Kaleidoscope Culture Festival 2026 – Second Edition “100 Voices – One Future”

Period: 28-30 October 2026

Schedule (draft version):

Organised by: University Constantin Brâncuși of Târgu Jiu, Romania

Deadline for registration: 10/05/2026

Certificate of attendance: Yes

1. Objectives: The Kaleidoscope Culture Festival aims to foster intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, and collaboration amongst students from all ACE²-EU partner universities, by creating a shared space where cultural diversity is not merely presented, but actively experienced, explored, and celebrated.
2. Event short description (from the project): The ACE²-EU Kaleidoscope Culture Festival will allow students of the alliance to showcase their respective cultures to others at a festival setting and on an annual basis coinciding with the Annual Assemblies of the alliance to promote multiculturalism, multilingualism, and inclusion across the alliance. Student teams from each member University will create a different and novel cultural programme each year to reflect their national and regional identity and heritage. The cultural and linguistic programmes to be presented can be composed of individual/multiple elements including national and regional forms of art, literature, language, music, dance, sport, or cuisine.
3. Target group: ACE²-EU Alliance Students
4. Structure & Methodology: The Kaleidoscope Culture Festival 2026 is a three-day intercultural experience built around two core principles: collaboration and creative expression. Rather than simply presenting cultures side by side, the festival brings students together to co-create, dialogue, and learn from one another.

Day 1 – 28 October – Students kick off the festival with team-building activities, the Puzzle of Culture Challenge, and the Student Innovation Lab. The evening features the International Cultural & Creative Showcase and a Folk Dance Night.

Day 2 – 29 October – A-day of hands-on learning through Exploratory Practice Labs, theatrical performances, an ACE Talk, and a Digital Storytelling Lab, ending with a Masquerade Ball.

Day 3 – 30 October – The final day brings reflection, a City Exhibition, and the ACE Gala Awards Ceremony, closing with a Grand Dinner.

The festival’s methodology is rooted in the principles of interculturality, going beyond simply acknowledging cultural differences to actively fostering dialogue, shared experiences, and mutual learning between participants. This distinguishes the Kaleidoscope Culture Festival from a traditional cultural showcase: students are not passive spectators but active co-creators throughout the entire experience.

The festival draws on several key pedagogical approaches:

• Challenge-based learning – students arrive with pre-developed proposals responding to a real-world question: “How can cultural diversity strengthen social well-being in communities?” This encourages critical thinking and the development of concrete, applicable solutions.
• Learning by doing – through Exploratory Practice Labs, Digital Storytelling workshops, and theatrical performances, students engage in hands-on activities that make cultural exchange tangible and meaningful.
• Co-creation – rather than presenting ready-made content, students collaborate across universities and cultural backgrounds to jointly develop ideas, outputs, and performances.
• Reflection – a dedicated reflection session on the final day allows participants to consolidate their experiences, drawing personal and collective insights from the festival.
• Alignment with ACE2-EU values – every activity is designed to reinforce the core values of the alliance: multiculturalism, multilingualism, inclusion, and a shared European identity.

Together, these approaches ensure that the Kaleidoscope Culture Festival is not simply an event, but a meaningful intercultural learning experience that leaves a lasting impact on all participants.

5. Registration and participation (include link): https://forms.gle/K2bn5VuTvGDQPyZi8

Participants must attend the full sessions and contribute to collaborative tasks: Yes

6. Attendance certification: Yes
7. Contact & Coordination

    For any questions or support related to the course, please contact: