Ateliers Cinéma | Interreg Volunteer Youth & Filmreakter
On 10.09.2025 and 11.09.2025, the CEA “Ateliers Cinéma | Interreg Volunteer Youth & Filmreakter” took place. The idea? Approaching the topic of Cohesion Policy in a creative way and, above all, giving the opportunity to fully engage with the topic to a group of young people that would, in general, not feel concerned by the topic. The CEA was organised in different workshops: scriptwriting, acting, filming and editing. The participants had the chance to fully take part in each workshop. The scenes were written based on a conversation where we shared personal experiences related to cross-border cooperation and solidarity, borders, etc. At the end of the second day, a screening event welcomed members of Interreg Grande Région and other guests where the young participants had the opportunity to share their creation and talk about it. A successful event with a group of creative young people! Credit: Photos and Text by IVY volunteer Assya Numanovic
Empowering Business Ideas into Reality through Eu Cohesion Policies and Funds
The CEA event, “Empowering Business Ideas into Reality through EU Cohesion Policies and Funds,” took place on Sunday, 24th August, at 2 PM at the House of Culture in Voznesensk, Ukraine. The event, organized by IVY Volunteer Paula Ruiz within the framework of Interreg Volunteer Youth in collaboration with the City Council of Voznesensk, was a truly engaging and inspiring experience, in which local youth and entrepreneurs learned how EU Cohesion Policies support local entrepreneurship by enabling initiatives, networks, and collaboration. The first part of the event featured five speakers: Mykhailo Omelchenko from the Ukrainian Institute for International Politics, Kyiv, who presented an overview of the Interreg Danube Programme and funding opportunities for SMEs; Oleksandr Laiko from the Institute of Market, Economic and Ecological Research, Odesa, who shared lessons from the EU-funded project “Embracing Failure to Facilitate Second-Chance Entrepreneurship in the Danube Region”; Anastasia Vlasenko, former ambassador from EU Neighbours East in 2023, who highlighted youth opportunities and EU initiatives, participating remotely; Viktoria Balzer, the Secretary of Voznesensk City Council, who provided a local perspective on EU-funded projects and cohesion policy; Alla Tkachenko from the local InnoCom – Innovating Communication Targeted for SMEs project, who explained the project’s insights, youth involvement, and how cohesion policy tools foster innovation and community development, delivered their speeches in person. After the conference, the Youth Cohesion Challenge began, where 21 young participants, aged 15 to 30, pitched their social business ideas addressing local challenges. The contest was highly interactive and inspiring: the participants developed innovative concepts, reflected on the knowledge shared by the speakers, and the 7 chosen winners won a fully funded trip to Odesa on Wednesday 27th to continue with the path of learning on Cohesion policy! They travelled with members of the City Council to the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, where the winners of the contest pitched their business ideas to the EU-funded project team, receiving valuable feedback, guidance, and mentorship. Moreover, the team of the local project; InnoCom, had the chance to present its work and explore potential cooperation with the institute. The day concluded with a cultural experience at the Odesa Fine Arts Museum, giving participants an opportunity to connect with local heritage and enrich their understanding of the context in which cohesion policies are applied. Credit: Photos and Text from IVY Volunteer Paula Ruiz Ruiz
You(th) Shape EU: Bridging Borders, Building Belonging
On 8th May 2025, from 09:00 to 16:30, a Citizens Engagement Activity titled You(th) Shape EU took place at the Polytechnic University of Ancona, Italy. The event was organised with the involvement of IVY Project Partners Riyanka Anna George and Lana Joketic from Interreg IPA Adrion. The aim of the event was to raise awareness among young people about the EU Cohesion Policy and to reflect on youth involvement in shaping the future of Europe. The participants were young people aged 18 to 35, including students from EU countries, students from accession countries, and students from accession countries currently living in EU member states. You(th) Shape EU created an open space for participants to share their thoughts on Cohesion Policy and the broader process of European integration. The event highlighted the obstacles young people face when trying to engage with European institutions and emphasized the need for stronger inclusion of youth in decision-making. The programme began with an opening session by Andrea Perna, Professor and General Secretary of UNIADRION. It was followed by a panel on Europe’s economic, social, and territorial cohesion in light of EU enlargement, featuring Giulia Bettin, Professor at the Polytechnic University of Marche, and Filip Miličević, EUSAIR Pillar 5 Coordinator (TBC), alongside Dea Hrelja from T33 (TBC). Participants then engaged in a Survey & Mentimeter session using data collected in advance through a pre-event online photo contest and questionnaire launched one month before on LinkedIn. A more detailed survey was also completed during registration. The session encouraged youth-to-youth exchange based on shared challenges and experiences. In the afternoon, two parallel workshops were held. The first focused on social cohesion and was moderated by Riyanka Anna George, with speakers Francesco Chiapparino, Filip Miličević (TBC), and Meral Todri (TBC). The second, led by Lana Joketic, addressed territorial cooperation and youth engagement, with contributions from Ana Nikolov, Clarissa Amichetti, and Eva Omahen (TBC). The event concluded with a Youth-to-Youth session, a competition announcement, and a city tour.
