The overall objective of the project was to strengthen the role of young people along the Balkan route in shaping a narrative on migration consistent with the EU values of unity, solidarity and non‑discrimination. Within this framework, the project pursued three closely interconnected specific objectives. First, the project aimed to increase young people’s awareness of the multiple dimensions of migration by strengthening critical thinking, media literacy and knowledge of EU values and policies, through formal and non‑formal educational pathways addressed to both young people and educators. Second, it sought to reinforce young people’s civic engagement in migrants’ inclusion at local and European level, by creating spaces for intercultural dialogue, peer‑to‑peer exchange and transnational experiences capable of fostering empathy, cooperation and active participation. Finally, it aimed to increase young people’s participation, particularly those with a migrant background, in policy‑making processes, by testing formal and non‑formal mechanisms for democratic participation and supporting the development of shared proposals addressed to local and EU decision‑makers.
The project was developed in response to the spread of simplified and polarised narratives on migration, which have a significant impact on young people and educational contexts. In the regions involved, located along the Balkan route, migration phenomena coexist with youth emigration, social vulnerabilities and a limited availability of structured spaces for democratic participation, particularly for young people with a migrant background. The partners identified shared needs related to the difficulty many young people and educators face in critically analysing narratives on migration, to a partial knowledge of EU values and policies, and to limited access to intercultural and transnational exchange experiences. At the same time, mechanisms enabling young people to express their views and contribute to decision‑making processes on issues directly affecting them were often absent or ineffective. E‑LoCUM aimed to address these needs by strengthening critical thinking, intercultural dialogue and active citizenship, enhancing educators’ competences and testing innovative participatory tools capable of linking the local and EU levels.