Context of the project
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'Young Pilgrims of Hope' is an Erasmus + small-scale partnership in youth Key Action 2 project, starting this spring 2024 and ending in 2025, on the occasion of the 'Pilgrims of Hope' Jubilee closure.
This project is intended as a path to approach an prepare for 2025 Jubilee Year, that is aiming to unfold a reflection about pilgrimage routes and walking routes. These are understood as a means to engage the youth to go back to the common European cultural roots, to experience cultural diversity within Europe, to discuss about European identity, citizenship and values. Cultural routes demonstrates, by means of a journey through space and time, how the heritage of the different countries and cultures of Europe contributes to a share and living cultural heritage. Within the broad field of cultural routes (48 itineraries are certified Council of Europe Cultural Routes, you can look for more information here), a specific kind of journey is represented by pilgrimage routes, crossing Europe for centuries. A journey of transformation for the youth. Youths are indeed, a vehicle of dialogue among European countries across different cultures and religions. Through our project, starting from our cultural heritage and walking different pilgrimage routes, our participants will be able to:
-Environment and fight against climate change -Participation in democratic life -Common values and civic engagement Project presentation
The “Young Pilgrims of Hope” project was written and applied for by the Don Bosco Youth-Net Working Group on Volunteering as the natural continuation and implementation of the two-year project 'The Future is Europe' (2022/2023) and is aimed at young volunteers from all over Europe.
The concept of “Young Pilgrims of Hope” started by selecting three different Council of Europe Cultural Routes, which have been pilgrimage routes across Europe to Rome for many centuries: Camino de Santiago, Via Francigena and Romea Strata. The aim is to engage young people in three main activities (4-day seminars), each one organized in part on the road as a walk along one small selected segment of the relevant pilgrimage route in Spain, France and Austria respectively, in order to offer a taste of the pilgrim experience in full. One final activity will be held in Italy where all three cultural routes end, so that all participants who took part in the previous three sessions can finally meet together and share their experiences, while virtually finishing their own pilgrimage and inner journey in Rome on the occasion of the 2025 Jubilee Year. 
[Image taken from: Associazione Europea Romea Strata
Each activity is built around an online preparatory meeting, an in-person seminar and an online follow-up meeting for each topic:
About the project partners
Don Bosco Youth-Net (DBYN), based in Belgium, is the lead partner and coordinator of this project. It is the network of European Salesian youth organisations. Its own working group on Volunteering has made this project possible.
Salesianer Don Boscos, based in Vienna, Austria, is a non-governmental organisation that works for and with young people from all over Austria to spend their spare time and develop projects that help to empower the youth and promote their ideas. Bosco Base, based in Heverlee, Belgium, is a non-governmental organisation offering participation in youth-led events and youth participation activities, providing activities in the field of non-formal education, training of youth leaders and voluntary service. Association Don Bosco Jeunes, based in Paris, France, is a non-profit association whose purpose is to organize and support socio-educational activities for young people, such as sporting and cultural events, Volunteering experiences, gatherings of young people, training of animators, and much more. Turismo Giovanile e Sociale, based in Rome, Italy, is a network of groups and associations actively promoting youth and social tourism all over Italy. Salesiani per il Sociale (SxS), based in Rome, Italy, is a network of more than 100 organisations engaged in the protection and support of minors and young people throughout Italy. Salesian Pastoral Youth Service, based in Balzan, Malta, accompanies young people to discover authentic life values through local and international volunteering and training activities. Confe Don Bosco, based in Spain, is a youth organisation that works to defend and promote children and young people, offering volunteering experiences, training opportunities and international camps. TGS Eurogroup, based in Mogliano V.to / Venice, Italy, combines youth training activities in its home country as well as abroad with a concept of active, social and sustainable tourism. 
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Partners
Financial support
This project is a KA2 Project: Small-scale Partnership, funded by the European Union.
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Profile of participants
This activity is open to young volunteers who have already made an experience in voluntary service at national or international level and local volunteers who are supporting the organisations in their work with young people. The outcomes of this activity will benefit not only the group of participants, but also the communities they’re coming from local and national level, by promoting and helping the youth of Europe to be respectful and open to intercultural experiences:
- 18-30 years old
- Active English knowledge (good understanding and willingness to talk and express ideas, opinions)
- Familiar with the Salesian Movement, and active in local partner organisations of DBYN
- Being able to act as a multiplier within the local community and/or DBYN after the activity
- Interested in international exchange and experience
- Being open and motivated for an international and intercultural experience
Cultural routes for intercultural dialogue - Santiago (SP)
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Cultural routes for inclusion - Guines (FR)
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Cultural routes for the environment - Mariazell (AU)
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