This exhibition was born within the “Aeneas Route” Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme, an innovative pilot project, which aims to ideally retrace the journey of the mythical hero Aeneas from Troy to the coasts of Latium. It involves 24 students and more than 10 teachers affiliated with six Universities from all the Countries along Aeneas’ route and from Ireland: besides Siena University, Koç University Istanbul, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Tirana University, Carthage University and Trinity College Dublin. It is also termed “Blended” because it is implemented in blended modality, partly online (Virtual Exchange) and partly in person (Physical Mobility).
The virtual component of the programme came to an end last June 3, while the second part of the project will take place from 5 to 9 September 2022. It will see all the students and some teachers converge in Siena, together with some experts, for a Summer School, in order to resume in presence the activities on Aeneas’ Route, as a symbol of the long road that Mediterranean peoples have travelled together.
From March to June, working online in eight transnational groups, the students developed various research lines in an interdisciplinary perspective, ranging from Greek and Latin literature, ancient history, archaeology, art history, to communication and valorization of the Mediterranean heritage, while the societal challenges of this project focused on conflict and migration of the Mediterranean area, not to mention its future environmental sustainability.
The PowerPoints they have already presented during the online sessions of the Virtual Exchange, as final products of their group research activity, have now been summarized in a few key points and ‘condensed’ in posters.
It is therefore a true pleasure to present the open access Virtual Exhibition "Through the Eyes of Young People". Across eight virtual panels, the wider public now has the possibility of exploring Aeneas’ route through the eyes of our students and from their different points of view. Special thanks to all of theme for their commitment in realizing these posters and to the Aeneas Route Association for hosting this exhibition on their website.

Have a nice virtual journey!

Filomena Giannotti (University of Siena)