Docu-narrative

Children involved with research project on Malta

Seen and Heard Docu-Narrative pulls back the curtain on an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral EU initiative where human rights, art, education, and activism converge. This docu-narrative follows a collective of academics, artists, and educators as they co-create the full life cycle of a social movement grounded in one powerful principle: the human right to freedom of expression.

 

explore each episode in our docu-narrative

Each episode below shares an inside view of the opportunities and challenges at the heart of co-creating change with young people. Whether through literary workshops, classroom transformations, or film protest pieces, the Seen and Heard Docu-Narrative doesn’t just document a project—it amplifies a movement, where being truly seen and heard is both a right and a revolutionary act.

Each Docu-Narrative will be uploaded to the site in due course. Please come back to view each film as it is released.

Children sitting in a play ground

What is seen and heard?

The curtain is pulled back on the passionate minds behind this EU-funded project. The core team, comprising academics, artists, and advocates, is introduced in this opening episode.

Children in workshop

Freedom of expression in post-migrant schools

Freedom of expression is placed at the heart of the most structured institution in a child’s life—school. Through collaborations with three participating schools, the integration of Seen and Heard into the school system is documented.

Children in a workshop

Children’s Human Rights Education

Human rights are introduced through creative activities, empathy, and group learning. Storytelling and collaborative projects are used to help children recognise the real-life implications of rights for themselves and others.

Children in a workshop

A Chorus of Children’s Voices

A spotlight is turned on a book in progress, crafted not only for children but with them. The collaborative journey of this publishing project, where artistic vision aligns with moral conviction, is explored.

Children in a learning workshop

Activist Care and Responsibility

A quieter, more intentional form of resistance is examined—one rooted in compassion, self-awareness, and creative expression. Children are invited to discover their unique gifts and consider how these strengths may be used as instruments for change.

Children in an educational workshop

Co-creating Protest with Young People

The role of young people as powerful agents of change is highlighted. Art is transformed into activism when children’s voices are not only included but placed at the centre. Through literature, film, and art, protest works are crafted from the issues that matter most to them.

Children looking at a video presentation

Empowering Children Through Art

Mentorship is provided to help young voices move from imagination to expression. Artists—filmmakers, writers, poets, gallerists, and performers—are engaged in co-creating works rooted in activism, curiosity, and play.

Discussion in a classroom

Books, Community and Care

A space for conversations about visibility in academia, storytelling, and shared communities is created. Young people’s voices and experiences are centred through research, pedagogy, and creative practice. Intergenerational dialogue and collaboration contribute to a form of scholarship founded on empathy, accountability, and communal care.

Children discussing ideas

A Value-Based Social Movement

The project’s foundation—shared values that transcend age, roles, and disciplines—is examined. What began with young people at its core gradually expanded to influence educators, researchers, artists, and community members.

People of different generations discussing ideas in a classroom setting

Intergenerational Justice and Safe Space

Reflections are shared by the team who shaped Seen and Heard. Childhood experiences are revisited, and questions are raised about when—and whether—true visibility and voice were ever felt.