Media Literacy in the Heart of Genoa: The First MAP Youth Mobility

From May 26 to 29, Genoa became a meeting point for more than 70 young people, youth workers, educators and youth leaders from across EU for the first transnational mobility of the MAP – Media Awareness and Perspective project. Hosted by Agorà in the beautiful Cloister of Santa Maria di Castello, the mobility combined learning, intercultural exchange, and participation in a unique international experience focused on media literacy and critical thinking.

Through workshops, debates, theatre activities, and collaborative challenges, participants explored some of the most pressing issues of today’s digital world: fake news, manipulation, sensationalism, social media influence, and the way information shapes our perceptions and behaviours. Using non-formal education methods, the activities encouraged participants not only to analyse media content critically, but also to reflect on their own role as active and responsible digital citizens.

One of the highlights of the programme was the final urban treasure hunt across Genoa, where participants investigated local stories, myths, and intentionally misleading narratives in order to put their fact-checking and critical thinking skills into practice.

Beyond the educational dimension, the mobility also created strong human connections. For many participants, this was their first international experience: four days of sharing cultures, perspectives, and everyday moments with peers from different countries, discovering how much they had in common despite different backgrounds and realities.

The mobility represented an important first step in the MAP journey. Participants now return home as “MAP Ambassadors”, ready to bring new ideas, tools, and initiatives into their local communities.

The project will continue over the coming months with the launch of a new thematic package focused on hate speech and discrimination in the EU. During the summer, youth workers and facilitators from the partner organisations will take part in a training of trainers before starting a new cycle of local activities leading up to the second European mobility.

Stay tuned for the next steps of the MAP journey.