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My name is Hugo, and I am currently participating in the IVY program, focusing on the European project ATLIC as part of the Chamber of Commerce of Santiago team. This initiative aims to promote Blue Economy projects across the Atlantic area. The project brings together various entities from different countries, including Ireland, France, Portugal, and northern Spain. It is this diversity, united by a common goal, that makes the initiative truly unique. Thanks to this project, I have had the chance to meet many inspiring people with different perspectives on the Blue Economy, which has greatly increased my awareness and engagement with this field. I have participated in several activities, with more to come. The most recent one was a national stakeholder meeting in Samos (Lugo), where we discussed the key topics to be addressed in the final stages of the program. It was a great experience, and I even had the opportunity to present some of these topics to the participants. – Hugo, IVY Project Partner at Cámara de Comercio de Santiago de Compostela, Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigatio Santiago de Compostela, for the Interreg project ATLIC, under the programme Interreg Atlantic Area. Discover more about ATLIC project Click Here Discover more about The Santiago Chamber of Commerce Click Here

Hey everyone, I’m Rezija Egmane, and I’m currently volunteering in “Impact Hub” Liepāja in project “Your Future Profession” as a part of the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) program. My experience is taking place in Liepāja, Latvija – a city near the beach, with beautiful views and people with energy! “Your Future Profession” runs for 6 months and 40 young people (18 to 25 y.o.) from Sweden and Latvia get  the opportunity to promote the competitiveness and development of innovation abilities, purposefulness, leadership skills, as well as self-determination. Activities during the project are meant to increase the number of youth employment. Project is and will provide the opportunity of being acquainted with at least 3 employers (networking and dialogues between counterparts of the labor market), and possibly becoming an employee or a start-up founder. During the months of the project (from November to April)  participants have the opportunity to work with career consultants, mentors, determine your desired future profession, determine personality types, improve your CV, and communication skills. In addition to all of this, participants choose either to start your own entrepreneurial journey or become an active job seeker. The best thing – they have the opportunity to try out different professions by having internships. The most active participants will have the opportunity to go on an international internship exchange! Overall this project helps participants “try on” different professions, career paths for their future, works on their leadership, development, experience, motivation and work towards their career goals. As a part of my role, I’m working on the marketing and communication with participants and speakers of the  “Your Future Profession” project”. I’m helping organizing events, coordinate internships and work with participants. By working with these tasks I’m building my confidence in communication and in event organizing in which I had very little experience but had the drive to develop it. Being in the project “Your Future Profession” I love seeing and working with youth that have different values for life and know that they want more and work on it. It gives incredible inspiration to focus even more on this project and what it gives. I’m amazed with supportive partners and teamwork with each other. Each masterclass and internship is a step closer to reducing unemployment and new startups to improve employment and economy in Latvia, Sweeden and the whole Europe.   – Rezija, IVY Project Partner at Impact Hub, for the Interreg project Your Future Profession, under the programme Interreg Central Baltic. Discover more about Your Future Profession Project Click Here Discover more about Impact Hub Liepāja Click Here

