What are the main framings used in pro-Kremlin public discourse in Russia to characterise its invasion of Ukraine? How do different actors and sources adapt their narratives through time? How do they refer to Ukrainian territories that Russia controls or claims?
This project approaches these questions through the structured analysis of on-line sources, including official publications, media, as well as other digital spaces used in this context.
Cohesion policy is the main instrument used by the European Union in order to promote social and economic growth, foster convergence between the different regions, and improve the quality of life on the ground. Since 2021 we have been reporting on the challenges faced by the regions of South-Eastern Europe and on initiatives which were promoted thanks to cohesion funds, first with the Work4Future projects and then with Energy4Future. The ‘Cohesion for Climate’ project continues to look at cohesion policy and related challenges, focusing in particular on interventions in the field of environment: prevention of natural disasters, land management, conservation of protected areas and species, and so on.
The MOST – Media Organisations for Stronger Transnational Journalism - project aims to drive innovation within the foreign reporting sector and strengthen the resilience of non-profit and independent media in their coverage of European issues. By bringing together six specialised non-profit media outlets and one human rights-focused organisation, the project will establish a collaborative platform for the exchange of knowledge, resources, and content among the participating partners and other media outlets focused on foreign reporting or European topics.
The project explores how Communities of Practice born out of the implementation of Interreg projects and participation in EUSAIR policy fora can further the European integration of the Western Balkans. EU enlargement has returned to the center of the European political agenda as a geostrategic project for the security of the continent, but without active involvement of the territories it is unlikely to come to fruition.
In addition to the already earmarked IPAIII funds, in early 2024 the EU introduced the Western Balkans Growth Investment Plan, allocating six billion euros to support the candidates' internal reform processes. At the same time, the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) also provide resources for innovation and sustainable development, actively involving the territories.
PULSE – Europe beyond the beat is a cross-border journalistic initiative embracing a ‘collaborative by design’ approach to editorial production. It brings together 10 prominent national media outlets and 3 transnational media organisations (OBCT, n-ost, Voxeurop) united in a mission to foster a vibrant European public sphere. In two years, over 2,000 stories will be delivered in at least 12 European languages, covering European affairs from new and multiple perspectives. Special attention is paid to underreported countries, regions, and social groups, including rural areas and small-to-medium EU countries.
The Collaborative and Investigative Journalism Initiative (CIJI) supports independent media and freelance journalists in Europe through training, mentoring, funding and the exchange of knowledge and best practices. It also provides structured networking opportunities to strengthen collaborative and investigative journalism in Europe.
"MigraVoice: Migrant Voices Matter in the European Media"is a project co-funded by the European Union, in collaboration with six prominent European media organisations. The project aims to amplify the voices and perspectives of migrants in Europe within the European media and information space, by promoting active participation of individuals with migration backgrounds in the creation of high-quality media content for European audiences in both traditional and social media formats. Migravoice represents a crucial step towards fostering inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in journalism and the media content that Europeans consume. By empowering those with a migration background to share their perspectives, MigraVoice not only enriches the media landscape but also contributes to a more vibrant and inclusive European society.
Due to climate change, large forest fires are becoming an increasingly serious threat in many regions of Europe. The multi-year project FIRE-RES – an acronym that stands for "Innovative technologies and socio-ecological-economic solutions for fire resilient territories in Europe" aims to develop and disseminate effective solutions to prevent and manage fires of extreme magnitude, intervening on many levels and in different phases. It is co-financed by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 programme and is coordinated by the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia; 34 organisations from 13 countries participate, including OBC Transeuropa. In addition to journalistic content, OBCT contributes with dissemination, training, and awareness-raising campaigns, thanks to its growing experience in the field of communication of scientific research and journalism on environmental issues.
Media freedom, independence, and pluralism are fundamental pillars of European democracies. Freedom of speech and journalists' safety is crucial for countries such as Albania and Serbia that aspire to join the EU. Thanks to the cooperation with two local partners, this project intends to contribute to creating a network of Balkan, Italian, and European actors engaged in effective advocacy to protect media freedom in the EU and the two countries involved in the integration process
Transnistria is the longest-lasting ongoing protracted conflict in continental Europe. For more than thirty years after the violent events of 1992, this region internationally recognised as part of Moldova has been ruled by de facto authorities in Tiraspol without attracting much international attention. From the socio-economic point of view, stability in Transnistria has largely been enabled by considerable assistance offered by the Russian Federation through different means, including a scheme known as the “gas subsidy” which relies on Gazprom providing gas to the region effectively free of charge. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however, may well end up shaking irremediably some of the foundations that gave remarkable stability to the current arrangement. On 31 December 2024, the five-year deal that covers the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine towards Europe is due to end, and, in all likelihood, it won’t be renewed. An abrupt end to the Russia-sponsored gas supply would disrupt the prevalent socio-economic arrangements in Transnistria virtually overnight.
This project reports on conflict dynamics and offers context and scenario analyses in order to favour policies able to prevent crises, or at least mitigate their consequences.
The EU and the Western Balkans are in the process of preparing for new EU enlargements. To this end, the EU has just adopted a New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, that is supposed to increase their participation in the European Single Market. This intermediate step towards EU membership should open new opportunities of economic cooperation for both public and private actors, sustain Western Balkans’ internal reforms, as well as accelerate their path towards full integration in the EU. At the same time, the Western Balkans are expected to start contributing more substantially to the economic and geopolitical security of the EU, to deal with increasingly complex regional and global environments. Nonetheless, progresses of the EU enlargement will also remain conditional to the success of EU internal reforms, to make its policies, budget and institutions fit for an enlarged Union.
Cohesion policy is the European Union’s main tool for promoting economic growth and social welfare, by achieving a more homogeneous level of development across its territories and by particularly stimulating less developed and depressed regions. In 2021-2023, we have illustrated through the Work4Future project the challenges faced by South-Eastern European regions and the initiatives promoted thanks to cohesion funds. Building on this experience, we continue our engagement with the Energy4Future project that aims to explore and narrate the support that cohesion funds provide to counter energy crisis and energy poverty and by stimulating energy transition at the European level.
Regional cooperation is a pillar of the stabilisation and association process of the Western Balkan countries, and has been considered as an opportunity to overcome the existing divisions between the civil societies in these countries. Over the past two decades, the number of regional cooperation initiatives has increased significantly, while the enlargement process has slowed down. The project seeks to improve the understanding of regional cooperation mechanisms and initiatives that contribute to the European integration agenda of the six Western Balkan countries, in order to be able to further strengthen the virtuous paths. The research work aims to identify and analyse the existing regional cooperation initiatives in the region, comparing them to the empirical analysis of the Berlin Process experience. In addition, the project intends to explore the reasons for the success of the Berlin Process and the role played by the political elites and the European Commission in realising its intended goals.
Chapter 22 deals with Regional Policy and expects candidate countries to align their national legislation with the European acquis regarding structural and cohesion funds, with the aim to foster economic, social, and territorial development of less developed regions. The implementation of the Regional Policy requires adequate administrative capacity for the proper use of financial instruments and the implementation of related projects.
Focusing on the planning phase of the Cohesion Policy, OBCT together with ISSiRFA CNR is carrying out two projects aimed at promoting training and exchange of know-how and expertise with the national authorities of four Balkan countries candidate to the European Union.
Cohesion policy, for decades now, has been one of the main instruments of the European Union for promoting economic growth and achieving a more homogeneous level of development across all EU territories, stimulating in particular less developed and depressed regions. The funds set aside for cohesion policy represent almost a third of the total EU budget (392 billion Euros for 2021-2027). The territories supported by these funds are often vulnerable in a variety of ways, but that doesn’t mean they are not rich in opportunities. Quite the contrary. Thanks to the project Work4Future, we will have the opportunity, using a bottom-up approach, to explore and tell these territories and challenges they face in all countries of South Eastern Europe which are members of the EU, from the valleys of Slovenia to the islands of Greece, focusing particulary on the impact of cohesion policy on employment opportunities.
