Since May 2025, I have had the opportunity to serve as an IVY Project Partner volunteer in the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (REMTH), within the framework of the Interreg Europe project Green4HEAT. This volunteering experience, which takes place under the direct supervision of Mr. Spyridon Arseniou, Head of the Department of International and European Programmes and Projects at REMTH, has been an important learning journey that deepened both my understanding of European cooperation and the practical implementation of Cohesion Policy at the regional level.
Green4HEAT is a European initiative that aims to accelerate the adoption of green heating and cooling technologies across EU territories, with a particular focus on district heating systems. REMTH coordinates this ambitious partnership, which brings together nine organisations from eight countries, working jointly to support the energy transition in their respective regions through better heat planning, stakeholder engagement, and the exchange of good practices.
As part of the project team, I have contributed to several aspects of project implementation. I’ve been actively involved in supporting communication activities, contributing to thematic input papers and stakeholder meeting summaries, preparing for interregional workshops, and helping coordinate the reporting and dissemination efforts. This hands-on experience gave me the chance to work closely with regional officials, policy experts and international partners, offering me a realistic view of how complex, but at the same time how impactful the European territorial cooperation can be.
One of the most rewarding parts of this experience is witnessing how a transnational project like Green4HEAT can have a real and measurable impact on local communities. The primary beneficiaries of the project are citizens, public authorities and small municipalities, especially in rural and less developed areas that still rely on outdated and inefficient heating systems. Through the project, they are gaining access to new tools and knowledge that will help reduce their energy costs, improve the resilience of public infrastructure, like schools or health centers, and actively contribute to broader environmental objectives which are key in order to combat effectively the climate change.
What I find most valuable in this volunteering journey is that it has allowed me to connect policy with people. By contributing to a project that tackles a critical issue, namely, the sustainable heating and energy efficiency, I’ve seen how targeted European funding can support tangible improvements in the everyday lives of citizens, something that has shown me how the EU works at the regional level on the ground, empowering public administrations and local actors to make meaningful progress through shared knowledge and cooperation.
Volunteering through IVY gave me and is still giving me the opportunity not only to contribute to a bigger or greater goal, but also to grow and mature both professionally and personally. It helped me build new skills, understand European project dynamics from the inside, and feel more connected to the European project and its values. Hence, this is an experience I would truly recommend to any young European who wishes to be part of and deliver a meaningful change towards a brighter future.
– Anastasios, IVY Project Partner at Region of East Macedonia & Thrace, for the Interreg project Green4HEAT, under the programme Interreg Europe.
