Our Projects
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Reuse Reduce Recycle AI-based platform for automated and scalable Maker culture in Circular economy
The extensive objective of this RISE programme, called RRREMAKER, is to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) based maker platform for the design and production of handcrafted, rapid prototyped and reconditioned products, based on the availability of used goods and recyclable waste collected, getting inputs from, and connecting together, digital manufacturers and traditional crafts, designers/creative companies and green companies, establishing a new hybrid managing model based on the communities of knowledge, ecodesign and democratization invention, integrating orange, sharing and circular economy.
Artificial intelligence
Design and production
Digital manufacturers
Traditional crafts
Creative companies
Green companies
Communities of knowledge
Ecodesign
Invention
Orange economy
Sharing economy
Circular economy
As a disruptive approach, besides being a framework in which the different fields involved can share information, the proposed intelligent computational platform itself will be a main actor in the creative process, by integrating cutting-edge algorithms of generative design, as genetic and superquadric-based algorithms, machine learning classifiers, algorithms for big data, cloud computing, and experimental data will predict structures, forms, materials, colours, ornaments, etc, based on traditional artisan and innovative design parameters, and recycling materials. The platform will also be a “sorting point” to share information between recyclable material collectors and ecodesigners/green manufacturers, connecting them to each other. Also, based on the sales information archived, the platform will be able to generate maps of features of the goods already on the market and automatically propose to the manufacturers changes to make them innovative and more appealing.
ARTS FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION, EQUALITY & DIVERSITY
We are living the greatest human mobility era in history. EU demography & inequality reports show that ‘Population with a foreign background will continue to grow’ in EU & that Migrants tend to be at higher risk of poverty. Migration is recognized as a key feature of our contemporary world as it provides many opportunities to societies and to migrants themselves. However, it is still one of the least understood phenomenon, leading to an increase of critical political and policy challenges in matters such as safe migration, border management, displacement and integration. Humans have used arts to express/communicate for centuries. It shaped their culture, nationality and identity. Arts have been a major catalyst for change in society around the world and its a method known for the very good results/feedback it provides by stimulating self-reflection, development of oneself and also by overcoming xenophobia, prejudices and stereotypes.
ARTS FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION , EQUALITY & DIVERSITY will use digital storytelling , digital photography - media , music and drama ; the four creative disciplines that the project proposes as powerful tools in youth practice.
Beneficiaries of the project are going to be young people with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities: immigrants or refugees. With the competence development resulting from the project, the youth work professionals will be able to provide to young people with fewer opportunities (a) a direct route to reach their full potential (b) solutions to many of the barriers to social inclusion.
The project brings together 5 organisations that believe arts and creativity is the best way to:
-promote Intercultural dialogue which preserves our cultural heritage and promotes cultural diversity connecting people with different backgrounds, interests and perspective
-involve migrants by increasing participation in cultural & societal life. Artistic and cultural expressions helps us to communicate with each other and allow us to understand our similarities as well our differences, in an area where we must also resolve disputes.
Eco-Toolbox For Active Youth
Even in Malta, a small country in the heart of Europe, climate change is evident. The annual mean temperatures in the capital are now usually above the 30 years average of the last century. Human activities in Malta related to transportation, energy combustion in buildings, industrial emissions and agriculture, are still the main causes of Greenhouse gas emissions affecting the environment of the country. Malta is deploying mitigation policies to satisfy the Doha amendment of the Kyoto protocol and reduce greenhouse emissions to an average of 20% below the 1990 level. According to the "European Parliament-Think Tank" 's latest state of play (Oct.2021), the EU's binding climate and energy legislation for 2030 requires Member States to adopt national energy and climate plans (NECPs) covering the period 2021 to 2030. In
October 2020, the European Commission published an assessment for each NECP. Malta's final NECP is from December 2019. A high proportion of Maltese people (75 %) expect national governments to tackle climate change. Malta, which generates less than 0.1 % of the EU-27's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, has reduced its emissions at a faster pace than the EU average since 2012. However, according to Malta's NECP, the country's geography and demographics, combined with rising gross domestic product (GDP), will make it difficult to continue this trend. It takes actions in the field of education, training, and public awareness, especially for young people, on environmental issues, with biodiversity, waste, and energy-saving being the most recurrent themes linked to climate change.
International frameworks on climate change and sustainable development policies, support youth education and participation, as major stakeholders, in responding to climate change (UNCED, Agenda 21). Youth education promotes active citizenship and the empowerment of future generations to engage in environmental governance, including climate change governance, calls on governments to implement educational and training programs on climate change to educate, empower, and engage all stakeholders.
