The eTwinning project „Bookfest 2026” – school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/etwinning/projects/bookfest-2026 – is a bilateral initiative that brings together two European high schools, Liceul Teoretic “Radu Vlădescu” located in Pătârlagele town, Romania, and Liceul Teoretic “Mihai Eminescu” located in Florești town, the Republic of Moldova. This educational partnership, designed for the 2025–2026 school year, aims at meeting the educational and personal development needs of both school communities, while promoting reading, collaboration, digital skills, and civic engagement. More than one hundred students, aged between 12 and 16, along with their teachers, will participate in a wide variety of activities that combine literature, foreign languages, ICT, art, and civics, showing how transdisciplinary projects can enrich both teaching and learning.
The main idea behind the project „Bookfest 2026” is to help the Romanian and Moldovan students rediscover the joy of reading and understand its importance for developing critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. At the same time, by working together across borders, the participants will have the chance to exchange ideas, values, and good practices, learning from each other while building intercultural understanding. The project also has a strong digital dimension, since most activities are carried out online, using Web 2.0 tools and shared resources to create bilingual, interactive products. Through this approach, the students will strengthen not only their literacy and multilingual competences, but also their ability to use technology effectively in learning.
The work plan is carefully structured throughout the school year. In September 2025, the participants will meet online for the first time, set the project calendar, and share the main responsibilities. October is dedicated to introducing the students on Padlet, with attention to eSafety and netiquette rules. In November, the Virtual Library will be launched through a Wakelet collection of students’ favourite books in Romanian and English. December and January bring a multimedia competition where students create and present works about their favourite authors, books, or characters. February is reserved for a bilingual creativity workshop, resulting in a collaborative digital poster on the benefits of reading. In March, the project participants will evaluate the project activities using surveys and testimonials, while April will see the publication of a digital collaborative book that gathers together experiences, teaching resources, and student creations. The project will close in May 2026 with a final online meeting and dissemination activities, and in June 2026 the teachers from both schools will apply for the eTwinning Quality Label.
What makes „Bookfest 2026” especially valuable is not only the variety of digital and creative products it will generate, but also the skills and attitudes it aims to develop. The students are encouraged to think critically, to express themselves in multiple languages, to collaborate across teams and borders, and to take responsibility for their learning and actions. They will improve their digital competence, but also their civic spirit and cultural awareness, which will prepare them to adapt to challenging situations. The coordinating teachers, on their part, will work as facilitators and partners, sharing leadership and creating an inclusive, innovative learning environment.
In the end, the expected results will go far beyond the competitions, posters, or digital books. The project nurtures a culture of responsibility, creativity, and collaboration, while motivating young learners to read and to value books as sources of knowledge and inspiration. „Bookfest 2026” will show how schools can work together across borders to give students meaningful learning experiences, combining traditional subjects and values such as language and literature and civic responsibility with the opportunities offered by technology. This eTwinning partnership is, therefore, not only a celebration of reading, but also a model of how international cooperation and modern pedagogy can help shape active, adaptable, and responsible citizens for a more tolerant, inclusive and collaborative future.