In 2024, at the next European elections, the real protagonists will be young people. However, the new generations, called to vote, struggle to feel included by a language that is often perceived as complex and by a political debate in which they do not feel an active part.

Words of Europe is the project that aims to bring the language of politics closer to the language of art and to create a narrative that brings citizens closer to the European institutions: over the next two years, through events and workshops organised in cultural and journalistic contexts, we will search together for the words that explain Europe and allow us to really understand it. This is a project of Arci Solidarietà in which Turin-based Altera is a partner, together with others in 22 countries.

On 31 January, for the first time, Altera presented to the public the Words of Europe project, supported by the European Commission: how to talk about Europe, if not by constructing a new language composed of the 'right' words?

After the first two meetings dedicated to 14-16 year olds and civil service operators, the first one at the Sereno Regis Study Centre and the second one at the ASC Piemonte headquarters, WE landed at CasArcobaleno, an integrated pole of public interest services addressed to the LGBTQIA+ population and of services directed to the city population created by the LGBTQIA+ population and others.

The participants were divided into three groups: Policies; Values and Society; Participation. The group leaders started by reading a short context of an imaginary future European Union of 2030, where participants were invited to write a word or a phrase summarising what they'd like to see in this future European Union. A selection of only four words from the many suggested was done through an open discussion in the group and the four words agreed on were selected. 

These three meetings in Turin organised by Altera thus close the first phase of the WE project, looking forward to the next steps in which the words found in this and other meetings will literally come to life and try to influence the future of our continent.