Citizen Form Art Lab

At a time when the gap between the youth and the European Union is widening and while the health crisis is making European projects more complex, the CFAL (Citizen Form Art Lab) project aims to bring European citizenship to life and to pass it on. This project has several layers to it. We have no other choice but to rethink our modus operandi, the organisation of simulations of the European decision-making process (Model European Union, MEU) and to reinvent ourselves. Indeed, it is impossible to bring together 150 young Europeans in this context of a global health crisis. The solution to this problem? Innovation and diversification. This is exactly what we are doing. Technological innovation: We have set up a Minecraft server - a video game for our simulations. This will enable us to reach a younger and more diverse audience while bypassing the risks that physical meetings hold during this health crisis. Pedagogical innovation: We are producing a short film on MEUs in order to bring citizenship to life and allow for debates. The scenario will be co-written thanks to master classes allowing young people to learn how to write a scenario. Additionally, we will set up miniMEUs, aiming to include young people who have dropped out of school and design MOOCs to train them beforehand. After completing any MOOC, participants will be awarded a junior skills certificate. Methodological innovation: By including the role of the citizen in our simulations we put the role that direct participatory democracy could play as a complement to representative democracy in the European decision-making process to the test. The CFAL consortium brings together 13 associative partners from 10 different countries. Thanks to their shared values and their pledge to cultural diversity they will be able to implement these projects together. Bimonthly virtual transnational meetings will enable them to take stock of the progress made. COMEXs have been set up bringing together a project leader, their deputy and representatives of each partner. A CODIR will oversee the coherence of the entire project and its proper implementation. While the projects are designed by young people for young people, the organizing team will nevertheless be able to rely on senior advisors. 1000 young people will be trained and made aware of European citizenship directly. We are convinced that our projects can change the perspective and the outlook young people have, and even influence their professional choices. The mistrust of the European Union that a part of the young generation has will decrease by exploring the role they are invited to play in this political project. In the long term, we hope that they themselves will become ambassadors, thus initiating a virtuous circle.