CO-EXIST - Citizen journalism to address intercultural and interfaith dialogue

  • Programme: Erasmus+
  • Action: Cooperation partnerships in school education
  • Project reference: 2022-2-IE01-KA220-YOU-000099163
  • Start date: 1/05/2023
  • Duration: 24 months
  • Website: CO-EXIST

CO-EXIST is a European project funded by the Erasmus+ programme that began in May 2023. Its main aim is to support young people in our communities to take part in citizen journalism, countering the narratives about other religions presented in mainstream media and harnessing the potential of social media platforms to promote cultural and religious tolerance across Europe.

Through our work with young people from different faith communities, the whole consortium is aware of the need for a mechanism that fosters interfaith dialogue between religious groups.

Main work packages

The project is divided into four work packages: project management (WP1), a citizen media curriculum to build young people's skills (WP2), continuing training for frontline social educators (WP3), WebQuests for interfaith dialogue and a digital newsroom (WP4) and promoting interfaith dialogue and counter-narratives (WP5).

Each work package includes a set of activities chosen and shared among all partners according to their expertise: content creation, evaluation (both internal, by the partners, and external, during the piloting phases), and dissemination and impact activities, among others.

Results

  • A Citizen Journalism curriculum with modules on: 1) citizen journalism 101; 2) intercultural and interfaith dialogue; 3) interviewing and writing; 4) video production and editing; 5) podcasts and audio interviews.
  • A A set of WebQuest resources to help young people open up intercultural and interfaith dialogue and produce a piece of multimedia content - an article, blog, video, interview, poster or infographic - that counters the narrative about another faith or culture put forward by disinformation campaigns.

Consortium

The CO-EXIST consortium is made up of partners from six European countries. 

  • The Rural Hub (Ireland): coordinator
  • Solution: Solidarite et inclusion (France)
  • Fundación Siglo22 (Spain)
  • KANE (Greece)
  • FORUM Citoyens (Belgium)
  • FHB (Germany)