Erasmus+, Key action 1: training course
Dates: 1—7 July 2026
Venue: Maceira – Fornos de Algodres, Portugal
Czech team: 3 participants – youth workers
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: Associação Maceira
Project report:
As the summer was about to start, so was the training course “Storytelling Europe: Preserving European Oral Traditions.” The mobility took place in a beautiful Portuguese inland village called Maceira-Fornos de Algodres, where the time had stopped and its citizens were just living for FIFA World Cup 26 throughout the whole week we spent there.
The Czech team that was created by three participants had been sharing their traditions and oral heritage with participants from Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Macedonia, Spain and Portugal. Together we were provided with tools and approaches to create safe space and break the ice in order for us to connect and to be more open and willing to share our cultures. This had escalated into positive results and we smoothly deepened into the topic itself.
We had a chance to prepare presentations in our national teams to share our myths and legends, we talked about their influences on our day to day lives, we had a chance to understand more the way of living in other countries but also did break some stereotypes, or maybe just cleared them up.
By the end of the week I believe we all came to realize how important it is to protect the stories and oral heritage that has formed us. We realized in what ways we differ but also what connects us all at the same time and how important it is to keep sharing, talking and to actively listen in order to get mutual understanding and respect.
As the outcome of a project all of the national teams contributed to creating a booklet and its essence is in sharing stories and images that are important for each country.
I believe participants were leaving the project with satisfaction of doing a great amount of work, hearts full of connections and memories that will last maybe even a lifetime.
Michael J.
