“Europe does not fall from the sky” - with Altiero Spinelli's words in mind, Accademia Europeista del Friuli Venezia Giulia designed its mission focusing on European education programmes not only for adults but also for young people and schools, aiming at stimulating attention on European identity’s issues. The commitment for a more cohesive perception of European citizenship is one of the main driving forces of its activities since its foundation; and it is the main topic of this specific initiative, that is "Learn and live as European citizens" project.

The context in which this project originated is the combination of Accademia Europeista's European mission with the coming of the European Year of Citizens, 2013. For this particular year, the organisators decided to provide their activities with a clear-cut focus on citizenship. This decision is justified by two important reasons. First of all, being Accademia Europeista del Friuli Venezia Giulia a body involved in the promotion of European values, its efforts are devoted to the fostering of European Union's annual priorities: thus, in the European Year of Citizens, Accademia Europeista del Friuli Venezia Giulia launched the above mentioned project idea directly related to these themes. Second, the forthcoming European Parliament elections make the raising of European political awareness a priority for all those subjects dealing with the diffusion of information on EU-related themes. On this regard, it is paramount to provide information to new and young voters about the elections; helping them to develop an adequate level of consciousness on the main tool of direct democratic participation in the European Union and understanding thoroughly the importance of holding the right to take part in it through vote.

 

The objectives of the project with respect to young people are the fostering of their European awareness, developing and stimulating their sense of European citizenship, and spreading information on work and study opportunities available for them as European citizens.
The listed objectives match with at least two priorities of Youth in Action: the promotion of young people's active citizenship and their European citizenship; and the fostering of mutual understanding between young people coming from different countries.

Active citizenship and European citizenship are the main theme and the title of the project, and will constitute the privileged theme during all the exchange programme. The mutual understanding theme will be developed through the organization of activities in which young people coming from different countries will be stimulated to interact and confront on different topics. Moreover, there will be room for every group to present its country and culture during informal events to favour familiarization among groups.