Work Package 1

Project Management

Lead: PROTISVALOR MEDITERRANEE SAS 

The objective of the work package project management is to ensure the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity of the project and all its activities, by applying high standards of professional project management (IPMA, PM²). Through this, all project objectives are achieved in high quality and in a timely and financially scheduled manner. The WP also makes sure that all activities conducted and products produced during the project lifetime are socially and economically sustainable.

Work Package 2

Perceptions, Emotions and Life Experiences

Lead: UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM

This work package aims to better understand the complexities of the mutual perceptions of Eastern and Western Europe by analysing life narratives of women - and women artists especially- of different generations, countries and ethnicities who are still underrepresented in scholarly research. Focusing on autobiographies, memoirs and other personal narratives about the collapse of communism, we will analyse how gender, personal beliefs, values and cultural heritages feed and form perceptions of ‘self’ and ‘other’, both within one’s own nation and in Europe at large. We will further examine how these perceptions relate to emotions of self-esteem, deprivation or inferiority and influence the responses to the European project. Finally, we seek to understand the particular value of narrating life experiences for dealing with crises in order to reclaim the ‘self’ in relation to the ‘other’ and for reaching out to a broad audience and correct or challenge stereotypical perceptions about the ‘other’ part of Europe. Collaborating with artists, our ultimate aim is to flesh out and further develop new, creative forms and practices of using life narratives in education and cultural diplomacy for raising embodied awareness of one’s own perceptions and fostering dialogue and exchange.

Work Package 3

Post-colonial cosmopolitanism vs. national interests

Lead: UNIWERSYTET WROCLAWSKI 

This WP objective is to review the processes of alienation between the West and the East of Europe, as reflected in mutual perceptions, through the prism of post-colonial theory, taking the political and cultural relations materialising the field of cultural diplomacy as a case. The study answers the questions, what is the impact of the post-colonial narratives in the West and the East of Europe? Can the post-colonial approach be useful in the process of decoding the very term of European heritage and European values in the West and in the East? To what extent does the cultural diplomacy of the EU countries in East and West reflect ethnocentrism, and to what extent does it contribute to more understanding in international relations (as in line with the cosmopolitan approach) ? The aim of the project is to pave the way for a new dialogue between stakeholders, state and non-state actors in the fields of cultural and public diplomacy, allowing for more diversity in the narratives of nation states and an overarching European community. 

Work Package 4

Challenge of Digitalisation and Misinformation

Lead: UNIWERSYTET WROCLAWSKI

This subproject analyzes the perception of Russian (dis)information distributed via Russian media outlets (RT and Sputnik) and social media posts across Eastern and Western Europe (Germany, Poland, Slovakia). We examine how these messages are perceived in the languages of the respective nations (German, Polish, Slovak) and compare them to perceptions among Russian speakers. Methodologically, we focus on framing, identifying the conscious use of specific vocabulary, imagery, and metaphors to describe political events or dynamics and their impact on the subconscious perception of such frames in different socio-political, cultural, and linguistic settings in Europe. The perception analysis is contextualized by (1) analyzing framing and distribution strategies, and (2) historically, by comparing the effects before and after the ban of Russian platforms in the EU. Our working hypothesis is that this muting will merely shift the channels of distribution. Therefore, we focus on the communication process and the 'receiving end', as Russia will likely continue using disinformation to fuel tensions between 'illiberal' and 'liberal' constituencies within the EU.

Work Package 5

Shaping perceptions by Cultural diplomacy as soft power

Lead: UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE 

The WP aims to understand how cultural exchange influences perceptions of Europe’s shared historical and cultural past. It also seeks to develop strategies to overcome East-West stereotypes and improve access to the European project, particularly in light of rising populism, nationalism, and the war in Ukraine. The research examines cultural exchanges in Romania, Poland, Germany, France, and the Netherlands over 30 years before and after the Fall of the Iron Curtain, focusing on crisis periods and target groups like young people and minorities. Findings will inform best practices in cultural diplomacy, published and shared with stakeholders, preserved in a virtual museum, and integrated into a master program "New Cultural Diplomacy."

Work Package 6

Cultural Policy Dialogue and Hybrid Community Building in Social Media

Lead: HOCHSCHULE FUR ANGEWANDTE WISSENSCHAFTEN HAMBURG

This subproject will investigate which new media formats and hybrid event formats are particularly effective for cultural transfer. The aim is to strengthen European awareness, especially among young people, to influence the perception of democratic values such as diversity and to counter stereotypical East-West perceptions. The Duitsland Instituut Amsterdam and the Goethe-Institut Bucharest, two cultural institutions teaching German language and culture abroad, serve as case studies.

Work Package 7

Sustainability

Lead: UNIVERSITATEA DIN BUCURESTI

This WP aims to develop recommendations for cultural policymakers to align cultural policies with current market and target group needs, addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. Objectives include improving exposure to cultural exchanges, enhancing cooperation in cultural diplomacy, and developing innovative management practices. Tools for achieving these goals include educational initiatives, a Master Program in Cultural Diplomacy, and a multilingual Virtual Museum. Recommendations will be presented to the European Parliament.

Work Package 8

Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation

Lead: EUFRAK-EUROCONSULTS BERLIN GMBH

Work package 8 focuses on disseminating project outputs and results, and campaigning for action. It prioritizes efficient internal and external communication to achieve the project’s goals. The main objectives are to create public awareness of the EU and project goals and to disseminate project outcomes for professional use. By the project’s end, objectives and products should be widely known and practically applied by political decision-makers. Various activities are planned, especially in the third year, to ensure strong engagement with stakeholders.