Mediterranean-Identity-Roots-Through-Arts

With M.I.R.T.A., we aimed to promote inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and personal empowerment for adults from rural and disadvantaged areas of Italy, Greece, and Turkey. The main objective was ...

With M.I.R.T.A., we aimed to promote inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and personal empowerment for adults from rural and disadvantaged areas of Italy, Greece, and Turkey. The main objective was to create local and international learning networks where unemployed adults, artists, researchers, and young people could rediscover shared Mediterranean roots while at the same time valuing the unique identities of each country. Through the performing arts as an innovative tool for non-formal learning, we sought to break down stereotypes related to ethnicity, religion, and culture, while strengthening social cohesion and European identity. We aimed to: include disadvantaged adults in an international community; deliver 21 artistic performances based on shared keywords and personal storytelling; enhance intergenerational exchange; offer new opportunities for personal growth and awareness; and build sustainable cooperation beyond the duration of the project.

With M.I.R.T.A., we implemented a structured pathway of activities to promote inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and intergenerational learning. We began with a Virtual World Café, involving 18 professionals from Italy, Greece, and Turkey, to identify shared cultural keywords that guided the creative process. We then organized three small-group activities with 18 disadvantaged adults, co-creating 21 short artistic performances inspired by these keywords. Afterwards, we held workshops with young people (aged 14–18) to integrate their contributions and foster intergenerational exchange, followed by three intensive bootcamps to rehearse and refine the performances together. The project culminated in a final international mobility in Troy, featuring the presentation of the 21 performances and thematic panels on Mediterranean identity. We also developed Digital M.I.R.T.A.—including video pitches, interviews, and a short documentary film—to ensure sustainability and dissemination.

The M.I.R.T.A. project produced several concrete outputs and significant results. Through the Virtual World Café, we identified five shared Mediterranean keywords and six country-specific ones, which formed the basis for three cycles of small-group activities involving 18 disadvantaged adults and 18 trainers. These activities led to the co-creation of 21 short artistic performances on the theme of Mediterranean identity. We organized three workshops with young people and three bootcamps, fostering intergenerational learning and refining the performances through intensive rehearsals. The final international mobility in Troia brought all participants together in a collective event featuring the presentation of the 21 performances and discussion panels on shared cultural roots. Final outputs included video pitches, performance recordings, interviews, a digital vocabulary, and a short documentary, which supported the dissemination and impact of the project while strengthening learning networks and social inclusion.