The project “Cultural Identity in a Moving Europe” emerges from a clearly identified European and local reality: young people are increasingly mobile, yet their sense of cultural belonging and meaningful participation is unevenly distributed. While the European Union has invested significantly in youth mobility and cultural cooperation, access to structured cultural participation remains particularly limited in rural and peripheral areas. This project is rooted in the context of Lazhnitsa, Bulgaria, a small community with rich traditions but facing demographic pressure, youth outmigration and limited access to international cultural dialogue. At European level, the European Commission recognises culture as a strategic driver of social cohesion, democratic resilience and shared identity. Recent cultural policy orientations (2023–2025) emphasise widening access to culture and increasing youth participation as central to strengthening European belonging. Data from Eurostat indicate that disparities between urban and rural regions persist: in 2022, approximately 28% of young people living in predominantly rural areas reported limited access to cultural venues and structured cultural activities, compared to around 12% in metropolitan regions. Furthermore, EU Youth Strategy monitoring shows that over 65% of young Europeans consider cultural heritage important for their identity, yet fewer than 45% feel actively involved in preserving or shaping it. This participation gap is significantly higher among young people with economic or geographic obstacles. National data from the National Statistical Institute confirm that between 2015 and 2023 several rural municipalities in Southwestern Bulgaria experienced population decreases ranging from 8% to 15%, largely due to youth migration toward urban centres or abroad. Such demographic trends directly affect intergenerational transmission of traditions and reduce opportunities for young people to engage with local cultural life in dynamic ways. In Lozhnitsa, traditions—oral storytelling, music, ritual practices and craftsmanship—remain present but are often perceived as ceremonial or “belonging to older generations.” Young people frequently lack structured platforms to reinterpret these traditions within a contemporary European framework. At the same time, European analyses demonstrate that participation in cross-border cultural mobility increases young people’s sense of European belonging by approximately 15–20% compared to non-mobile peers. Structured intercultural dialogue improves indicators of civic engagement, mutual understanding and confidence. However, access to such experiences remains unequal, particularly for young people from small settlements with limited financial means and limited exposure to international environments. “Cultural Identity in a Moving Europe” responds to these multi-level challenges by transforming DiscoverEU Inclusion mobility into a structured cultural empowerment pathway. The project conceptualises mobility not as tourism but as comparative learning: participants will explore how cultural identity evolves under conditions of migration, digitalisation and demographic change. They will analyse similarities between rural communities across Europe, reflect on how traditions adapt, and position their local cultural heritage as an active contribution to Europe’s shared cultural mosaic. The initiative directly contributes to the Erasmus+ priorities on Inclusion and Diversity, Participation in Democratic Life and Green Mobility, while aligning with the broader European vision of culture as a living, evolving and participatory process. By combining intercultural encounters, intergenerational dialogue and creative reinterpretation of traditions, the project aims to reduce the gap between appreciation of heritage and active cultural agency among young people with fewer opportunities. Main Objective: To strengthen European belonging and social inclusion among young people with fewer opportunities by enabling them to critically explore, reinterpret and connect their local cultural traditions with contemporary European identity through structured DiscoverEU mobility. Sub-objectives: To increase participants’ awareness of how cultural identity evolves in contexts of mobility, migration and demographic change. To foster meaningful intercultural dialogue and comparative learning with peers from other European regions facing similar rural challenges. To empower young people to reinterpret traditions in contemporary youth-led formats that combine preservation with innovation and creative expression. To develop and pilot a transferable inclusion model that integrates mobility, cultural participation and intergenerational dialogue for future youth initiatives.