The “Europeans Against Fake News” project is an international initiative, implemented under Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme, Call for proposals on citizens’ engagement and participation, and designed to strengthen the critical thinking and digital literacy skills of young people, enabling them to detect, deconstruct, and prevent the spread of disinformation in the online space. To achieve this, the project has organized a series of EAF events involving thousands of participants across Europe, creating various innovative outputs that promote critical thinking. By enhancing media literacy among young European citizens, the project aims to counter disinformation, prevent fake news from interfering in democratic debates, and inspire socio-political activism. Beyond empowering young individuals, the project also seeks to engage local authorities and relevant stakeholders in actively preventing the creation and dissemination of fake news within their communities. This is facilitated through the EAF Guidelines and Policy Recommendations, which have been developed within the project and are accessible to organizations, institutions, and individuals committed to combating disinformation. EAF is dedicated to equipping young people with the necessary skills to critically address the fake news phenomenon and actively participate in democratic processes.

EAF Events This result refers to the implementation of five EAF events (four in-person and one online) based on the innovative Youth Community Hackathon (YCH) methodology. Through these events, young Europeans actively engaged in identifying and analyzing fake news on four key thematic areas: fundamental rights during COVID-19, climate change, migration, and Euroscepticism. Youth educators and MPEs (Members of the Public/Experts) supported participants in recognizing, deconstructing, and creatively responding to fake news narratives. Outputs included graffiti art in Croatia, an escape game in Greece, flash mobs in Slovenia, satirical memes during the online event, and video podcasts in Spain. These activities empowered young participants to develop critical and creative thinking skills and contributed to strengthening their understanding of EU policies and values.

Type: Events / Activities – Youth Community Hackathons & Creative Outputs

EAF Follow-up Actions: Creative Activism and Public Engagement
As a follow-up to the EAF events, participants from each country implemented their creative outputs in local communities. The graffiti artworks were displayed in public spaces in Varaždin (Croatia), the escape game was run in Thessaloniki’s schools and parks, flash mobs took place in the streets of Ljubljana (Slovenia), a virtual 360° meme exhibition was launched online, and the Spanish team produced and shared video podcasts. These activities brought creative activism to life, raised awareness among citizens about disinformation, and encouraged youth to be active, informed, and engaged in European democratic life.

Type: Campaigns / Community Actions –Youth-Led Activism for Awareness-Raising

EAF Guidebook
To ensure the sustainability and replicability of the project, partners developed a detailed EAF Guidebook, documenting the know-how and methodology of Youth Community Hackathons. The guidebook offers step-by-step instructions for youth organizations on how to apply the YCH method to empower young people to critically address fake news and disinformation. It includes tips, tools, and practical examples from the project and is available freely in an interactive and accessible online format.

Type: Guidelines / Methodology – Practical Handbook for Youth Organizations