What if history had told the whole story?
For centuries, the contributions of women have been minimized, overlooked, or simply erased from the pages of history. “HERstory” is here to change that.
Led by Beyond Borders (Italy), together with Dream Colours (Czech Republic), Club for Youth Empowerment 018 (Serbia), Obojena Klapa (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Danish Youth Team (Denmark), this project brings together art, culture, and community to do something bold: give remarkable women the visibility they always deserved.
Art that stops you in your tracks
There’s something about a mural that demands your attention before you’ve even decided to give it.
That’s why “HERstory” puts murals at the center of everything. Painted across five countries, these large-scale works transform public spaces into open-air galleries, sparking conversations about gender equality and women’s legacies in places where everyone walks by every day. No museum ticket required. Each mural grows from a community-driven process: local people have a say in which women are featured, making each artwork a genuine reflection of the place it belongs to. And embedded in every mural, a QR code opens the door to the HERstory virtual gallery.
Murals and community engagement
Art, especially murals, isn’t just eye-catching. It’s a powerful tool to educate and raise awareness. These murals, placed throughout the partner countries, act as vivid symbols that cross cultural, linguistic, and geographic borders, sparking conversations about gender equality and women’s empowerment. This process isn’t just about the artists; it actively involves local communities in choosing which women to feature, strengthening their connection to history and culture. This inclusive approach ensures that the project roots itself deeply and truly reflects the interests and values of the people it serves.
The Multilingual Virtual Gallery
Alongside this powerful public art, “HERstory” is building a multilingual virtual gallery, a lively, interactive digital space where biographies, documents, images, and stories of the women portrayed in the murals come to life. This gallery will be an accessible hub for anyone, anywhere, making it easy to dive deeper into the lives and legacies of these inspiring women. By linking the physical murals with QR codes that connect directly to this online gallery, the project creates an interactive experience that brings art and technology together in a meaningful way.
The collection
A key part of the project is the collection of biographies, achievements, and stories of famous women. This collection serves as a solid and carefully verified archive, shining a light on figures who history books often overlook.
It gathers everything from detailed biographies to fascinating anecdotes and photographs, creating a resource that’s rich, reliable, and accessible.
Why the collection matters
More than just preserving history, this collection makes it easy to share and explore women’s contributions across borders and generations. It plays a crucial role in educating audiences and celebrating women’s social and cultural impact while offering positive role models, especially for young people. The process of building this collection also connects communities and scholars from each country, honoring their unique cultural and historical backgrounds and encouraging a shared, inclusive way of telling women’s stories. Through this, the project moves beyond the traditional male-centered historical narrative, embracing a richer, more diverse perspective.
Network, youth, and cultural exchange
The project’s strength also lies in weaving together a European network of muralists and youth organizations who collaborate to exchange culture, develop personal skills, and foster creativity.
With Beyond Borders’ well-established experience in cultural and educational initiatives, plus the unique contributions of each partner, “HERstory” adopts innovative and inclusive methods that engage young people actively. Workshops, international events, performances, and educational labs offer chances for empowerment and growth, helping shape socially conscious and collaborative citizens.
What "HERstory" stands for
The project aims to:
Raising The visibility of women through art and culture;
Promoting gender equality through education and public engagement;
Reclaiming the stories of historically overlooked female figures;
Involving communities directly in celebrating their own history;
Building a European network of artists and youth organizations;
Creating a dynamic, multilingual digital platform;
Blending public art with interactive, innovative learning;
Supporting inclusion, diversity, and gender equality across Europe;
Beyond Borders from Italy, together with Club for Youth Empowerment 018 from Serbia, Dream Colours from Czech Republic, Obojena Klapa from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Danish Youth Team from Denmark implements the project “HERstory” by utilizing creative methods and art, specifically murals in raising awareness and visibility of significant female figures thus promoting importance of gender equality in partner countries. Overall aim: To increase visibility of women through art. Specific objectives: 1) To develop tools for promotion of historical female figures coming from participating countries in the form of collection; 2) To develop a virtual platform for promotion of female figures coming from participating countries; 3) To raise the awareness about important female figures coming from 5 countries through artistic expression – murals; 4) To network mural artists on the European level. This project offers concrete tools and methods to contribute to raised awareness and bigger visibility of women who shaped societies which we know today. Project is implemented in Italy, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic and Denmark in the period 01.11.2024 to 31.10.2026 and is co-financed by the EU.