OBC Transeuropa contributes to the project Work for Future together with Il Sole 24 Ore and ISSiRFA/CNR.
The DJAS project (Digital Public Sphere: Journalism in the Age of Surveillance) explores the impact of the surveillance society on Italian journalism. By involving institutions, bodies, and professional organisations as well as the public itself, DJAS intends to encourage the journalistic community to reflect on the changes being introduced by the surveillance society.
The project is funded by the Horizon 2020 European research programme and by the Open Society Institute in cooperation with OSIFE/ Open Society Foundations.
The international and local academic community in the last years has taken actively part in the debates on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) costitutional changes sharing expertise and advice. Nevertheless currently in BiH there is still limited public discussion on the constitutional impact of the integration path towards the EU. The EC Opinion on BiH’s future accession and the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement have brought constitutional issues back to the fore. In this context the promotion of a free academic debate, among scholars from all parts of the country, a culture of dialogue, respect and cooperation, is fundamental to contribute to the public discussion stimulating it with academic expertise on issues of priority for the political agenda. OBC Transeuropa will, in this section, publish in Italian, BHS and English, the articles and papers produced by the network of scholars “Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Constitution and EU Accession. An Academic Platform for Discussing the Options” .
The EU-Balkan Youth Forum will take place in Rome from 22 to 26 November. It is aimed at young people from the European Union and the Western Balkans, who together will discuss the proposals for the future of Europe and the integration of the Balkans into the EU.
The Parliament of Rights - 3rd edition aims at contributing to a better understanding of the role of the European Parliament, as the only institution directly elected by European citizens, in the democratic life of the Union, in defining European policies for fundamental rights, and on crucial matters for the future of our continent such as climate, the environment, migration, and digital. In this complex moment for our continent, now is the time to imagine post-pandemic Europe. We will be doing this by promoting an informed, open, and plural public debate that will involve MEPs, experts, journalists, students, teachers, and policymakers in debates, seminars, and workshops. We thus intend to make our contribution to the participation of citizens in the European decision-making process and civil society’s capacity for action at the transnational level, which is essential for relaunching the European project from below and promoting a Europe of rights.
OBC Transeuropa takes part in the 3-year research project “Transnational Political Contention in Europe (TraPoCo)", dedicated to the study of trans-European political activismunder the Jean Monnet action of the Erasmus+ programme.
The network, led by theScuola Normale Superiore of Pisa with Professor Donatella Della Porta – chair of Political and Social Sciences, comprises three universities (University of Belgrade, University College Dublin, Boku University-Vienna) as well as OBC Transeuropa and NGO The Good Lobby.
The European Data Journalism Network – EDJNet is a new data-driven endeavour aimed at supporting European journalists in the coverage of European issues, and at providing the general public with valuable editorial tools for better understanding Europe. EDJNet has been set up by a consortium of European media outlets led by Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (Italy) and VoxEurop (France). For three years, EDJNet transnational board will produce data-driven news in up to 12 languages, develop automated tools to increase newsrooms’ productivity and exploit existing data-driven resources, and provide tailored, on-demand advice on data-journalism applied to EU affairs. From October 2017, the content and services produced by EDJNet are available for free through a specific multilingual and open source website www.edjnet.eu, and on EDJNet partners’ own website.
The project, co-financed by InCE – Central European Initiative and by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, explores the role of civil society and youth organisations in the process of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans by analysing the developments starting from the 2017 Trieste Forum organised within the framework of the Berlin Process. The project is conducted in partnership between OBC Transeuropa and CeSPI
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought health systems to their knees all over the world, particularly affecting the elderly. But in the Balkans, the ensuing economic and social crisis has often had shocking – and hard to ignore – effects on young people as well. In this dossier, produced with the support of the Central European Initiative - Executive Secretariat , we take stock of the first year and a half of the pandemic, and explore the post-Covid recovery scenarios for young people in Central and South-Eastern Europe
The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) is a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors, and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries. This project provides legal and practical support, public advocacy, and information to protect journalists and media workers.
