Proposal: BRIDGE: Building Resilience through Intercultural Dialogue and Global Exchange
Implementation: 2025 to 2027
Call: ERASMUS-EDU-2025-VIRT-EXCH – Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges
Type of Action: ERASMUS-LS – ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants
Proposed Budget: 308 581,00€
Keywords: Resilience, Intercultural Dialogue, Storytelling, Global Exchange
Objective: The BRIDGE project (Building Resilience through Intercultural Dialogue and Global Exchange) empowers youth across Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa to become proactive digital citizens and intercultural leaders. Rooted in values of critical thinking, democratic engagement, and global solidarity, BRIDGE envisions a more inclusive and resilient world shaped by young people. It employs a dynamic blend of digital storytelling, problem-based learning, and virtual exchange to build participants’ global competencies, digital literacy, and cross-cultural understanding.
In collaboration with partners from Portugal, Belgium, Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde, BRIDGE merges European and African educational expertise. The project directly involves 1,625 young people aged 18–30—especially those facing social, economic, educational, or geographic disadvantages—in a transformative learning journey. Core activities include three structured capacity-building courses: Critical and Creative Thinking for Global Citizenship, Digital Storytelling and Intercultural Narratives, and Podcast Production for Civic Engagement.
Complementary bootcamps address complex global issues such as colonialism, war, and globalisation, while plenary debates and focus groups nurture democratic dialogue and iterative improvement. Public dissemination events ensure community-level impact and visibility at national and EU levels.
BRIDGE embeds sustainability through an alumni mentoring network, open-access educational resources, and strategic policy engagement with local and international stakeholders. It aligns with key EU frameworks including the EU Youth Strategy (2019–2027), Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027), and the European Education Area 2025 objectives.
BRIDGE contributes to systemic change in youth education. The project ultimately aims to cultivate a confident, engaged generation of young leaders who champion democracy, intercultural dialogue, and social cohesion.
Partners:
- European Institute for Human Rights (Young Educators)
- Eekhout Academy
- Instituto Superior De Gestão, Administração E Educação
- Instituto Superior Politécnico Humanidades E Tecnologias-Ekuikui Ii
- Universidade De Cabo Verde