Eufree

EUFREE – European citizens United in FREEdom and human rights

From September 2020 to February 2023, Kinoatelje participated as one of the partners in the European project EUFREE, funded by the Europe for Citizens program. Kinoatelje primarily focused on coordinating activities, particularly those planned between the two Goricas and Ljubljana, as well as producing audiovisual recordings documenting the project’s progress and presenting its results.

The project, led by the organization Adriatic GreeNet, created a network with a diverse range of partners. It promotes intercultural and intergenerational experiences and advocates overcoming both political and mental borders. Public awareness efforts about recent history are based on deepening understanding of the causes and consequences of 20th-century conflicts that marked the eastern borders of Italy and the Balkans. The project encourages mutual understanding among people of different nationalities and cultures, starting with meetings with individuals who survived ethnic cleansing, war crimes, or unimaginable violence. It aims to foster empathy and understanding for others, better comprehend the history of other nations, and recognize the existence of various perspectives on European history, alongside shared aspects. Overcoming nationalism has always been crucial to eliminating prejudices, stereotypes, and fears, which are the root causes of misunderstandings and potential conflicts.

The project is grounded in studying and raising awareness of the values and history of the European Union, its shared cultural roots, and multicultural identity. It emphasizes learning to differentiate between individual and collective responsibilities and highlights how identity can lead to nationalism. Additionally, participants critically evaluated how the values in their countries align with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and prepared a document titled "The EUROPE We WANT", which was sent to EU institutions with useful ideas for fully implementing the Charter's guidelines. An academic committee composed of scholars from all partner countries examined history textbooks (from 8th grade or equivalent levels in other countries' educational systems) to better understand how young people learn about the history of neighboring countries. The analysis results will be used as educational material.

Project activities:

• Seminars
• Workshops
• Study trips
• Thematic film screenings
• Theatrical performances created specifically for the project

Throughout the project, we participated in three international study trips. These included visits to places of remembrance and workshops, lectures, and meetings, all aimed at understanding the turbulent recent history of the Balkan Peninsula. Together, we deepened our understanding of the causes and consequences of 20th-century conflicts that shaped the eastern borders of Italy and the Balkans. We also visited the headquarters and learned about the activities of numerous partners involved in the project.

PROJECT WEBSITE

September 2021: We visited places of remembrance and institutions in Belgrade, Zagreb, Rijeka, Lipa, Jasenovac, Ovčara, Vukovar, Rab Island, Bazovica, and Trieste. Read more about the excursion.

PHOTOS

April 2022: We visited Sarajevo, Tuzla, Srebrenica, and Potočari.

PHOTOS

November 2022: The final meeting took place in Gorica, including visits to Nova Gorica and Trieste.

PHOTOS

Partners:

• Leading partner: Adriatic GreeNet
• OGBH (Education Builds Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Women in Black (from Belgrade)
• Department of Cultural Studies (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka)
• IKS (Initiative for Cultural Studies) – students from the Department of Cultural Studies and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka
• Zavod Kinoatelje
• L'Associazione Nazionale Partigiani Italiani (ANPI – National Association of Italian Partisans) from Monfalcone