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) takes part in the MFRR as partner of a consortium led by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and including ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and the International Press Institute (IPI).
The project aims to offer university students a better understanding of European foreign policy matters, with particular focus on Southeastern European and Eastern Partnership countries. It includes interactive seminars that are also streamed online for a wider audience, internship opportunities at Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), and a students' blog. The project is promoted by the Jean Monnet Excellence Centre of the University of Trento in cooperation with Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa and with the support of the European Union.
The objective of the project is to identify and explore common points and synergies between the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and the EU enlargement in Western Balkan countries participating to the Macroregion. The project is carried out with the collaboration of CeSPI. It is financed by DG Regional and Urban Policy.
PEDAKOS (Preschool Education Development Alliance for Kosovo), alongside the children of Kosovo
In the next three years and thanks to the collaboration with RTM and its PEDAKOS project, we will deal with early childhood in Kosovo. A sector that has a significant impact on both the education and the social inclusion of girls and boys.
Research project aimed at exploring the recent history and current status of the communities of historical Italian minorities living in South-Eastern Europe, simultaneously investigating the potential of Italy's foreign policies as a kin state of these minorities and as a political actor of strategic importance in this area. Co-funded by MAECI (pursuant to art. 23-bis) and conducted by OBCT in collaboration with the Department of History of the University of Rijeka, Eurac Research, and the Trentino Historical Museum Foundation (FMST)
The project, supported by Fondazione Caritro , intends to bring to light a little-known story - that of Serbian and Russian prisoners of war employed on the Alpine front as forced labour during the First World War - and to involve students in an active learning process.
The technical innovations connected to the exploitation of big data, along with new laws such as GDPR, are radically changing the ICT scenario inside and outside the European Union. Panelfit is a European network of 13 organisations, working in different fields, who work together in order to take advantage of the technological opportunities of these processes without compromisingthe citizens’ security and fundamental rights. Panelfit addresses ethical and legal issues focusing on three main areas: data commercialization, informed consent on the use of personal data, security and cybersecurity issues. OBCT, in line with its continuous activity of information about different aspects and issues of the European landscape, takes part in PANELFIT reference point of the European Data Journalism Network, in order to foster the journalistic coverage and the debate around the project themes.
The project "WINNING THE NARRATIVE. Reclaiming spaces, building new narratives"addresses the issue of the shrinking spaces of action for civil society with an approach focused on building "new narratives" on the themes of solidarity and hospitality.
The project, co-financed by CEI - Central European Initiative, intends to explore the main aspects of the so-called "Balkan route" by investigating the situation in the countries most affected by the transit of migrants and on the most exposed borders (Turkey/ Greece; Turkey/ Bulgaria, Bosnia Herzegovina/ Croatia; Italy/ Slovenia). The research, conducted in partnership by OBCT and CeSPI, will address the characteristics and evolution of the "Balkan route" in a multi-perspective manner, and then investigate the migration management of the countries examined - from Turkey to the Italian-Slovenian border - and the repercussions of these policies both internally and in international relations, combining analysis of the sources already available and qualitative interviews with privileged witnesses.
The research assignment entrusted by the Emilia-Romagna Region to Soges, in partnership with OBC Transeuropa, provides for the realisation of a territorial analysis on socio-economic developments and on the territorial needs of the area affected by the European territorial cooperation programme ADRION (Adriatic-Ionian). The analysis will be used by the Emilia Romagna Region, ADRION's Managing Authority, to prepare the Interreg 2021-2127 cooperation programme. The main topics covered refer to the European policy objectives: A smarter Europe; A greener and low carbon Europe; More connected Europe; More social Europe; A Europe closer to citizens.
The Centre for International Cooperation joins “In Marcia con il Clima ”. Coordinated by Oxfam Italia, the project aims to provide support and resources to young people who, starting from 2018, have begun to make their voices heard regarding the fight against climate change and the protection of the planet.
The operational unit Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) contributes to the activities of "In March with the Climate" within the EDJNet network, producing quality data visualisations, infographics, and journalistic contents that tell the phenomenon in the various territories involved in the project .
