MOSAIC Project involved 60 young people aged 16-25 from Italy, Spain, Türkiye, and Malta in a collaborative exploration of Arab culture in their own country to value and document the shared living aspects and elements of Arab cultures (language, traditions, stories, and personal narratives) in the Mediterranean region. In doing so, MOSAIC projects connect heritage and modern media as a way to give youth means to express their reflections and personal experience in a creative and concrete way.
MOSAIC Projects’s objective is to promote a deeper understanding of Arab culture in Italy, Spain, Türkiye, and Malta through its element and legacy in each country.
Recognizing the importance of digital readiness among young people, MOSAIC also aims to spread skills on the use of digital tools, encouraging young people to use them as practical tools to express their point of view and identity and take active initiatives.
MOSAIC Project took place in diverse Euro-Mediterranean cities where historical Arab heritage and contemporary migration dynamics met. In Rome, Kilis, Còrdoba, and Malta, migration is an integral part of local communities: in particular, Rome as Italy’s most diverse city; Kilis as a frontline community hosting Syrian refugees; Córdoba as a historic centre of Arab civilization in Europe, today’s home to a substantial Moroccan population; and Malta as an island with an important presence of migrant workers and asylum seekers. The coexistence of many communities in each of these countries shapes cities which are characterized by several cultural layers, where identity, sense of belonging and the transmission of each individual cultural heritage becomes important themes of discussions.
Community-based storytelling
Ethical representation
Participatory media production
of MOSAIC
The MOSAIC project resulted in a series of audiovisual, educational, and public engagement outputs designed to explore and communicate Arab heritage in the Mediterranean.
At the centre of the project is a collection of twelve MOSAIC video-podcast episodes, produced collaboratively by the participating organisations. Each partner country developed three episodes, focusing on local contexts where traces of Arab cultural heritage can still be observed in language, architecture, traditions, and everyday life. Through interviews, field visits, and collective reflection, the episodes present different perspectives on how this heritage is perceived and discussed today.
The project also produced a final documentary, which brings together material from the different locations and follows the development of the initiative. The documentary documents the research, encounters, and creative processes that shaped the episodes, offering a broader narrative of the project and the people involved.
Alongside the audiovisual production, the partners prepared a MOSAIC booklet, which gathers selected materials and reflections from the activities carried out during the project. The publication offers a concise overview of the themes explored and serves as a resource for educators and organisations interested in cultural heritage and community storytelling.
The project activities included storytelling workshops and video-making workshops organised in each participating country. These workshops introduced participants to narrative techniques, audiovisual production, and collaborative documentation of cultural heritage. Participants worked in small groups to research local stories, develop interview formats, and contribute to the production of the episodes.
Participants also took part in educational trips designed to explore sites connected to Arab heritage in the Mediterranean. These visits provided an opportunity to observe historical traces in urban spaces, cultural institutions, and everyday environments, and to reflect on how heritage is preserved, interpreted, and transmitted.
The results of the project were shared through four final public presentations, organised in the partner countries. These events included screenings, discussions, and presentations of the project outputs, creating opportunities for dialogue with local communities, educators, and cultural organisations.