PRESS RELEASE STEREOTYPE TRAP: European Cities United to Challenge Gender Stereotypes Among Youth

Ontinyent (Spain), February 18–19, 2025

The kick-off meeting of the European programme STEREOTYPE TRAP took place on February 18th and 19th, 2025, in Ontinyent (Spain), within the framework of the CERV Programme – Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values.

The initiative is led by the Municipality of Ontinyent and involves a network of eight European cities and organizations, including Fattoria Pugliese Diffusa APS (Italy), as well as partners from Slovenia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Romania, and Portugal.

About the Project

STEREOTYPE TRAP is a European cooperation project that aims to create an international educational campaign with schools to combat gender stereotypes related to professions, domestic work, and caregiving roles among young people.

Through targeted activities and educational programs, the project promotes gender sensitivity education from an early age, seeking to introduce school-based approaches that question traditional gender roles and promote equality between boys and girls.

The initiative also seeks to trace the roots of the gender gap in domestic and care work through the eyes of young people, exploring how stereotypes shape children’s perceptions — particularly those of girls — about their future roles in society.

Kick-off Meeting Highlights

The meeting in Ontinyent marked the official start of the project and brought together representatives from all partner cities and organizations.

Participants presented their institutions, discussed the project’s objectives and expected results, and defined strategies for communication, visibility, and local engagement. Preparatory steps were also taken for the next transnational meeting, which will be hosted by one of the partner cities in the coming months.

During the meeting, the Municipality of Athienou (Cyprus) was represented by Ms. Elena Kaila and Ms. Koula Antoniou, members of the Municipal Committee for European Affairs, who emphasized the importance of connecting Athienou’s youth with peers from across Europe to achieve the project’s educational and social goals.

Looking Ahead

Throughout the programme, several international meetings and local activities will be held in all participating cities to exchange practices, involve schools, and strengthen intergenerational dialogue on gender equality.

All actions under the STEREOTYPE TRAP programme are 100% funded by the European Union through the CERV – Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values strand.

Press Contact:

Fattoria Pugliese Diffusa APS
📍 Taurisano (LE), Italy
info@fattoriapugliesediffusa.it