Hello! I’m Carolina and I’m currently IVY Interreg Project Partner in Finnova Foundation for the Interreg Spain-Portugal Program and, namely, for the Interreg FIREPOCTEP+ Project. What is it?  Briefly, “Interreg” stands for European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), is one of the two goals of European Cohesion Policy (that aims to correct imbalances between countries and regions), and has the function to implement joint actions and policy exchanges between different Member States of the European Union.  FIREPOCTEP+ aims to strengthen forest fire prevention and suppression systems in the cross-border region between Spain and Portugal known as “La Raya”, where wildfires have become increasingly common due to climate change and deforestation. To reach this goal, the project partners cooperate by sharing their knowledge, experiences, human, material, and financial resources. Lots of actors will benefit from this Project: the partners of the consortium; the cooperation territory and its population; the regional and local administrations, territorial managers and emergency response operatives; the technical professional groups that are specialized in forest fire prevention and suppression, climate change adaptation and mitigation. But what about my contribution? As an IVY Interreg Project Partner, I am supporting Finnova Foundation’s technicians in the management of the Interreg Project, collaborating with the communication and marketing department in creating FIREPOCTEP+ Project’s promotional materials, press releases, and contents for websites and social media; helping in organizing and managing events related to the project; participating in technical meetings and maintaining contact with the project partners. I am also developing sustainability actions for the project and analyzing contents to find appropriate solutions to the cooperation territory’s challenges.  I am grateful to the IVY Program for allowing me to have this experience, being an opportunity to deepen my understanding of European territorial projects, cooperation and Cohesion policies. Moreover, not only can I take part in promoting cooperation between Spain and Portugal, but I am also learning new things, improving languages, meeting people from different countries and backgrounds, and developing useful skills for my professional career.   Contributing to the European Cohesion Policy, and to the FIREPOCTEP+ Project in particular, makes me happy and proud because I care a lot about the environment, and I believe in the positive impact we can make every day with our actions. – Carolina, IVY Project Partner at Finnova foundation, for the Interreg project FIREPOCTEP+, and the programme Interreg POCTEP. Discover more about FIREPOCTEP+ project Click Here Finnova Foundation Click Here

Hey there! I’m a volunteer through the IVY programme, and I’m excited to be part of the Interreg MED project HERIT ADAPT – Heritage and Resilience of Territories through Sustainable Tourism, Climate Change Adaptation, and Citizen Engagement. HERIT ADAPT is an international collaboration that brings together 11 partners from 8 Mediterranean countries, all working towards making tourism more sustainable and helping our regions become more resilient in the face of climate change. The project kicked off in January 2024 and will run until September 2026. How I’m involved:I’m part of the team from the Region of Western Greece, which actually leads the project. My role includes helping out with communication, research, and getting the local community involved. One cool part of my job is supporting the creation of local working groups (TWGs) made up of local stakeholders, citizens, and tourism professionals. Together, we chat, figure out local needs, and co-design a Sustainable Tourism Model that really fits the unique character of our region. What excites me about HERIT ADAPT:This project isn’t just some theory on paper—it’s hands-on, it makes a real difference in the community, it activates people, and it taps into our rich cultural and natural heritage. It also gives us the tools to rethink tourism in a greener, more sustainable way. Plus, I get to collaborate with people from different countries and backgrounds, which is super inspiring! Who benefits:With pilot activities happening in 8 Mediterranean regions—some well-known, others a bit under the radar—HERIT ADAPT benefits local communities, tourism professionals, visitors, and of course, the natural and cultural resources of each area. It brings everyone together, helping us tackle big challenges like climate change through teamwork and fresh, innovative ideas. Want to learn more? Check out the project’s page here:👉 https://heritadapt.interreg-euro-med.euYou can also follow us on Facebook or LinkedIn!📧 Get in touch: heritadapt@interreg-euro-med.eu #HERITADAPT #IVYvolunteers #SustainableTourism #ClimateAction #InterregMED – Theodora-Eleftheria, IVY Project Partner at the REGION OF WESTERN GREECE (RWG) – PERIFEREIA DYTIKIS ELLADAS (PED), Development Planning Directorate, Department of Regional Development Incentives, for the Interreg Euro-MED project Herit Adapt

