Billy Joel was right…Vienna did wait for me!
Hi, my name is Shannon and I am 23 years old. Coming from France, I am an IVY Reporter for Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE and for the past three months I have been exploring my dream city while getting familiar with the Interreg jargon.
The Programme Manual was my first introduction to how projects are guided and supported throughout their implementation. I was struck by how clear and well-structured the framework is for our projects. Then, I stopped reading and started speaking. I reviewed the programme social media channels and website with fresh eyes, bringing the youthful boost I was asked to add.
The Joint Secretariat carries out the implementation of the programme. We support and follow 150 projects working together across nine countries (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republik, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia and Poland), for a smarter, greener, better connected and better governed central Europe. Projects range from launching demand-responsive transport services (DREAM PACE) to creating cooler spaces in cities (Ready4Heat), training healthcare students with virtual reality (VReduMED) and giving vulnerable communities a stronger voice (GEtCoheSive).
From the communication unit, I have an eye on these projects, and I am part of the daily expression of concrete cooperation, from the drafting of the newsletter to communication on project websites. I get to write project stories, highlighting transnational cooperation when tackling shared challenges. Some projects might even get some extra attention through a social media reel, as sometimes it is simply easier to say out loud why a project deserves to be seen.
That is also why we launched two Reel series this summer, with me taking over the programme’s social media. One is taking stakeholders and curious citizens behind the scenes of cooperation, and another one puts the focus on the future of transnational cooperation.
And when I am not playing with the camera, I walk the streets of the Austrian capital, where the FOMO (fear of missing out) gets me every time. My list of places to visit keeps growing, from open-air opera at the Rathaus and trying out all the vegan restaurants in town, to day trips across the border to Bratislava.
I am grateful to experience it all with IVY, which combines cooperation that builds bridges between regions and communication that builds bridges between people.
– Shannon, IVY Reporter for the programme Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE
