BABEL: development of innovative educational techniques for the dissemination of literary and oral heritage

"The project represents the continuation of ""The adventure of reading"", a proposal financed through the 2015 call, and it was created in response to the need to train professionals in the educational and socio-cultural field in terms of the use of non-formal education strategies in the field of dissemination of European intangible cultural heritage and, in particular, that of literary and oral heritage. The mission of ""BABEL"" is to develop innovative and high quality educational techniques for the dissemination of literary and oral heritage: to create and evaluate innovative techniques and develop capacity building initiatives for professionals in the fields of cultural heritage, community development and cultural and socio-educational intervention, in the use of non-formal education methodologies in the service of the dissemination of European literary and oral heritage, therefore stepping away from the academic tendencies that are not that attractive to a large part of the population. We understand that it is of general interest to update the techniques and methodologies used in the dissemination of cultural heritage, especially in that of intangible cultural heritage and in particular in the dissemination of literary and oral heritage. Our starting point was to reimagine the philosophy and strategies of non-formal education as innovative assets in the dissemination of cultural heritage, distancing it from the protectionist and didactic strategies, much needed and widely applied, but perhaps overused. We intended to work with techniques in which the partner entities have specialised in (Living Libraries, collection of traditional and popular oral literature, ""cantastorie "" and Labyrinth Theatre) and which make literary and oral heritage a living cultural component, with strong creative, active and participatory dimensions, which nurture the idea of building a more conscious, grounded, critical and active citizenship. The linguistic, literary and oral heritage represents a living, creative and dynamic collection which is part of the everyday life of the people, and not a static, unwavering, archaic element... susceptible to being locked in a museum or simply contemplated in a passive manner. Consequently, the four organizations proposed a research-training-action strategy for the development of innovative educational techniques in the dissemination of European literary and oral heritage, which implied: -Theoretical and practical training over a period of 26 mounths. Design, development and evaluation of local and transnational initiatives for the development of innovative educational techniques in the dissemination of European literary and oral heritage: it will be a process strongly based on practical training, on experimenting in different social and cultural realities (to test the versatility of the techniques) and on constant feedback and evaluation, guaranteeing the quality and transferability of both the activities and the intellectual product. -Field research and study visits. Identification, analysis and exchange of good practices.-The intellectual product of ”BABEL” was developed and disseminated as a result of this process: ""Guide BABEL: educational techniques for the dissemination of literary and oral heritage"", a complete online and multilingual guide where all this technical and procedural content has gathered and presented in a rigorous, coherent, comprehensive and didactic manner, aimed at people and organizations working in various social and cultural contexts in the field of education and of dissemination of intangible cultural heritage."