Hi! I’m Emma Cozens, an IVY volunteer working with B.Link Barcelona Strategic Projects on the Interreg Euro-MED project Regenera4MED.
During my volunteering period in Barcelona, I’ve had the chance to live and work in a city that perfectly reflects the spirit of European cooperation. Barcelona is a vibrant, multicultural, and dynamic place, where different cultures, ideas, and people come together. It’s also a city facing real challenges linked to tourism and sustainability, which makes it the perfect environment to work on a project like Regenera4MED.
Regenera4MED brings together partners from across the Mediterranean (Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Croatia, and Slovenia) to co-create and test a regenerative tourism model. The goal is not just sustainability but actively improving the places we visit and live in, while helping regions adapt to climate change.
As part of my IVY experience, I’ve been involved in a wide range of tasks. I’ve supported cross-fertilisation activities, connecting with other European projects to exchange knowledge and identify collaboration opportunities.
I have also helped organise the mentoring process for different regenerative tourism experiences across the Mediterranean, bringing together experts, local actors, and pilot initiatives to co-create a shared framework for these experiences.
One of the most valuable parts of this experience has been the people I’ve worked with.
My colleagues at B.Link have been incredibly supportive from day one, always willing to share their knowledge, guide me through new tasks, and make me feel part of the team.
Their support has made a huge difference in my learning process and overall experience.
Most of my work takes place in the office, supporting coordination, research, and communication tasks behind the scenes, but what makes it especially exciting is knowing that all this work contributes to real actions that will be implemented on the ground in the future.
Our office is in Gràcia, a really nice neighbourhood full of libraries and cozy cafés and we work in a shared co-working space with other professionals, which makes the environment even more dynamic and inspiring.
What I enjoy the most about this experience is seeing how European cooperation works in practice. It’s not just policies on paper, it’s real collaboration between people, regions, and ideas.
Projects like Regenera4MED show how EU initiatives can have a tangible impact on local communities by promoting more responsible tourism and creating new opportunities.
One project I follow closely is CCAM Proving Region. Its main goal is to establish a centre of excellence in the border region focused on the research and deployment of automated vehicles. While the project started as a collaboration between Flemish and Dutch partners, its ambition goes beyond the region. It aims to connect experts from across Europe and contribute to the wider development of automated mobility within the European Union.
This shows how Interreg projects not only support local communities but can also have a broader European impact.
Being part of IVY has allowed me to grow both professionally and personally, while contributing to something meaningful. It’s inspiring to be part of a project that shows how tourism can become a force for positive change.
– Emma, IVY Project Partner at B. Link Barcelona Strategic Projects, for the Interreg Euro MED project REGENERA4MED – Towards a Mediterranean model of Regenerative Tourism as Climate Change adaptation and risk prevention
