BACKGROUND

The project was born from the awareness that today it is difficult to speak of a “common culture of European countries,” at least in the field of books. This interconnection, which should be facilitated by the development of networks, is paradoxically underdeveloped. In fact, multiple cultures exist that often ignore each other. We know little or nothing about the literatures of many European countries, yet they are highly fertile and rich in literary talent. DESIBOOK aimed to discover and enhance these talents by spreading knowledge of great classics and contemporary authors, well-known in their own countries but often unknown elsewhere in Europe. This led to the idea of creating the “Agorà of books” platform. The partner schools, coming from five different countries, share a rich literary heritage but also face delays in acquiring key and digital skills. DESIBOOK addressed these challenges by integrating digital tools, inclusion, and sustainability. The results produced, which are open source, ensure replicability and accessibility, consolidating an inclusive European network while promoting ecological awareness, intercultural dialogue, and active participation, strengthening a sense of shared European citizenship.

OBJECTIVES

DESIBOOK aimed to promote European culture through books, highlighting key themes of the Erasmus+ Programme: inclusion, digital transition and environmental sustainability. The project integrated reading and writing in a digital and sustainable perspective, using creative tools such as the writing relay, short films, the glossary and the “Agorà of books” platform to foster active participation and intercultural dialogue among students and teachers.
Transnational cooperation provided an opportunity for methodological exchange and shared growth, strengthening digital, linguistic and collaborative skills, and consolidating a stable and inclusive European network. DESIBOOK primarily pursued digital transformation, enhancing the resilience and capacity of teachers and students in the conscious use of technology and in the integration of digital content and practices into educational pathways. A central objective was to promote environmental sustainability, ecological awareness and civic responsibility, using literature and creativity as instruments to raise awareness of green issues, encourage sustainable behaviors and reduce intercultural and social gaps.

ACTIVITIES

During the project, five transnational meetings were held, one in each partner country, to ensure coordination, continuous monitoring, interim and final evaluation, and the definition of operational tasks. The meetings took place in:
• Vigo-Spain (February 2023)
• Katerini-Greece (October 2023)
• Istanbul-Türkiye (June 2024)
• Sofia-Bulgaria (March 2025)
• Angri (SA)-Italy (December 2025)

Two dissemination events were also organized, open to the educational community and local and European stakeholders, to share the results and expand the project’s impact:
• the first event in Istanbul-Türkiye (June 2024)
• the final event in Salerno-Italy (December 2025)

Collaborative online experiences were complemented by in-person training activities within the framework of the “A Ship of books for Barcelona”, a literary mini-cruise departing from Civitavecchia (Italy) and arriving in Barcelona for the “Feast of St. George, books and roses “, to celebrate the World Book Day. During the voyage, teachers and students participated in writing workshops, meetings with authors, musical events and environmental training sessions; cultural visits were also organized in Barcelona. Three editions were carried out, all with high participation and strong engagement:
• A Ship of Books-April 2023, for teachers only
• A Ship of Books-April 2024, for teachers and students
• A Ship of Books-April 2025, for teachers and students

RESULTS

The project produced a series of concrete and innovative digital outputs:
• The “Agorà of Books” Platform, an open digital space for exchange and sharing, containing the project presentation, interactive brochures, a library archive and informational sections on the European publishing market;
• An online Storytelling Course in English, structured in three lessons with video lectures, assessment tests and handouts in six languages (EN, IT, BG, EL, ES, TR);
• The Multilingual Glossary on Intercultural Dialogue and Inclusion, which gathers 150 definitions developed by students on human rights, cultural diversity and environmental topics, translated into six languages;
• The Creative Books Toolkit, including 5 books produced through the Creative Writing Relay on the theme of sustainability, accompanied by methodological guidelines for replicability;
• The “Green” Short Films, inspired by books on environmental themes, produced with two endings (original and alternative eco-friendly), promoting ecological awareness and digital skills.