CONTEXT We are five European schools brought together by similar needs. We want to offer our students the best possible alternatives, to improve their skills, motivate them and boost their creativity and self-expression. We are all aware of the requirements of today’s educational systems, which promote the involvement of students in extracurricular activities so as to get them more actively involved in their own learning path, to enable them to thrive while doing something they are passionate about. Whether high or low achievers, our students are all united in the same desire to meet other pupils, share their hobbies, interests and passions, work together, communicate with them and find out more about the European cultures. We are well aware that there will also be challenges on the way, but we are determined to overcome them together, as a team. OBJECTIVES We have the following aims for students: - to improve their motivation and increase their enthusiasm - to improve their practical skills through photography - to improve intercultural awareness and sense of identity - to acquire European values like acceptance, tolerance, non-discrimination - to boost their language and digital skills - to develop communication, interpersonal and social skills - to enable self-expression, creativity - to increase self-awareness and self-appreciation At the level of teachers, the project aims to: - increase motivation - enable cooperation and collaboration among EU teachers - enable the exchange of good practices and application in the schools - improve expertise in running Erasmus+ projects - develop communication, interpersonal and social skills. ACTIVITIES In order to meet all these goals and attach a stronger intercultural component to the project, we have decided to combine photography with students’ daily lives, their culture, their problems, their views and artistic perception. Therefore, we intend to organize 5 student exchanges along the project: 1 – A day in my life - photography basics; 2 – My school - color, light and design techniques; 3 – My town – Principles of composition; 4 – My region - Capturing motion in pictures; 5. My Europe – Learning to edit photos. Before each of these meetings, students will be assigned tasks related to the topic of each exchange. They will work in teams and will produce a photo story on each of these topics. During the exchanges, their works will be evaluated, they will receive advice and will attend workshops run by specialists in which they learn tips. They are also assigned a new task as a result of the workshop. PARTICIPANTS Students, who are our main target group, are pupils aged 12-14 in each school. They will be in the centre of all our activities and will benefit directly or indirectly from the project activities and result. Some of them, 5 for each exchange (20 / country) will get the chance to travel to the partner countries and be directly involved in the activities. They will be accompanied by 2 teachers in each exchange (8 / country). Therefore, overall 100 students and 40 teachers will participate directly. RESULTS Our concrete results refer first of all to the attainment of all stated objectives. Secondly, we aim to produce and collect all kinds of tangible materials, such as workshop materials, students’ photo stories, students’ photos on the topics of the exchange, students’ self-assessment forms, feedback forms, evaluation instruments, dissemination materials such as newsletter, photo exhibition, website, eTwinning platform space, assessment reports about each exchange, certificates of attendance etc. IMPACT All partner schools will gain valuable experience as a result of this project. We will learn from each other and observe the positive aspects in each system which can be adopted in our own schools. We will learn about the cultures of European countries and give our schools a European dimension. Consequently, we will be more confident in applying for future projects. Schools can continue their collaboration by creating a network of photo clubs which may extend to other schools in our countries or other countries. We will organize photography competitions among students in partner schools on different special occasions. We want to turn this into a regular practice. Therefore, the project will help our institutions become active on the European stage.