When grandchildren listen to their grandparents telling them stories that take them back, spellbound, to past times, then it is clear what power comes from stories, their narrators and the situations they are talking about.

Stories and tales are the key to broadening horizons as well as preserving and passing on cultures and traditions.

Various organisations associated with lifelong learning have used this power from stories “told”, in order to launch the project “European Memories” (http://www.europeanmemories.eu/). Under UNIEDA's coordination, the Italian Union for Adult Education, institutions from seven different countries have been formed to initiate the project under the aspect of active citizen participation. The aim of European Memories is to learn and reinforce the social and cultural skills of European citizens. For this to happen, a platform should available on the Internet in an informal framework so that people of all ages have the possibility of publishing their stories of Europe in the form of text, videos, photos or audio recordings. In this way, the European Memories Portal should give rise to a digital archive of stories from European citizens in a variety of European languages.

The archive is split up into three topic areas: In “Ways through Europe (Europe in its diversity)”, citizens are invited to tell their stories from the past or present from their own point of view. Stories, cultures and traditions should be told. Those stories which still exist and determine life, as well as those which are no longer in existence but whose message should be continued. Personal experiences during historical events can be described here and moments of the changes can be captured.

Another topic is experiences which illustrate feeling part of Europe. Citizens are asked to report on life experiences that have given them a feeling of belonging to Europe.

The final topic is called “Another Europe is possible”. The focus here is on collecting stories about social commitment and change in Europe.

“The key to the story is not in the story, but in the people”.

This quote by the French philosopher Théodore Simon Jouffroy summarises the project's intention very well. “European Memories” is all about individual experiences. People of all ages are set to benefit from the project: older citizens through active participation with the possibility of passing on and preserving their experiences, while for younger people, this is the chance to hear autobiographical stories straight from the horse's mouth so that they are made aware of these.

The project wants to contribute to preserving memories so that we can learn from them. Only when stories are passed on across the world if possible, do past cultures and traditions have the possibility of carrying on. We should try not to forget what has been experienced. An important intention of the project is an autobiographical rendering of these experiences.

Europe as one

The organisations are particularly bringing attention to the fact that sharing stories can contribute to making Europe a unity in which one becomes acquainted with the cultures of the other countries. To see the perspective of the storyteller and to understand their experiences can only help in this.

European Memories is the practical attempt at creating a digital archive in which a treasure of stories, experiences and memories are summarised for Europe's citizens. This project is nurtured by the participation of every single citizen. This is the only way to expand this treasure and ensure that the past is not forgotten but considered as the basis for designing the future.

Worthy of note is that learners are allowed to send their contributions in their own language. This is made possible through an archive of articles in 9 different languages. However, they can only be read in their language.

The European Memories project is supported by the European Commission as part of the Socrates-Grundtvig programme.