The two-year journey of the "Words of Europe" project has officially come to an end in Brussels with a two-day final conference held on October 22 and 23, 2024. The conference brought together partners and stakeholders from across Europe, closing the first edition of the project while setting the stage for its second phase, "Ways of Europe," which is set to kick off very soon. Held at the JEF Europe office and the Kamilou space in the Belgian capital, the events provided an opportunity for reflection, discussions on participation, and a look forward to future endeavors in enhancing civic engagement across the continent.

The conference began on October 22 at the JEF Europe office in Brussels with a session dedicated to partners of the first and second editions of WE. The opening remarks were accompanied by video messages from Members of the European Parliament, including Dario Tamburrano, Carolina Morace, Brando Benifei, and Benedetta Scuderi. They all underlined the significance of this project in promoting active citizenship and inclusive dialogue across Europe. This segment also served as a kick-off for WE 2.0, with a presentation of the upcoming activities and a lively Q&A session that allowed partners to clarify goals and address concerns.

Following the initial discussions, participants moved to the Kamilou venue for a public roundtable titled "The Language of Participation: Art and Politics for Intersectional Voices in the EU." This session focused on how art and media can be utilized to give voice to marginalized groups—those facing discrimination or feeling excluded from mainstream EU narratives. Speakers such as Martina Corti from Civil Society Europe and Alessia Rogai from Agile DC explored how civil society organizations can craft strategies to ensure that these groups are better represented in EU policies and practices.

Key insights were shared by partners from the WE project, including Benedetta Giuliani from Arci Solidarietà, who discussed their involvement in reconnecting stories and languages through artistic residencies and school programs in Italy. Marion Ouabdelkader from La Ligue de l’Enseignement shared how immersive theatre has helped convey citizens' expectations of the European Parliament. Luca Lovisetto from Mandragola reflected on the importance of media literacy and art in building connections between European communities, and Tuqa Kamal from Subjective Values Foundationspoke on empowering intersectional voices through collective expression. The session culminated in a showcase of artistic works from the WE exhibition, including two songs produced during the project’s art residencies, exemplifying the power of creative expression to build bridges across diverse European communities.

On October 23, the focus shifted back to the JEF Europe office for an internal session among project partners. This segment began with a detailed planning session for WE 2.0, outlining the project’s objectives and dividing partners into working groups based on the activities they will coordinate in the upcoming phase. These activities will address both the thematic and financial aspects of the project, ensuring a smooth transition into the new edition.

Later in the day, participants engaged in a collective SWOT analysis of the WE project, led by Knowledge Management and Learning expert Alessia Rogai. This exercise allowed partners to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats faced during the two-year journey. Among the key strengths identified were the project’s ability to connect diverse communities across Europe and its innovative use of art to foster engagement.

As the conference concluded, attention turned to the exciting prospects for WE 2.0, which will be back in Brussels with an art exhibition of the works created during Words of Europe at the European Parliament. In addition to the existing partners from the first edition, two new organizations will join the initiative:

• Fundació Pere Closa from Spain, which works to promote education and inclusion for the Roma community through various cultural and social projects.
• Wijkz from the Netherlands, a community-focused organization dedicated to fostering participation and inclusion at the local level.

With the final conference concluded, the focus now shifts to the next phase of the project, a journey through key places in Europe to underline once again how borders are imaginary and that Europe must be a safe haven for all in need. As Ways of Europe begins, all partners are eager to continue their work in building a Europe where every voice, no matter how marginalized, can be heard and respected.