ESVEI tackles structural issues that in recent years are increasing the vulnerability to external interference of democratic processes, taking Italy as a case study. It aims at increasing awareness, initiating policy debates, and providing sensible, forward-looking policy recommendations in three domains that are central to democratic processes in modern societies, but that, due to inadequate regulations and poor practices, needlessly expose such processes to meddling: social media and disinformation; transparency of funding and lobbying; cybersecurity.
The project European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) aims to protect press freedom and to promote transnational public debate on violations registered in the European Union, the Enlargement and the Eastern Partnership countries. In 2018, the project enters its fourth year of activity thanks to the renewed support by the European Commission.
Promoting agriculture and protecting the environment in northern Albania by investing in traditional know-how, typical products, and women's empowerment - this is the goal of a three-year programme promoted by Reggio Terzo Mondo and COSPE, with the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and OBCT as media partner
"Rijeka in Flux " is a four-year international research project which aims to investigate the effects on the city of Rijeka of the displacement of the border between Yugoslavia and Italy after the Second World War. The scholars of the historical research team will share the results of their work both through traditional academic channels and using the interactive online map dedicated to Rijeka. The map is also designed as a crowdsourcing tool open to all researchers, witnesses, and citizens who wish to share their knowledge of the city.
The project aims to offer university students a better understanding of European foreign policy matters, with particular focus on Southeastern European and Eastern Partnership countries. It includes interactive seminars that are also streamed online for a wider audience, internship opportunities at Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), and a students' blog. The project is promoted by the Jean Monnet Excellence Centre of the University of Trento in cooperation with Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa and with the support of the European Union.
The project NeverAgain: Teaching Transmission of Trauma and Remembrance through Experiential Learning seeks to test new experiential methodologies to deal with traumas of the past present in our societies.
The project is coordinated by SELMA: Centre for the Study of Storytelling, Experientiality and Memory of the University of Turku (Selma Centre) and cofinanced by the programme "Europefor citizens" in the European Union. Partners include both academic actors like the universities of Regensburg, Copenhagen, and Vilnius and NGOs like Patrir, Cluj, and TPO, Sarajevo.
The joint OBCT/ CeSPI project aims to provide up-to-date, in-depth knowledge of some of the areas in which the OSCE operates directly, of particular relevance for the Italian Presidency. The project will focus in particular on two regions: the areas of long-term conflict (Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh) and the Western Balkans. The project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The aim of the research is to understand the state of bilateral relations between Italy and a selected group of countries in the region (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia), in order to highlight the acquired background and the future potential for cooperation, renewed in the framework of the European project. The research will end with the elaboration of specific policy recommendations, also in a comparative perspective between the different countries under investigation. Project carried out in collaboration with the Center for International Political Studies (CeSPI). Funded by the MAECI pursuant to art. 23-bis
Students from Trentino become protagonist of dissemination on the Yugoslav wars. From January to April 2020 OBCT cooperates with the Library of the Edmund Mach Foundation by assisting a class of the Agricultural Institute of San Michele all’Adige (TN) in the creation of articles on Italian Wikipedia on various topics related to the Yugoslav wars, with a focus on the Bosnian conflict.
The project "WINNING THE NARRATIVE. Reclaiming spaces, building new narratives"addresses the issue of the shrinking spaces of action for civil society with an approach focused on building "new narratives" on the themes of solidarity and hospitality.
Analyzing the impact of the digital transformation of the society to understand how the Citizenship Education and Human Rights Adult Education can respond. CCI (Centre for International Cooperation), together with six VET organizations from seven European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Portugal), is involved in the triennial project “Digit-al”, supported by the European Commission within the “Erasmus+” programme, which aims to identify good practices for including digitalization in the different field of adult education in Europe.
The project "Looking beyond the Borders" is aimed at strengthening the fundamental rights of asylum seekers and refugees in Italy in the context of current European and national strategies through constant monitoring on the territory, a precious collection of testimonies, and key advocacy work. The leader of the project is the Italian Refugee Council (CIR), and OBC Transeuropa participates with the production of three videos by film-maker Paolo Martino.