Hello everyone! I am Alicia Kerekes, an Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) currently volunteering in the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, Branch Office in Valencia. And I would love to tell you more about it! Firstly, I would like to introduce myself better. I grew up in Spain with Romanian origins, which strongly shaped my values and sparked my interest in international cooperation. It was during my experience as an intern at the Spanish Embassy of Libya (in Tunisia) that I realized I wanted to dedicate myself to enhancing transnational cooperation between Europe and its Southern and Eastern Neighbourhoods. However, after completing my Master’s in International Relations, with a focus on Europe and the Middle East, I felt disconnected from real-world action: I was looking forward to learning more practical skills and tangible ways to contribute to regional cooperation. So, the opportunity to become an IVY reporter in Interreg NEXT MED was perfect! During these months, I was fortunate to learn a lot about the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, thanks to my colleagues. Interreg NEXT MED’s mission is to foster transnational cooperation across the Mediterranean by supporting key joint projects. And why is it particularly valuable? Because it does not only include EU countries, but also countries from the Southern shore of the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean region continues to face numerous challenges that transcend borders, from environmental threats and climate change to political instability and social inequalities. These pressing regional issues require true cooperation and dialogue to build a brighter future for the region. And this is precisely what the Programme aims for: joining forces to contribute to a more prosperous, sustainable, harmonious, and resilient Mediterranean. I encourage you to explore the projects that have been funded in the past here and the human stories behind them! As for my tasks, I am in charge of supporting the communication team: from helping with the preparations for the Second Call for Proposals to giving a hand in preparing events, and to contributing to the Programme’s Social Media. My main goal is to increase the visibility of transnational cooperation among young people and encourage their involvement in the Programme. I believe Mediterranean youth are a central component of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and a driving force for positive change in the region, something that should be potentiated. My first months have been really rewarding. I am gaining experience and developing valuable skills in the international cooperation field. Equally important, I have the chance to be part of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme and contribute to a more collaborative Mediterranean region. I am deeply grateful for the IVY opportunity 🙂 – Alicia, IVY Reporter for the Interreg NEXT MED Branch Office for the Western Mediterranean Discover more about Interreg Next Med Click Here

Hi everyone! I am Alessandra, the IVY Project Partner for the Interreg Central Europe HUMANITA project.I’ve started my experience in November 2024, in the offices of the Institute of Regional Development of Eurac Research, a private research centre based in Bolzano, Italy. The HUMANITA project is an initiative dedicated to monitoring and assessing tourism impacts in Central Europe’s protected areas. Working on the project has given me an opportunity to dive deeper into cross-border cooperation, and to see multilateral challenges being transformed into opportunities for a sustainable common future. This experience has, until now, not only deepened my understanding of sustainable tourism but also highlighted the significance of collaborative efforts in preserving our natural heritage. Understanding the project and my role HUMANITA was launched in spring 2023 and focuses on developing evidence-based and participatory management tools to monitor and evaluate the impact of tourism in protected areas. By involving visitors, the project aims to collect data, raise awareness, and foster behavioural change towards more sustainable tourism practices. As an IVY Volunteer, my role encompasses assisting in data analysis, deliverables elaboration and promoting the project’s objectives. During my time at Eurac, our role in the project is to sustain visitors’ and community’s engagement throughout activities such as the development of common heritage narratives, as well as elaborating creative videos for the Tuscan-Emilian Appennine National Park or conceptualising pilot actions which will be fundamental to the durability of the project after its completion. Study Visit in Slovenia: Learning Firsthand Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a study visit at the Geopark Karawanken/Karavanke, in Slovenia, where all project partners gathered to exchange ideas, discuss progress, and dive deep into sustainable tourism strategies. It was an intense but enriching experience. Many interesting discussions were made on data collection and monitoring tourism’s impact on nature. Seeing how different partners approach these challenges—from using external data like Strava Metro to interactive educational trails—was fascinating. We also explored ways to engage local communities in participatory monitoring, which is crucial for long-term success of the project. Challenges and future developments Balancing tourism development with nature conservation presents complex challenges. Through the HUMANITA project, I’m understanding the importance of evidence-based strategies and the need for continuous monitoring of tourism’s environmental impacts. Engaging local communities and tourists in participatory monitoring has proven essential in building trust and encouraging sustainable behaviors. Furthermore, the project’s emphasis on collaboration and innovation serves as a model for sustainable tourism initiatives. I am confident that the tools and strategies developed will have a lasting positive impact not only in Central Europe’s protected areas but will represent a best practice for the natural conservation in Europe. Through this project, I’ve realized that sustainability isn’t just about rules, it’s about people. When communities, policymakers, and tourists come together, real change happens. That is why being part of the IVY program is an enriching experience, reinforcing my commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development. I encourage fellow youth to engage in such initiatives, as they offer a unique opportunity to make a tangible difference while gaining valuable skills and insights. – Alessandra, IVY Project Partner at Eurac Research for the Interreg Central Europe Project HUMANITA