The Green Deal Malta Platform introduced on Sept. 2021 the Malta National Youth Council (KNÅ») which fully believes that youths are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but also of today. Youths in Malta too have rallied in calling for more climate action, more ambitious emission reduction targets and greater prioritization of measures that can help our society adapt to the changing climate. This effort has been spearheaded by civil society, of which KNÅ» has proudly contributed.
KNÅ» has helped to organize climate marches, participated in numerous debates on the issue, submitted feedback on the
“Malta Low Carbon Development Strategy,” and played a key role in lobbying for the declaration of a climate emergency bill, which was passed with unanimous support from all sides of the houses of parliament. The bill helped raise climate change up the political agenda, and though it did not lead to overnight reductions in emissions, it has increased awareness. However, many steps need to be done since presently the actual implementation of educational policies at
regional or national/local levels is typically lacking or insufficient mainly in innovative educational tools and methodologies that could prove effective in young people’s capacities to influence and participate directly in efforts to learn about, prevent, prepare for, cope with and adapt to climate change and extreme events. Small-scale needs assessment in the form of a survey was carried out to a number of youths and youth workers of all partner countries, to investigate the needs of the target groups with regards to climate change and educational tools with results revealing their interest in game based learning (GBL).
Eco-toolbox is a 24month project dealing with the lack of youth capacity on climate change and environmental awareness through GBL offered by trained youth workers through GBL processes.
FIGHTING AGAINST THE VIRUS -INFODEMIC
Media literacy, our capacity to access, have a critical understanding of, and interact with the media
has never been as important as in today's society. It enables citizens of all ages to navigate the
modern news environment and take informed decisions.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to take a step back from our daily routines. As we spend
more and more time at home, we increasingly rely on the internet, be that for working remotely or
video calling relatives and friends. During times of uncertainty, like the ones we are experiencing,
engaging with information that is trustworthy is more important than ever.
This infodemic highlights the important role media literacy plays in all aspects of life, including
during moments of crisis. Media literacy education is key in ensuring that individuals can find the
real facts among all of the half-truths being shared online and beyond, especially when it can literally
be a matter of life or death. As we are seeing now, media literacy is not only a matter of education
— it can also be a matter of public safety.
We aim to develop critical thinking skills of youth workers and raise the organisations’ capacity in
the field of new media literacy in 5 EU partner countries to contribute to the quality of life of young
people, emergence of new approaches and development of a more inclusive, tolerant, peaceful
society and develop the quality and potential of digital youth work.
The project is built on the rationale that by becoming media literate, youth are able to critically and
skeptically analyze media messages they encounter every day, become wiser consumers of media
who are capable of evaluating online information and are able to protect themselves from deceptive
media messages.
Life beyond Youth workers
By means of this project, participants, through their participation in the 3 planned youth workers mobilities, will further empower themselves to share, exchange knowledge on how to organise awareness-raising initiatives about the cultural aspects, historical value and mystical attributes of burial grounds. Cemeteries and other burial sites, especially the artifacts found therein, point to the past and evoke history. They are the material anchors of all of our narratives about the past. Thus, cemeteries and burial sites aid us in the creation of lasting identities (identification of the different cultural heritage which also identify the similarities between the different cultures, further assisting in eliminating the barriers of cultures which still exist today). They frame historical narratives and are material witnesses to past greatness or failure.
They even embody values and beliefs. It is the responsibility of the participants to raise awareness back home about their own cultural heritage as verified through cemeteries and burial places, as well as the cultural heritage of other countries, by visiting these sites as a means of overcoming cultural differences and removal of them and us stigma. By caring for their cultural heritage, communities overcome differences and strengthen social cohesion. Culture is a synonym for diversity. When culture is promoted, tolerance results, as well as the ability to accept the own and to embrace the other. Especially at a time, when pluralism, free speech, democracy, human rights and equal development opportunities are threatened around the world, we need history and cultural heritage more than ever, as the key to strong, resilient societies. As a result, states have the responsibility of providing adequate legal frameworks to protect the cultural heritage of grave yards and burial grounds, including effective laws for the protection of the artifacts found at these sites. Europe should contribute its protection through effective laws against vandalism, as well as provide funds for preserving and restoring these sites. The European Union was set up to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace. This union is threatened by far-right populist parties which seek to exclude those who supposedly do not embrace the same values and beliefs upheld by the citizens of that country. They do so by claiming that these people, mainly migrants, are a threat to society’s values, and hence to stability, prosperity and to one’s own identity. This challenges the European project at its core. Through cultural heritage, differences are explored, meditated, understood, accepted and overcome. This project, by means of study visits to cemeteries and graveyards, seeks to understand that country’s culture, values and beliefs. This project promotes cultural heritage, and hence the much-needed processes of dialogue and reconciliation across social and national borders. Through the empowerment of youth workers to further understand cultural heritage and cultural understanding which will empower them in their work to actively involve more minority youths for better integration of all society.
Project Name
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