A New Generation of DEAR Projects

^{© Konrad Skotnicki, EU DEAR Project “Funding Fairer Futures”, 2024.}

All new EU DEAR projects are now ready to empower global citizens. The 16 projects advocate for sustainable policies, community and individual behavioural changes, as well as corporate social responsibility and institutional accountability. They follow the principles of global citizenship education (GCE) and mobilise public opinion through public campaigns, education, and community-building. 

To find out who is active in your country of interest, check out the DEAR project map and sub-granting partners. Among all the types of projects described below, many will support grassroots initiatives through sub-granting schemes and capacity-building.

Active Citizenship and Democratic Solidarity

Many new DEAR projects foster democracy and active citizenship focusing on equality, solidarity, and human dignity, as well as collective responsibility. 

“Tackle!” empowers young activists to fight discrimination and structural racism through legal and social training. Building on a previous DEAR project, “NOPLANETB” works with schools and youth forums to enable young people to become eco-conscious and feminist leaders, and to influence local authorities. “Ecoality” connects young people to local authorities through innovative nonformal education methods.

Reforming Education 

Several projects focus on GCE across the European Union and beyond. They help educators and learners explore the root causes of global challenges, triggering curiosity, knowledge and innovation.

“DCYDE!” leverages digital education and intercultural cooperation to deepen the understanding of global interdependencies. “Connect 4 Global Change” works with civil society organisations on sustainable development cooperation. “YOU(th) CARE for CHANGE” follows the Global CARE Manifesto, which highlights the interdependencies and needed care between people and their natural environments. 

“GEAR UP!” promotes GCE and sustainable development through youth training, networking and sub-granting. “It’s Global Education Time!” builds on the past DEAR project “Get up and Goals” and provides educators in Southern and Eastern Europe with quality and innovative teaching materials and assessment tools for formal and nonformal GCE.

Sustainable Global Consumption and Production Chains

Three new DEAR projects campaign for sustainable production and consumption systems. They raise awareness about the waste, social injustices, and ecological damage of consumerism and the current global supply chains. 

“Rebooting the Food System” builds on past DEAR advocacy for more sustainable food systems.  It calls for stronger environmental due diligence in the agricultural sector. "Turn the Tables" advocates for local green practices, promoting sustainable sourcing, food waste reduction, and self-supply.

“Fashioning a Just Transition” lobbies the world of fashion as well as decision-makers for low-carbon, sustainable, and just practices in the global fashion industry. It focuses on young and female workers in the clothes industry. 

Changing Narratives with the Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can help redefine narratives around migration and social injustice. “SUBLIME SDGs”, “Rural Voices 2030” and “Global Districts” empower young people, marginalised groups, women, as well as local authorities, to become SDG “ambassadors”. 

Supporting gender equality and land protection, these DEAR projects nurture a more inclusive society. They simultaneously foster local ownership and global citizenship, through community-based international partnerships. Each of them focuses on different communities, from young rural ones, to residents of EU border towns and islands. 

Policy Advocacy for Sustainable Futures 

Another group of DEAR projects advocates for more inclusive, gender-transformative, climate-just and socially responsible measures in local governance - and all the way to European policies. “Funding Fairer Futures” unites a network of activists across Europe and the Global South to counter growing global multi-dimensional inequalities. "Connecting the Dots" enables activists to cooperate globally, and brings them together with media, educators, and decision-makers for more ethical food procurement. 

All projects are acutely aware of the growing global inequalities and climate injustice. They base their work on research about how climate change impacts different genders, socio-economic groups and communities to varying degrees. 

DEAR activities and tools

Concretely, DEAR projects work with many educational, research, training, co-creation and communication tools. Their wide range of classical and innovative actions include: 

• Participatory mapping: engaging citizens in identifying and addressing local, regional, national, European and global challenges that impact them most.
• Eco-polis labs: collaborative spaces where young people, local authorities, and the business sector develop innovative campaigns and sustainable solutions.
• Peer training and mentoring: developing leadership skills and fostering collaboration among diverse youth groups.
• International workcamps: hands-on experiences that foster environmental leadership and community engagement.
• Policy dialogue: encouraging dialogue between marginalised groups and decision-makers, who work on policies that affect them.

As the over 100 DEAR projects that have been funded by the EU in the past ten years, the new cohort relies on the relentless work of civil society organisations, European local authorities, decision-makers and volunteers across sectors, cultures and countries. 

To discover DEAR events, opportunities, resources and the latest GCE activities and developments, sign up for the DEAR quarterly newsletter.