HEART

The bond between humans and animals is ancient, profound, and constantly evolving. From mutual dependence and affection to transformative roles in health, climate, art, and urban life, our shared journey shapes nearly every aspect of society. HEART project celebrates this unbreakable bond as a gateway to science revealing how researchers help us understand, protect, and improve the world we share. Through engaging, citizen-centered, innovative formats designed especially for young researchers-to-be, HEART project showcases the diversity of science and its impact on citizens’ daily lives in fun and inspiring ways. The project demonstrates how research drives innovations in health, ecology, climate adaptation, food systems, and culture by engaging the citizens to take part in lab and school visits, nature walks, competitions, summer camps and many other events that bring researchers closer to the public, and by showing how complex scientific questions about human-animal interaction can be turned into inspiring, hands-on experiences that prove how strongly science impacts our, communities, everyday choices and life in general. By placing scientists at the heart of public dialogue, HEART aims to spark curiosity, trust, and enthusiasm for research, especially among the young. Children, pupils, and students will meet real scientists, explore real science, and discover that a career in research is both creative and impactful. Ultimately, HEART seeks to strengthen the bond between science and society by showing that when humans and animals thrive together, we contribute to a more informed, compassionate and resilient Europe.