International Cooperation for Youth Mental Health: "Unmasking Emotions" Project Launches in Madrid

The Erasmus+ KA152 Youth Exchange project "Unmasking Emotions" (Project No. 2025-3-ES02-KA152-YOU-000385559), coordinated by Generaciones Saludables España, will bring young people together in Madrid, Spain, from 27 April to 3 May 2026 to promote mental health awareness and emotional well-being.

The project will gather participants from Spain, Türkiye, Italy, Hungary, and Georgia, creating an international learning environment where young people can openly discuss some of the most pressing mental health challenges they face today, including anxiety, stress, loneliness, and depression. Through intercultural exchange and non-formal education, participants will develop the knowledge and skills needed to better understand and manage their emotional well-being.

Rather than focusing solely on theoretical knowledge, Unmasking Emotions aims to strengthen young people's emotional resilience, encourage healthy self-expression, and increase awareness of available mental health support systems. Throughout the project, participants will explore topics such as emotional awareness, self-compassion, stress management, empathy, and psychological first aid through engaging and interactive learning activities.

Using experiential learning, peer learning, role-playing, creative drama, and art-based methods, the project will provide a safe and inclusive space where participants can share experiences, challenge stereotypes surrounding mental health, and build practical coping strategies that can be applied in their everyday lives.

The initiative also seeks to reduce the stigma that still surrounds mental health by encouraging open dialogue among young people from diverse cultural backgrounds. By exchanging perspectives and comparing approaches from different countries, participants will identify common challenges, generate shared solutions, and strengthen intercultural understanding while promoting European values of inclusion, solidarity, and active participation.

At the end of the project, participants are expected to return to their communities with increased awareness of mental health, stronger emotional intelligence, and improved communication and social skills. Through local dissemination activities, social media campaigns, creative project outputs, and youth work initiatives, they will continue sharing what they have learned, ensuring that the impact of Unmasking Emotions extends far beyond the project itself and contributes to healthier, more resilient communities across Europe.