Across Europe, young people face growing challenges linked to war, polarisation, and misinformation. Conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Palestine, alongside unresolved tensions in Kosovo and Cyprus, have deep social consequences for young people. At the same time, media and online narratives often dehumanise entire communities, oversimplify conflicts, and normalise hostility. According to Eurostat (2023), almost half of young people aged 16–29 have encountered hostile or degrading online content, while the 2024 Eurobarometer on the Digital Decade found that 45% of EU citizens consider fake news and disinformation one of the biggest personal online issues. These realities not only fuel division but also silence the voices of young people directly affected by conflict. Youth workers and young leaders are at the frontline of addressing these challenges. They play a crucial role in creating safe spaces for dialogue, helping young people process experiences of trauma, and promoting human rights and inclusion. However, many lack access to practical tools and methodologies to respond effectively to harmful narratives, misinformation, and polarisation. Tales for Transformation 2.0 was created to fill this gap. It builds on the success of a pilot study session organised with the Council of Europe’s Youth Department, where participants highlighted the power of storytelling and art to strengthen resilience and solidarity. That activity demonstrated a clear impact: participants designed and implemented local follow-up actions, and in a 2025 survey, 100% recommended organising a second edition. They stressed the need for advanced modules on storytelling, stronger mentoring for follow-up actions, and more peer-to-peer support. Therefore, the consortium behind this project aims to: To empower 25 youth workers and leaders working with youth from conflict-affected communities by equipping them with storytelling and media literacy tools to counter dehumanizing narratives of war and conflicts and to act as multipliers of human rights and peace. Objectives The project will: 1. Strengthen participants’ understanding of human rights, peace, conflict transformation, and peacebuilding, with a specific focus on the realities of young people from conflict-affected communities. 2. Improve youth workers’ media literacy and critical thinking, enabling them to recognize, analyze, and respond to dehumanizing narratives in media and online spaces. 3. Enhance participants’ storytelling, ethical communication, and non-violent communication skills to amplify human-centered narratives and highlight peace initiatives. 4. To improve media literacy among participants and strengthen participants’ ability to recognize and critically analyze dehumanizing narratives in media. 5. Provide inclusive platforms for youth expression by supporting participants to design and disseminate art and storytelling outputs, culminating in an online dissemination to reach wider audiences. 6. Facilitate the planning of at least five follow-up actions and strengthen cross-border cooperation among participants to ensure sustainability and long-term impact. Tales for Transformation 2.0 promotes innovative, participatory, and trauma-sensitive approaches in youth work. It equips youth workers with tools that are practical and transferable: from facilitating non-violent communication, to using storytelling as a method of conflict transformation, to applying media literacy in daily youth work. The project also responds to the needs expressed by practitioners themselves: more advanced training, space for peer learning, and stronger scaffolding to transform knowledge into sustainable action. Through intercultural exchange and non-formal education, the project creates a network of multipliers who can inspire young people, counter harmful narratives, and strengthen solidarity across Europe. By combining creativity, ethical storytelling, and media literacy, the project contributes to more inclusive and peaceful societies — and supports youth workers in their vital role of helping young people find their voice in times of conflict and division.