Luciano Scagliotti, project manager of Ways of Europe, and Carlotta Sanna, councilor of the cultural association Àltera, discuss the role of cultural participation in redefining Europe's borders and strengthening democratic engagement. The hosts of Le strade per l'Europa, the new segment of the radio program La Giusta Frequenza, explore with them the transformation from Words of Europe to Ways of Europe, the challenges faced by marginalized voices in European decision-making, and how art and politics can merge to foster inclusion and activism.

Luciano, I’d like to start by asking you to explain what Ways of Europe is and where it originates from, as it has a long history of over two years…

Luciano Scagliotti – It does have a long history; in fact, it started three years ago. What we are ambitiously trying to do is to rebuild a Europe that we can appreciate more than the one that, at the moment, is somewhat disappointing. One of the ways to achieve this has been to create a path through projects: it was first called Words of Europe, and now it’s Ways of Europe, the Roads of Europe, just like your very welcome segment. This project involves redefining today’s borders and barriers—both physical and symbolic—both outside and within Europe, and attempting to turn them into meeting points for dialogue. Borders divide, but they also unite: when barriers are torn down, they become bridges. That is essentially what this is about.

In concrete terms, it means a series of events, meetings in various locations, the production of documents, artistic works, and much more, which would be difficult to summarize now. I will just say that some of the main events will take place in locations that are emblematic of what I just described: from Lampedusa, whose symbolic significance needs no explanation, to Budapest, a city where Europe has been shaped over centuries, not just in recent years, to Calais, which is somewhat the Lampedusa of France and England. Ultimately, this is an ambitious step in rebuilding Europe.

It is wonderful to be ambitious and to always hope for a better Europe. Àltera is also contributing to this effort as a cultural association that has been part of both Words of Europe and Ways of Europe. So, Carlotta, I turn to you: what role has the association played in these two projects, and what role will it have moving forward? I know Àltera leads two Work Packages—one on forms of democratic participation and another on the transnational assembly following the Conference on the Future of Europe in Turin. Can you tell us more about Àltera’s role in this ambitious project?

Carlotta Sanna – First of all, Àltera is a social promotion association founded in 2001 at the university, particularly in the humanities field, by student and professor movements. Over time, it has evolved, and its headquarters is now in CasArcobaleno, a significant location in Turin, just behind Porta Palazzo—an area rich in meaning. Àltera has two main cores: a cultural one and an institutional one.

Regarding the cultural aspect, Àltera is deeply involved in cinema and, in fact, is part of UCCA, the Union of Arci Cinematographic Circles. It promotes film culture, focusing primarily on auteur and documentary cinema, but not exclusively. It also offers training courses, particularly for those already active in the Third Sector, covering topics such as cultural project management and other areas. Bridging these two aspects, Àltera runs a role-playing project called Play Ethic, which explores the educational potential of role-playing games. On the institutional side, we are part of ENAR, the European Network Against Racism, and we work on larger projects, not only in Italy but also internationally, including Ways of Europe.

Specifically in WE, we manage all the Work Packages—the different phases of the project from start to finish—applying our expertise in training, using non-formal methods, and leading participatory workshops. The Work Packages we oversee focus on democratic participation, so, beginning with Words of Europe, we created a resource hub to establish effective forms of participation. Given the nature of the project, we strive to merge the language of art with the language of politics within those forms of participation. This is something Àltera does in its daily activities, but this project allows us to take this union even further, always aiming to engage people and bring them closer to institutions, which, particularly in the European context, are often perceived as distant and beyond the reach of everyday individuals.

Contributing to Europe’s democratic participation means giving a voice to those who are not adequately included in decision-making processes. I’d like to ask both you and Luciano: who do you consider to be the unheard voices in Europe? Who, despite having a voice, remains ignored?

Carlotta Sanna – Certainly, all individuals who belong to marginalized groups: racialized people, people with non-conforming bodies—from overweight individuals to people with disabilities, including the distinctions between intellectual disabilities and neurodivergence. Broadly speaking, anyone who falls outside the norms of a society fundamentally designed for white, cisgender men. The LGBTQIA+ community is undoubtedly excluded from decision-making processes, as are people residing in an EU country without citizenship. They have no voice because they cannot vote so they cannot be heard effectively.

Luciano Scagliotti – I completely agree with Carlotta; these are factual realities. Just look at the statistics: in the European Parliament, which is the only elected body of the EU, the representation of racialized individuals, people with disabilities, and other minority groups is dismally low—far below their actual population percentages. So, it’s all true, but more broadly, the unheard are those who do not belong to power groups, those without access to power channels—not only because they belong to marginalized groups but also because they are poor, lack social capital, or simply do not know how to make their voices heard. One could almost say that, right now, the unheard are the majority of European citizens—not to mention non-citizens. Creating spaces for democracy and participation means overcoming the existing power structures.

This issue is often overlooked, which is why Ways of Europe exists. Carlotta, Àltera’s work focuses on uniting politics and art. Your association is well known for its activities in film promotion, education, cultural project management, and anti-discrimination efforts. How does this commitment translate into a vision for a better Europe?

Carlotta Sanna – Our goal is always to use art as a tool to reach as many people as possible—not just to raise awareness but also to engage people with topics they might not otherwise reflect upon. Thanks to UCCA, we have the opportunity to reach a wider audience through their film series L'Italia che non si vede, with movies and documentaries that help focus on the themes we care about. These screenings are followed by discussions, allowing us to involve people in alternative and immediate ways—avoiding traditional lectures or similar formats. In this way, we continue our mission of bridging the gap between culture and participation in shaping a better Europe.