Circolare
Three DiscoverEU journeys for young people from inland Sicily, discovering how Europe reuses, shares and travels sustainably.
Why it started
For young people growing up in Sicily's rural interior, travelling around Europe is far from a given: costs, distances, leaving the island and little experience of travelling independently keep out the very people who would gain the most. For many, it would be their first trip abroad.
Circolare uses DiscoverEU, the Erasmus+ action that gives young people a pass to travel across Europe, to open this opportunity to young people with fewer opportunities, including those not in education or employment and those who have stayed in their home town and are still finding their way into adult life.
The journey is not a holiday: it is a learning experience to build independence, self-confidence and a sense of what it means to be a European citizen.
What it does
The project runs for two years, from September 2026 to August 2028. Three different groups set off a few months apart. Each group is made up of five young people aged 18 to 21 and two Naqah youth workers. The common thread is the circular economy as it shows up in everyday life:
- Western Europe (for example France, Germany, Belgium): circular economy and sustainable mobility.
- Southern Europe (for example Spain, Greece, Portugal): community life and reusing resources day to day.
- Northern Europe (for example Denmark, Sweden, Finland): sustainable ways of living, community and environment.
Before leaving
Meetings at Casa Naqah to get to know each other and build the group. Participants choose the route together and learn to plan it: transport, accommodation, documents, travel apps, some practical English and safety rules.
On the road
From Sicily the group flies only as far as the first European hub, then travels by train and public transport. Every day there is time to talk through the day, a travel diary and small challenges to handle independently. The programme includes visits to neighbourhoods, markets, landmarks and European institutions.
Back home
Participants share their experience with other young people, their families and the community. We then help them find further European opportunities: youth exchanges, volunteering and the European Solidarity Corps.
Activities and editions
Funding
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 Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.