Led by OBC and supported by the European Commission/DG Enlargement, in 2013 "Tell Europe to Europe" brought together 11 media partners in Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Bulgaria committed to animating and widening the public debate on today’s Europe, the Enlargement process and the Europe of the future. The project fostered the creation of a transnational area for analysis and debate about European Enlargement through a wide array of formats on the web, in cinemas, on the radio, in schools, universities and public events.
The project "Tells Europe to Europe" was co-financed by the European Union in 2013.
Twenty-five years after the outbreak of the Yugoslav wars, much still needs to be done to integrate the memories of this chapter of recent history in the reflection about the wider European space of memory. THE TESTIMONY - TRUTH OR POLITICS is a project aiming to publicly reflect on the Yugoslav dissolution, placing centre stage individual testimonies of those who experienced the conflict, taking sides or opposing resistance to it.
The research project "Italy and the Balkans between national and European leadership interests: the Italian role in the EU enlargement process to the Balkans" is promoted by OBC Transeuropa and the Fondazione Circolo Fratelli Rosselli with the financial support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). Within the framework of this project, OBC carried out the analysis "Unavoidable Enlargement? Bosnia Herzergovina and Kosovo towards EU integration".
Press freedom and freedom of expression have a crucial role for the functioning of democratic societies. Despite this, in Europe journalists are threatened, censured or intimidated and this affects the citizens' right to information. OBC, together with SEEMO , Ossigeno Informazione , Professor Eugenia Siapera (Dublin City University) and a broad network of media partners in 11 European countries, devoted a year to studying the challenges to press freedom and the needs of journalists in Italy, South East Europe and Turkey. The project "Safety Net for European Journalists. A Transnational Network Support for Media Freedom in Italy and South-east Europe" is co-financed by the European Union.
In October 2014, the EU launched its Macro-Regional Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian area, EUSAIR. One year later, OBC and CeSPI analysed its first steps, challenges and opportunities, in the frame of the project “The Adriatic-Ionian macro-region: a hurdle process. The start of the Adriatic-Ionian Regional Strategy in the perspective of Italian foreign policy and the European integration of the Western Balkans”, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).
Research project carried out by OBC Transeuropa, FIERI e CeSPI thanks to the financial support of the Analysis, Programming and Historic-Diplomatic Documentation Unit of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (contribution awarded under Article 2 Law No. 948/82). Within this project OBC Transeuropa carried out the research: “The Implementation of the EU-Turkey Deal: The Effects on Reception”.
The Jean Monnet Module The EU and the political development in South-East Europe / EUSEE is a three-year project [2015-2018] sponsored by the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence of the University of Trento in collaboration with OBC Transeuropa, and with the support of the European Union. The Module will help students acquire in-depth, first-hand knowledge about the South-east European region and its Europeanization process through a variety of educational tools and activities.
In 2013, OBC concluded the three-year decentralised cooperation programme “SeeNet II - a transnational network for cooperation between Italy and South-East Europe”, co-funded by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 6 Italian regions and the Autonomous Province of Trento.
During the action, OBC regularly carried out in-depth analyses and spread information on the socio-political contexts in South-Eastern Europe and on the thematic areas covered by the programme, working with the main actors of the Italian decentralised cooperation and 47 local authorities in the Western Balkans.
Research project carried out by OBC Transeuropa and CeSPI , with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – MAECI (extraordinary contribution as per ex art. 2 of law 948/82), within the framework of the Berlin Process for the European integration of the Western Balkans. Goal: to monitor and gather inputs from the Civil Society Forum and the European think-tanks that met to prepare the Trieste inter-governmental summit (July 12th, 2017)
The project "Parliament of Rights" aims to contribute to a better understanding of the role of the European Parliament in the Union's democratic life and in the definition of European policies for fundamental rights.
The project "Parliament of Rights" aims to contribute to a better understanding of the role of the European Parliament in the Union's democratic life and in the definition of European policies for fundamental rights.
