The MERID project (Middle East Research and Innovation Dialogue) proposes a comprehensive action to intensify and encourage research and innovation cooperation between the EU and the Middle East region, directly involving partners from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine, directly involving partners from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. The project intends to build upon the experience carried out in countries of the region that have already participated in the previous framework programmes, and therefore are at a relatively advanced stage of research cooperation with Europe, like Egypt and Jordan. Attention is paid to calibrating in the most appropriate way the intervention logic of the project, adapting actions to the specific needs of the target countries and their research constituencies. The needs of Iran and Iraq will for sure prove different from those of countries where cooperation with the EU has a proven track record behind. The project is the first attempt to systematise support to the policy dialogue and involvement of research communities of Iran and Iraq in the H2020 programme, as well as an initiative that seeks to give continuity to collaboration frameworks already established between the EU and Middle East countries. The project has high potential to deliver long-lasting impact and structuring effects on cooperation between the EU and the Middle East region. It focuses on enhancing direct cooperation among researchers and on laying or consolidating preconditions, in the region, fostering joint research projects and initiatives with the EU, establishing optimal framework conditions for international cooperation and increasing coordination between policies and programmes. These objectives will be achieved through series of different on-line and in-person activities, among which are meetings of researchers, brokerage events, info-days, training and coaching, webinars and other tools, relevant for this project proposals.

"UP&UP -UPscaling trainers's and teacher's competencies on gender stereotype to UPscaling the awareness among young people and fight the gender based violence is a project that would be define a new methodology and a training package available online aims to increase skills's educators, teachers, tutors, trainers and citizenship skills of young (especially those living in outskirts and internal areas) on a specific topic concerning respect for diversity, with particular reference to gender differences. The project depart from the assumption that only teaching of teachers and realization of a joint path with young people is possible breaking down stereotypes. The title of the UP & UP project summarizes this innovative proposal which, starting from the experience carried out of the partners, intends to raise both competencies of educators and young people. Thanks to an international comparison, the partners of this project will define products shared training and export in all educational contexts (schools, associations, training organizations). For the characteristics and the aims that the project intends to pursue it is placed within two of the priorities defined by the Program:- ""VET: Further strengthening of key competences in initial and ongoing VET"" where the objective is to raise one of the competences of the European Recommendation (Recommendation 2006/962 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 18 December 2006): the social and civic competence of the young generations. The project, by stimulating the reflection of young people through innovative and engaging methodologies, aims to increase awareness of the value of difference. This reflection helps to increase the sense of respect and grow up civic conscience by acting on the break down of the prejudices that are the basis of intolerance and hatred.- ""VET: initial and continuous professional development of VET teachers, trainers and tutors in school and work contexts"" as it intends to produce intellectual products for trainers but also tutors and mentors engaged in formal and non-formal learning contexts involving the young people (for example teachers and coaches engaged in sporting activities, but also tutors in work contexts), because they are easy to apply and enjoyable. Furthermore, in line with the above, the project pursues the transversal priority of the ""Supporting Educators"".For the realization of these objectives and the pursuit of the indicated priorities, the project is divided into two lines of action:1) Analysis and deconstruction of gender stereotypes, during which, each partner will conduct with the young (students, drop outs, young volunteers, young people involved in sports activities) the recording of internalized gender stereotypes, analyzing the cultural conditionings and families facing life trajectories and choices based on our biological sex. The link between sexist stereotypes and gender-based violence will also be investigated. The stereotypes contained in the mass media and those spread on social media will be analyzed through meetings and workshops with educators and young people.2) Development of an educational package for educators, aiming to product:- a manual for the early contrast to gender stereotypes, containing theoretical and practical references- an interactive training package consisting of operational tools for educators.It is planned to provide a version in all the languages ​​of the partner countries and an English version of all the contents and tools and will be made available and usable through the project website.All the activities of the project will also be video-documented: educators and young people will be subject to building a storyboard of the project that will tell the central phases and the products of the activities carried out. The docufilm will be one of the Intellectual Outputs envisaged, alongside the web-doc and the training package.The project intends to evaluate the results of a counterfactual type strategy thanks to a methodology that includes a control group and a conclusion of the project. The 6 multiplier events foreseen, supported by the WAVE network, will allow the dissemination of the products and are an international and international level.The Department of Equal Opportunity of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers supports the project, ensuring a huge disseminations of the products."

Corruption and undue influences are not only linked to democratic discontent but compromise the quality of democracy. But how exactly does political corruption operate today? How deep can its negative impact on democracy go? And how can anti-corruption efforts recover people’s support for democracy as a regime and promote their engagement with integrity and their refusal of undemocratic proposals and actions? To address these crucial challenges for democracy, RESPOND proposes a novel interdisciplinary assessment of political corruption, seen here as conducts and acts, often proliferating in grey zones regarding legality, that results in decision-making bias and exclusion in the policy cycle. It does so by: 1) analyzing four contemporary and relevant forms of political influence (political finance, lobbying, revolving doors/personal ties and media capture) to understand when they become troubling forms of influences connected to specific political corruption patterns; hence, undermining fair competition and broad participation in political decision-making processes; 2) evaluating how political corruption is understood by political elites and citizens and is socially constructed through media and education, as well as its impacts on both democracy’s legitimacy and credibility and on responses to counter them; 3) exploring how established and emerging digital technologies entangle with political corruption and how they improve anti-corruption and pro-integrity strategies at both national and cross-border levels; 4) engaging in co-creation with relevant stakeholders to design, test, and revise practices and tools, including new risk indicators developed by RESPOND, to increase civic monitoring and integrity in current democracies. Through a mixed-method research design, RESPOND investigates 27 EU countries and 11 neighbouring countries to signal ways to make governments, public officials, and political parties perform better ethically and recover democracy’s popularity.

XF-ACTORS aims to establish a multidisciplinary research program to answer the urgent need to improve prevention, early detection and control of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf). Recently, Xf was introduced into Italy, where it is causing severe damage to olive crops, and in France, where so far it is limited to ornamental plants and some landscape trees. The overall goal of the research program is to assess Xf potential to spread throughout EU territory, while maximizing its impact through a multifactor approach, based on a seamless integration amongst the 29 partners involved. Proposed actions will be complementary to those carried out under the Project POnTE - 635646, thus ensuring an unbroken continuity with currently ongoing efforts. Specific objectives have been outlined following a step-by-step route, from preventing its introduction into pest-free areas to the establishment of successful eradication strategies in infected zones. Preventive measures against Xf will be strengthened by implementing EU certification programs and developing a plan for establishing a EU Clean Plant Network. EU policy makers will be supported through the development of pest risk assessment tools, focused on current outbreaks and forecasting potentially threatened regions. Surveillance will be properly implemented, supporting the development of early detection tools for field use, remote sensing technology and predictive modelling. Critical information on the pathogen biology, epidemiological traits and hosts under threat, will be gathered with the guidance of the American research groups with long-established research. At the same time, the insect-bacteria interactions will be determined, for developing strategic control measures. The final overall objective is a comprehensive integrated management strategy for diseases associated with Xf, applicable both IPM and organic farming systems, to prevent Xf spread, control its economic, environmental/social impact, when an outbreak would occur.