In a time when social fragmentation, exclusion and the weakening of the sense of belonging are increasingly evident, the promotion of inclusive practices that reinforce European values is an urgent priority. Communities across Europe, especially those in rural and socio-economically disadvantaged areas, face challenges such as depopulation, limited opportunities for participation, and growing intergenerational gaps. Cultural heritage—both tangible and intangible—represents a strategic tool for addressing these issues, as it provides a common ground for identity building, intergenerational dialogue, and social cohesion. However, heritage education remains too often disconnected from youth work or confined to formal contexts, missing the opportunity to engage young people and older generations in meaningful and participatory ways. This situation highlights a gap that must be addressed: if heritage is truly to foster inclusion and community empowerment, it needs to be integrated into innovative, non-formal and cross-sectoral practices that activate young people as key agents of change. In this topic, a useful initiative in this regard was the European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018, where young people from all over Europe participated in activities that benefited both their local communities and the European level. According to the European Youth Report (2022), investing in young people’s active citizenship is essential for the construction of inclusive and sustainable societies. Evidence also shows that intergenerational learning and volunteering are powerful means of embedding European values, transmitting knowledge, and nurturing empathy and solidarity across age groups. Dialogue between generations contributes not only to personal growth and competences but also to the creation of resilient communities where individuals feel part of a shared cultural and social fabric. Nevertheless, data shows that young people’s participation in civic and cultural initiatives remains limited, with only a small percentage engaging in structured processes of volunteering, heritage education, or community-building activities. This demonstrates the urgency of projects that promote the awareness and practice of European values through cultural heritage; provide accessible and engaging opportunities for young people to develop competences and participate in society; strengthen intergenerational dialogue as a way of transmitting and reinterpreting heritage; recognise and valorise the role of communities as active agents in the preservation and innovation of cultural heritage. The INTERHERITAGE project directly responds to these needs by empowering youth workers, educators, and local stakeholders to co-create inclusive, intergenerational, and community-based heritage education practices. Through training activities, knowledge exchange, and workshops, INTERHERITAGE fosters social inclusion, mutual learning, and the development of a European identity rooted in cultural diversity. Ultimately, our motivation is to ensure that young people and communities are not passive recipients of cultural heritage, but active co-creators of its transmission and renewal. By linking heritage with youth work and intergenerational solidarity, the project contributes to building more cohesive, democratic, and sustainable societies where cultural diversity is not only preserved but also lived and shared as a common European value. The specific objectives of this project are: - To train youth workers through innovative skills and methodologies to design and implement non-formal educational activities based on cultural heritage. These actions will be aligned with the ETS Competence Model and the Erasmus+ priorities regarding inclusion, diversity, digital transformation, sustainability, and civic engagement. - To promote inclusion, intercultural and intergenerational dialogue, and social cohesion through learning and exchange between generations, especially in rural or disadvantaged contexts. Cultural heritage will be used as a key tool against exclusion, discrimination, and racism, while strengthening active citizenship and democratic participation. - To foster transnational cooperation and the creation of sustainable alliances among youth organizations, cultural entities, and communities from different European countries. This cooperation will generate synergies, share good practices, and develop lasting collaborations in heritage education and youth work.