As part of the Erasmus+ programme, 36 young changemakers from Greece, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Italy and Turkey gathered in Tekirdağ, Turkey, to take on one of today’s biggest challenges: disinformation.
The youth exchange project, Read Beyond the Title, empowered participants to spot fake news, challenge manipulation and become more media-savvy in an age of information overload.
Why this matters:
The European Union is built on values like democracy, freedom and human rights – but these are under threat when misinformation spreads unchecked. This project gave young people the tools and confidence to become part of the solution.
Over the course of the exchange, participants dove deep into:
- What fake news really is and how it works,
- How to detect and counter disinformation in everyday life,
- The impact of misinformation on society,
- Why critical thinking is more important than ever.
They didn’t just sit in workshops – they connected with top Turkish journalists, explored real-world case studies and discussed how media works behind the scenes. The experience helped them sharpen their analytical skills and become more conscious consumers (and creators) of media.
Project goals included:
- Making sense of terms like disinformation and manipulation,
- Raising awareness about the dangers of fake news,
- Empowering people to question, think independently and seek the truth,
- Boosting media literacy and critical thinking skills,
- Promoting democratic values and civic engagement,
- Strengthening cooperation among youth organizations across Europe.
This project also helped spread the word about Erasmus+, reaching more young people and institutions – and showing how international collaboration can tackle global issues.
Want to learn more? Dive into the project details here:
