From distance to dialogue: intercultural citizenship and 21st-century skills through the aisle of a digital-intercultural poetry project

This study explores the role of PILL eTwinning project in fostering intercultural citizenship and related 21st-century skills within an EFL course in a public Anatolian high school in Northern Turkiye. An instrumental case study design was followed to investigate fifteen Turkish students’ motivations, experiences, and challenges encountered throughout the project. Findings indicate that students were motivated primarily by professional language advancement, certification, and peer/teacher/family support. The project facilitated the development of intercultural skills, such as empathy and cultural awareness, by engaging students in poetry-based analysis, collaborative interpretation and meaning-making, and discussions that required attention to cultural perspectives. The enhancement of 21st-century skills was noted, mainly through digital collaboration and critical thinking. However, technical challenges and procedural barriers restricted full participation. These findings highlight the need for supportive structures and richer intercultural exchanges in educational programs to effectively cultivate intercultural citizenship skills, with implications for digital and intercultural curriculum design.