Background

Europe’s rich cultural diversity is mirrored in its oral traditions, which are integral to its historical and societal identity. These traditions encompass folklore, legends, and narratives that reflect Europe’s diverse historical, societal, and philosophical landscapes. Despite the vast cultural diversity across Europe, there are shared values that unite Europeans. However, in an increasingly globalised world, there is a real risk that these invaluable cultural assets could be lost or diminished.

The EUfolk project is motivated by the need to safeguard these oral traditions, ensuring that they are preserved and appreciated by future generations. EUfolk aims to strengthen solidarity among Europeans and emphasise the shared aspects of European identity. This approach not only promotes intercultural understanding and dialogue but also fosters a sense of shared humanity and mutual respect for cultural differences. It especially addresses the needs of groups with limited capabilities, mainly seniors, allowing them to exchange good practices, learn new skills, and avoid feeling marginalised in a globalised society. As a result, they will feel empowered and active as EU citizens, contributing to the advancement of the EU’s common aims.

The Need for Action

  • The Winter 2022-2023 Standard Eurobarometer 98 survey indicates that only 45% of Europeans hold a positively definitive attitude towards the EU.
  • This sentiment is particularly pronounced among people in rural and isolated areas, who may have limited opportunities to travel, interact with others across Europe, and understand common European values.
  • These groups, especially seniors, often have rich cultural heritage but lack the digital skills necessary for preserving and sharing it.
  • Younger generations are knowledgeable about digital technology, but they usually lack the opportunity to pass on their knowledge to older generations who more often than not lack such skills, which fact increases the gap between the generations.
  • Furthermore, younger generations, immersed in the world of digital development and globalization, seem to be unaware of key elements of their cultural heritage, particularly the common values that make Europe a large family of peoples with shared roots despite local differences.

EUfolk bridges gaps in digital skills among these groups and empowers them as active, engaged EU citizens. Moreover, the project will facilitate intergenerational dialogue and cultural exchange. Seniors will share their oral traditions and stories and improve their digital skills, while young adults will use their digital skills to document and preserve these traditions. This interaction not only helps in preserving cultural heritage but also bridges generational gaps and fosters mutual understanding. Such dialogue is crucial for maintaining a connected and informed European society. EUfolk emphasises lifelong learning and digital inclusion by providing resources and educational opportunities for both seniors and young adults. Through workshops, storytelling, and digital tools, participants will develop critical skills and a deeper appreciation for European cultural heritage.

 

An Intercultural and Intergenerational Training Challenge

EUfolk addresses the needs of its target groups by:

  • Awareness of EU Values: Many Europeans, particularly those in rural and isolated areas, have limited awareness of common European values and their shared cultural heritage. By selecting and recording legends and oral narratives from different European cultures, EUfolk highlights common moral themes and values. These stories will be analysed to demonstrate shared European cultural roots, promoting respect for cultural differences while emphasising similarities.
  • Intergenerational Communication and Interaction: There is a need to bridge the generational gap and facilitate meaningful interactions between young and older people. EUfolk promotes intergenerational communication by involving both young adults and seniors in the process of recording stories and creating videos. By working together, participants will develop mutual respect, enhance cultural exchange, and build stronger connections across generations. This collaboration not only empowers seniors but also enriches the younger generation’s understanding of their cultural heritage and European identity.
  • Alignment with the Digital Era: Many seniors, particularly those in rural areas, lack the digital skills necessary to preserve and share their cultural heritage in a rapidly digitalising world. EUfolk facilitates digital inclusion by offering training and hands-on experience in producing digital materials, such as videos and online content. The creation of a digital platform/website will serve as a central hub for posting and disseminating project materials. This platform ensures that participants are aligned with the digital era while preserving their cultural heritage in a format accessible to all interested parts.

How EUfolk Will Make a Difference

EUfolk seeks to explore the rich diversity of European cultures by collecting and analysing folklore legends and oral traditions, while identifying and promoting the common values reflected in these stories to strengthen unity in diversity across Europe. The project aims to preserve and promote European cultural heritage through digital documentation and storytelling, bridging generations by equipping seniors and adults with the digital tools needed to share their cultural knowledge with younger audiences.

The project provides an excellent opportunity for cross-border cooperation, as partners from three European countries will collaborate to achieve a common goal. It especially addresses the needs of groups with limited capabilities, mainly seniors, allowing them to exchange good practices, learn new skills, and avoid feeling marginalised in a globalised society. As a result, they will feel empowered and active as EU citizens, contributing to the advancement of the EU’s common aims.

These aims will be achieved by developing the following key resources:

  • A Cultural Analysis Report: A report highlighting common values and recurring themes in European folklore, promoting cultural understanding.
  • A Digital Catalogue: A comprehensive online collection of folklore stories and oral narratives from participating countries.
  • A Video Collection: Nine videos featuring seniors sharing traditional stories, ensuring these are captured, preserved, and shared with wider audiences.
  • An Online Platform: A digital space that facilitates ongoing intercultural exchange and dialogue among participants, communities, and future learners.

This work will extend beyond national borders, and the dissemination of outcomes on European platforms will contribute to the creation of a more unified and harmonious European society.

Our Mission

Since the shared EU values have a long historical tradition and are frequently embedded in traditional folk tales and narratives, which are at risk of being lost in the accelerated pace of the digital age, our aim is:

  • To analyse common values across different European cultures as reflected in folklore, fostering unity within the diverse European community – by developing a report analysing common themes across European folklore, enhancing understanding of cultural similarities.
  • To investigate the rich diversity of European cultures by delving into folklore legends and oral traditions, highlighting their significance in European history – by developing a detailed digital catalogue of folklore legends and oral narratives from participating European countries.
  • To facilitate intergenerational interactions by using digital tools to transmit cultural heritage from older to younger generations – by organising workshops focusing on storytelling, video production, and digital skills that bring together seniors and young people, fostering collaboration across ages, experiences, and perspectives.
  • To enable dialogue and exchange among participants from different European countries – by establishing an online platform to facilitate ongoing intercultural dialogue, ensuring continuous engagement among participants.
  • To ensure older generations feel active, engaged, and recognised as valuable members of the European community – by producing videos featuring seniors sharing oral narratives and folklore, ensuring these stories are preserved and disseminated.
  • To contribute to the preservation and promotion of European cultural heritage.

Target Groups

  • Adults and Seniors who possess valuable oral traditions but with limited digital abilities.
  • Young Adults: Young people who are proficient in digital technologies and can support older generations in using these tools to preserve oral traditions.
  • Adult Trainers: Professionals and educators skilled in training others in digital technologies, interviews, video production, and oral processing.