiedzialnie (Poland)
- Teatro Atlante Cooperativa Sociale (Italy)
- CESIE (Italy)
- DRUŠTVO HUMANITAS – CENTER ZA GLOBALNO UČENJE IN SODELOVANJE (Slovenia)
- Fundacja Sztukmistrze (Poland)
- Kulturno umetniško društvo Transformator (Slovenia)
- FUORI – Verein für performative Kunst (Austria)
- Prosvěta s.r.o. (Czech Republic)
For further information
Read more about the project.
Contact Giulia Siino: giulia.siino@cesie.org.
