The project's basic idea is to develop our pupils' learning skills and competences in an exchange-based project. Our priorities are: Addressing low achievement in basic skills through more effective teaching methods; Developing social skills and sense of citizenship; Enhancing digital integration at school while learning how to use social media safely and efficiently. Our first strategic objective is literacy and transversal competences improvement, both at a school level and in the social environment. The project therefore aims at developing a joint framework for supporting pupils' involvement in learning, bringing them closer to reading and writing with the realization of a collection of graphic short stories. Pupils have been able to count on the support of their teachers, already involved in the field of non-formal education, as well as on the support of other bodies directly involved in the project. Our schools have identified a need to improve the quality of education in literacy and transversal competences, a project aiming to develop a joint framework for supporting pupils' involvement in learning, developing social skills in the area of citizenship, prevent cyberbullying and misuse of digital technologies, improving language and communication skills (native and foreign languages) and being more involved in issues related to sustainability. The project involves nursery, primary and secondary schools in the respective areas. We have organised 4 students exchanges (1 in Spain, 1 in the UK, 1 in Italy and the latter, which should have been held in Lithuania, was a virtual one, due to the COVID 19 pandemic, with 48 pupils per exchange) and 3 staff training events (one in Italy, one in Lithuania and the latter, which should have been held in the UK, was a virtual one, 15 teachers per meeting. Our idea is to promote the creation, writing and illustrating of a graphic short stories in order to stimulate students to read and find new ways of expressing themselves. Pupils have been supported by their teachers in writing and illustrating a collection of short stories and have exchanged ideas with their peers. All activities have been supported by other projects involving drama, music and ICT. During the exchange the students have had the chance to communicate in languages other than their mother tongue and have taken part in playful foreing language learning activities, that were carried out both by the pupils themselves and their teachers. Teacher training activities have offered the chance to teachers to learn more about creative writing, illustrating, digital citizenship and sustainability. The project activities have involved staff exchange among the participating organisations, with the aim of exchanging experiences and good practices and develop new competences. The partners have shared materials and resources, and developed units/chapters of the graphic short stories novel, improved their literacy (both in their native and foreign languages studied at school), created graphic short stories thus involving other competences in Music, Art, Media, Science etc. The objectives of the project aim at: - improving the quality of education, also employing non-formal teaching; - strengthening teachers' skills and providing them with a tool that encourages students to read and to learn to create graphic short stories; - fostering the provision and the assessment of key-competences, including basic skills and transversal skills, facilitating the interaction between visual and textual language and multimedia techniques . The project aims at bringing students to a deeper and more analytical reading of texts of different types (thriller, horror, fantasy) by using the tecniques employed in the writing and illustrating process of a graphic novel, stimulating students to produce a story based on digital technologies and social medias. We think that creating short stories is a very useful and effective to advertise and encourage reading because this kind of methodology strongly attracts young people. A graphic novel involves literature, art and computer science: this multiplicity allows students to try searching for concise and effective communication. The project participants have also been able to enhance critical thinking skills , spirit of initiative and creativity, flexibility of approach, problem solving skills , self-learning and peer learning, social skills and also to communicate in different linguistic backgrounds and will thus benefit from the project on a long-term basis. The final outcome of the exchange is the editing of a collection of visual short stories, both in a paper and a digital format, to be disseminated to partner schools, local schools, public bodies, local and regional authorities, EU bodies, etc. The dissemination is a constant element in the project. The choice to link this project to to an activity already in progress like Cittadinanza Digitale has the specific intent to ensure visibility of the project from the beginning , the dissemination of its results and its sustainability even after the end of the Erasmus+ grant schools.

‘Our cultures-our treasures’ is a two-year project which brings together schools from Slovenia,Greece,Estonia,Portugal,Spain and Croatia,whose team members have worked on an on going eTwinning project.It focuses on the promotion of social inclusion through cultural diversity with the aim to exchange best practices on teachers’/pupils’ level and develop a feeling of inclusion among partners.Our main objectives are:-To enhance the social and educational value of European cultural heritage through education,lifelong formal/non-formal learning,including actions to support social skills development and assist our students’ cultural awareness,thus narrowing the cultural gap between the countries involved and open up to diversity. -To promote the social inclusion of our students,support our disadvantaged ones(disadvantaged socio-economic background,learning difficulties,lower level of qualifications or poor school performance)foster diversity and equality by applying culturally sensitive pedagogical approaches,that can ensure our education programs have built-in spaces to include all learners’ voices and perspectives. Our project activities are based on four main blocks that cover the most important part of our cultural heritage:traditional dances/music,museums/monuments,fairy tales,traditional cuisine.Through the activities designed in each block,students will know about their country/other countries in a real context with the objective to improve the target language,identify European linguistic diversity and become aware of the importance of learning European languages.Experiential learning through art and culture will serve as a starting point in the co-creation of culturally conscious and aesthetically sensitive individuals.It will enhance lifelong learning competences,in particular those related to cultural awareness and expression,which includes extending personal growth,cooperation,adaptability and self-evaluation,constructive control of emotion,innovation,creativity and intercultural communication.All activities,that will become the final project products,are designed in order all three main learning styles,visual(DVD’s on our schools/towns/countries,DVD’s on presentations of cultures of hosting countries during meetings,documentary films,digital books)audio(CD’s of local traditional songs/music,CD’s with mother tongue language lessons)and kinesthetic(dance/cooking sessions,drama performance)to be involved and utilized,further ensuring the inclusion of every participating student.During the two years’ period of cooperation,all participants will elaborate specific common project activities,exchange work and contact through extensive communication in the English language via Twinspace,which shall improve their language skills and Learning/Teaching/Training activities.A number of mobilities will be organized to help participants meet physically with different cultures,understand and accept the tangible and intangible heritage aspects of European countries.For realization of a project aiming to an inclusive education,through cultural heritage,teachers will create a virtuous synergy of the most significant instances proposed by the different active and innovative student's centred teaching methodologies such as:Outdoor Learning,Peer Learning,Cooperative learning,CLIL,Learning by doing and PBL(project based learning). All activities will be integrated in the project website(connected with social media:Facebook,Twitter,Instagram)and eTwinning portal.Both digital platforms will be structural elements for interoperability of content and design among partners,significant elements of union and exchange of project processes to partners,communities and bigger audiences.They'll be open to consultation and expanded in their content,which will be in English,by teachers and students.Its expansion will remain available for periodic and final spread. The main envisaged impact on the participants will be cultural consciousness and awareness,to realize that they belong to a world without borders and should live positively with respect and tolerance to others.Our students’ horizons,especially our disadvantaged ones will be broadened,by giving them the opportunity to be introduced to different cultures and communities.The promotion and diffusion of innovative programs and interventions as well as alternative pedagogical and teaching practices shall encourage teachers to take initiatives and integrate innovation into their teaching activities and goals,reflect their expectations about the long-term impact of the project results on their schools after the completion of the project.Gaining contrasting knowledge and understanding among participating students,teachers,communities and educational authorities of the cultural,linguistic and educational diversity of the participating countries and schools will increase social cohesion and will considerably strengthen the sense of belonging to the same united community.