CIRCLE builds on this potential by combining interfaith dialogue, artistic expression and restorative practices to explore new approaches to peacebuilding. Working directly with young people and local stakeholders, the project will co-design and test creative activities that encourage engagement across religious, cultural and social divides. These approaches will be tested across eight pilot settings: Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Ukraine, Israel/Palestine, Greece, Germany and Spain. Each setting presents different experiences of conflict or polarisation, allowing CIRCLE to explore how peacebuilding approaches can be adapted to distinct local needs.
Alongside these activities, the project will examine existing European approaches to cultural peacebuilding, develop methods to evaluate the effectiveness of its interventions, and create training resources and an immersive virtual environment to support learning and engagement. The knowledge and experience gained will contribute to a publicly accessible toolkit and practical recommendations for policymakers, educators and organisations working in peacebuilding, cultural engagement and youth participation.
Project duration: 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2030
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.