The Europe Challenge, initiated by the European Cultural Foundation (https://culturalfoundation.eu/) (ECF) and supported by Fondazione Cariplo (https://www.fondazionecariplo.it/it/index.html) , the Scottish Library and Information Council (https://scottishlibraries.org/) and by public funding through Arts Council England (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/) , is thrilled to announce the selection of 55 libraries and communities from 24 countries for its 2024 edition: Libraries, Communities, and Democracy.
The Europe Challenge is an annual programme that brings together libraries and communities across Europe to address social isolation, inequality, disinformation, climate crisis, and other local and European challenges by developing, sharing, and implementing creative solutions. Since its inception in 2020, it has created and grown a network of European libraries collaborating to enhance democratic participation and social and environmental well-being. The open call attracted a record number of 126 applications from 28 countries. As a result, the 2024 edition marks the programme’s expansion to 10 new countries, including Ireland, Georgia, Romania, Sweden, and others.
Commencing in January 2024, the selected libraries and communities will embark on their projects, receiving support through a series of online and offline skills development and mentoring sessions. The programme’s delivery partners, Including Society (https://www.includingsociety.co.za/) , Changency (https://changency.network/) , DOKK1 Aarhus Public Libraries (https://www.aakb.dk/english/main-library-aarhus) , Public Libraries 2030 (https://publiclibraries2030.eu/) , and OBA Public Libraries Amsterdam (https://www.oba.nl/) , will facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges. The programme is scheduled to run until September 2024.
Read the full press release (https://theeuropechallenge.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Press_Release_The_Europe_Challenge_2024.pdf)
Meet the class of 2024 (https://theeuropechallenge.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/List-of-55-selected-participants_v3.pdf)