Castles in the Sky (CAST-SKY)
The European project "Castles in the Sky" (CAST-SKY) was implemented in the Municipality of Pietramelara within the framework of the CERV – Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme, under the Town Twinning Action, with the support of the European Commission. From 24 to 27 October 2025 it brought together more than 150 participants from Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania, transforming Pietramelara into a place of dialogue, friendship, cultural exchange and international cooperation.
Objectives
- Foster active European citizenship and a shared sense of belonging
- Promote solidarity, volunteering and social inclusion
- Strengthen intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding between towns
- Engage young people, families and schools in reflecting on "The World I Would Like"
- Build lasting cooperation and future initiatives between partner communities
- Promote the values of the European Union
Programme details
- Programme: CERV – Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values
- Action: Town Twinning
- Dates: 24–27 October 2025
- Location: Pietramelara, Italy
- Participants: 150+ from 5 countries
Lead partner
MESHY – Media Education Sustainability Hospitality Yeah (Italy)
Project partners
- WASLA – Arabisch Deutsches Center für Dialog e.V. (Germany)
- Foundation The Way of the Thracians – Sofia (Bulgaria)
- Stowarzyszenie IMPAKT (Poland)
- Fundația Iubirii Culturale (Romania)
- Comune di Pietramelara & Pro Loco Pietramelara (Italy – hosts)
Activity highlights
- Day 1 – 24 Oct: Opening ceremony, team building and "European Dream: Visions from Countries"
- Day 2 – 25 Oct: Flagship "Castles in the Sky" creative workshop – "The World I Would Like"
- Day 3 – 26 Oct: Dissemination, artwork exhibition, closing ceremony and intercultural evening
Funded by the European Union (CERV Programme). 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 Commission.
Participants by gender
| Female | 69 |
| Male | 33 |
| Non-binary | — |
Participants by country
| Germany — WASLA | 15 |
| Bulgaria — The Way of the Thracians | 28 |
| Poland — IMPAKT | 25 |
| Romania — Fundația Iubirii Culturale | 34 |
| Italy — MESHY (host / coordinator) | 48 |
| Total · 5 countries | 150 |
Partner & host websites
- Comune di Pietramelara (host) — comune.pietramelara.ce.it
- WASLA (Germany) — wasla.berlin
- The Way of the Thracians (Bulgaria) — facebook.com/TheWayOfThracians
- IMPAKT (Poland) — impakt.edu.pl
- Fundația Iubirii Culturale (Romania) — eparadigme.ro
- Project page (Facebook) — facebook.com
| 09:00–12:00 | Arrival of international delegations, check-in at accommodation facilities and participants' settlement |
| 12:00–13:00 | Official registration of participants and distribution of information materials |
| 13:00–14:30 | Lunch |
| 14:30–15:00 | Opening Ceremony and institutional welcome speeches |
| 15:00–15:45 | Presentation of the CERV – Town Twinning Programme and the CAST-SKY project |
| 15:45–17:00 | Ice-breaking activities and mutual acquaintance exercises |
| 17:00–18:00 | Team Building and Team Working activities |
| 18:00–18:45 | Session: "Fears, Expectations and Personal Contributions" |
| 18:45–19:15 | Presentation of national delegations and sharing of the Code of Conduct |
| 19:15–19:30 | Conclusions of the day |
| 20:00–22:30 | Intercultural Evening featuring national cultures, traditional costumes, local products, music and folk dances |
| 09:00–09:30 | Introduction to the day and presentation of activities |
| 09:30–11:00 | Workshop: "How Your Country is Seen Abroad" – stereotypes, perceptions and images of partner countries |
| 11:00–11:30 | Coffee Break |
| 11:30–13:00 | Presentations of partner countries and intercultural dialogue |
| 13:00–14:30 | Lunch |
| 14:30–15:00 | Introduction to the topic "European Dream" |
| 15:00–16:30 | Debate on the future of Europe, European citizenship, peace, integration and democratic participation |
| 16:30–17:00 | Break |
| 17:00–18:00 | Solidarity Village: meeting with civil society organisations and young people involved in the European Solidarity Corps |
| 18:00–19:00 | Visits to local associations and discussions on solidarity, social inclusion and human rights |
| 19:00–19:30 | Debriefing session and final reflections |
| 09:00–09:30 | Introduction to the creative activities and presentation of the theme "The World I Would Like" |
| 09:30–10:30 | Brainstorming session and collection of ideas within working groups |
| 10:30–12:30 | Creative workshops involving children, families, international delegations and stakeholders |
| 12:30–14:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00–14:30 | Presentation of the flags created by school children in cooperation with the Daydreamers informal group |
| 14:30–15:30 | Exhibition setup and preparation of the public dissemination event |
| 15:30–16:30 | Dissemination event involving the local community, media representatives and stakeholders |
| 16:30–17:15 | Presentation of group works and participants' testimonials |
| 17:15–18:00 | Final evaluation, questionnaires and self-assessment activities |
| 18:00–18:45 | Follow-up Workshop and planning of future European initiatives |
| 18:45–19:15 | Presentation of project results and achievements |
| 19:15–20:00 | Final Ceremony and delivery of participation certificates |
CAST-SKY Poster
24 Oct , 2025
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.
