How can we truly empower young voices in cultural projects? For Inês Nunes, a Youth Advisory Board member from the Óbidos Hub, the answer lies in collaboration, not consultation—and EPIC-WE is proving that this approach works.
Inês Nunes is a student and researcher in neuropsychology and communication sciences, specialising in the potential of serious games for rehabilitation. As a passionate advocate for youth inclusion, she brings a critical perspective to EPIC-WE’s mission of empowering young European citizens to shape their culture through imagination, game design, and explorations of cultural heritage.
As a Youth Advisory Board Member, Inês has gained unique insights into what youth empowerment can really mean in practice, and how cultural game jams have become transformative spaces for rediscovering heritage and building engaged communities.
Cultural game jams: acts of encounter and (re)discovering
The cultural game jams lie at the heart of EPIC-WE, it is where safe spaces are created for young people to reinterpret local and European heritage through game-making. Inês points to the transformative potential of the game jams, and how they have revealed hidden or forgotten layers of familiar as well as unfamiliar heritage.
“Sometimes it feels like we’re rediscovering our own culture.” The themes—like the Óbidos Lagoon or the 25th of April Revolution—have given us the freedom to be creative, to reflect on the past, and to connect it to our future.”
She notes that certain themes, like biodiversity or folklore, were more engaging than more abstract ones, sparking deeper connections among the participants.
“We weren’t just making games—young people were learning about the roots of Portuguese words from Arabic. And recipes like sweet rice – they are also connected to those same roots. We completely forgot about that. So, we learnt about freedom, and got to know our history better. And it was very exciting.”
These weren’t just moments learning but genuine moments of encounter that connected participants to deeper cultural narratives.
Learning by leading: giving up control
As a facilitator in the game jams, Inês became very much aware of the delicate balance between guiding and influencing, especially when working with youth:
“It’s always a concern—so you need to ask yourself: am I forcing a perspective?” she explains, “I prefer letting participants explore the theme from their own point of view.”
This is why she advocated for more time between the initial briefings on the cultural background and significance and the game development sessions, allowing participants more room to think about everything, since this would leave more space to stimulate creative reflection. “They need time to be confused, to go down the wrong path and come back. That’s part of the process.”
Inspiring tangible impact in local communities
Inês sees clear signs that EPIC-WE is making a lasting difference in her community. From learning about endangered professions like traditional booksellers to discovering that the Óbidos lagoon is a UNESCO property, the project has sparked real-world engagement. “Young people started to realise that their actions have an impact. We’re not just preserving culture—we’re living it.”
And when the game jam explored the 25th of April, Portugal’s Freedom Day, it prompted profound reflection on active citizenship, democracy and human rights. “We have to make sure our actions today keep us from going back to the past. That’s the power of this project—it connects the past, present, and future.”
As EPIC-WE approaches its final stages, Inês hopes the games created during the jams can continue to live on—ideally developed further and shared across Europe. She’s curious to know how young people in other countries might interpret them, and whether the message of cultural values transcends borders.
“We should ask ourselves: what do participants remember a year from now? What message stayed with them?”
Advice to future participants and cultural game-makers
For young people hesitant to join European projects, Inês has a clear message:
“Try. We all have something to say. At the very least, you’ll find someone willing to listen to your story.”
Her experience shows how cultural participation can be empowering, personal, and transformative. Through EPIC-WE, Inês and her peers are not just creating games—they’re shaping the narrative of European culture, one story at a time.