A research project focusing on the impact of migration on children's rights in South East Europe, with field work conducted by anthropologist Cristina Bezzi in the area of Romanian Moldavia, a region heavily interested by the phenomenon of migration.
Implemented in 2011 within the European research project "Children rights in action" led by the association The Tree of Life, this post-doctoral research was supported by the Caritro Foundation.
In a European Union hit by an economic crisis as never before in its history, the Parliament is the only institution directly elected by the European citizens. For this reason, the European elections in May 2014 have been a unique moment for strengthening – through participation – the European political project. Through BeEu, OBC and 7 other media partners in 6 European countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Slovenia) contributed, with in-depth news, multimedia and online debates, to stimulate the debate on the activities and decisions of the Parliament on the most crucial themes for Europe's future. The project was co-financed by the European Union within the framework of the European Parliament's communication programs.
In the Caucasus, a new generation is growing with no direct memories of the USSR. They try to build their own future, looking for a job and often playing an active role in politics. They use the internet to stay in touch with each other and to organise social actions. In the northern Caucasus, the Russian government tries to fight unemployment and extremist movements supporting entrepreneurship and patriotism. In the South Caucasus, young people play an active role in the political life of their country, often struggling against those in power.
The research project “Youth in the Northern Caucasus: associationism, identity, and patriotism in a complex, multi-ethnic context”, was carried out in 2011 thanks to the support by the Caritro Foundation.
Led by OBC and supported by the European Commission/DG Enlargement, in 2013 "Tell Europe to Europe" brought together 11 media partners in Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Bulgaria committed to animating and widening the public debate on today’s Europe, the Enlargement process and the Europe of the future. The project fostered the creation of a transnational area for analysis and debate about European Enlargement through a wide array of formats on the web, in cinemas, on the radio, in schools, universities and public events.
The project "Tells Europe to Europe" was co-financed by the European Union in 2013.
During the Balkan conflicts in the Nineties, tens of thousands Italian citizens took part in humanitarian intervention, volunteering in support of war-affected populations. OBC investigated this mobilization, its implications for the Italian civil society and transnational activism, producing journalistic in depth coverage and academic analyses. The research project “We were striving for peace”, carried out in 2014 with the support of the Caritro Foundation and the Autonomous Province of Trento, focused on this important chapter in the European social and political history.
A research and dissemination project focusing on the cultural and social history of South East Europe through the study of one of its most interesting industries: cinema. Interviews with directors, screenwriters, actors, technicians and producers build up a composite picture of the "seventh art" through the narratives of individuals who took part in it, presented in the publication of the book "The art of cinema in the Balkans".
The project was implemented in 2008 with the support of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio of Trento and Rovereto.
With the AestOvest project, OBC carried out an in-depth analysis of the past and the present of the Upper Adriatic, the border area between Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, examining this region's common historical experience and conflicting memories. The project, which is part of OBC’s long term commitment to analyze the reconciliation process in the Balkans, resulted in a multimedia DVD for schools, a dedicated section within OBC website.
The "AestOvest project. Memories intersection of Fascism, Communism and Nazism. From the Italian-Yugoslav border to European internal borders", has been implemented in 2008 thanks to a co-financing of the Autonomous Province of Trento and the European Union - Program "Europe for citizens 2007-2013".
A research and dissemination project on the places of memory of the Second World War in former Yugoslavia. The role, meaning and transformation of memorials are examined through contributions and interviews with the designers of the most significant memorials of the former Yugoslavia, scholars and European intellectuals who have dealt with the theme of memory and of the wars of the '90s. The project culminated with the the international conference "Bad Memories " and the presentation of the documentary "The circle of remembrance". Implemented in 2007, the action was supported by the DG Education and Culture of the European Commission and the Autonomous Province of Trento.
OBC has developed the Database Re.Te., a tool to explore the reality of Italian decentralized cooperation with South-East Europe. The database collects the projects carried out in the area and the local agreements signed by local authorities on the two sides of the Adriatic.
The project started in 2003 under Seenet Programme I - "Local governments engines of development", running from 2003 to 2006 and promoted by the Tuscany Region and the Istrian Region and co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.