Youth without borders– Cohesion policies as a tool to bypass regional disparities
On June 30, the Centre Europe Direct Nice Côte d’Azur hosted “Jeunes sans frontières”, an engaging afternoon of dialogue, discovery, and participation, focused on European cohesion policies and cross-border cooperation. The event was organised by Martina Aiudi, IVY project partner working with the Mountain Directorate of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, as part of the ALPIMED+ PILOT project. It brought together young people from across France to explore, in an interactive and inclusive way, how the European Union is working to reduce persistent regional disparities. The agenda included several participatory moments to guide the audience through the discovery of cohesion policies. A presentation on European cohesion policies and their local impact, was delivered in the form of a live quiz that added a playful and educational touch. Then, Martina shared her experience as an IVY volunteer within the ALPIMED+ project, highlighting not only the potential impact of the project on the cross-border territory, but also the tangible results of previous programming. A participatory workshop invited attendees to co-create ideas for future European projects aimed at strengthening cross-border cooperation and addressing shared challenges in border regions. In the end, each group presented its proposal, and everyone voted to elect the winning project. The cross-border nature of the initiative was reflected not only in the content but also in diverse participation. In fact, the centre Europe Direct had the pleasure to welcome four Italian civic service volunteers, currently on assignment in Metz, as well as European Solidarity Corps volunteers active in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region. Their presence enriched the discussions and illustrated the concrete commitment of young people to building a Europe that is closer to its citizens. Throughout the event, participants showed genuine interest, asking thoughtful questions, sharing ideas, and actively engaging in discussions. With strong motivation and initiative, they embraced the challenge of imagining future projects — and who knows, maybe one day these ideas will come to life thanks to EU cohesion policies. Photos and text by IVY volunteer Martina Aiudi
What is a Cohesion Policy and how to be part of that? – panel discussion at Festival LAMPA
Ivy project partner Nauris, volunteering at Movement spontaneous, organised the following event for project Accesible Hiking Trails under Interreg programme Estonia-Latvia. What is Cohesion Policy — and how can YOU be part of it? A citizen conversation on EU funding and grassroots action. 🗓 June 20 | 📍 RTU Innovation Bridge, Floating Stage, Sarunu festivāls LAMPA (Cēsis, Latvia) 50 attending participants. During one of Latvia’s most vibrant civic gatherings — Sarunu festivāls LAMPA — a unique public discussion unfolded on a floating stage in Cēsu pils parks. Framed around the question “What is Cohesion Policy — and how can YOU be part of it?”, the event invited festival participants to engage in an open dialogue on how EU cohesion funds are used across the Baltic region, and why understanding this policy matters for everyday citizens, NGOs, youth leaders, and community innovators. Moderated by Luize Darta Sietina, COO at TechChill and co-founder of The Crowd, the panel featured voices from Latvia and Estonia who have been actively involved in regional development through EU-funded initiatives. Speakers included Gustavs M. Upmanis, founder of the youth empowerment platform Visas Iespējas; Andra Marta Babre, co-founder of Movement Spontaneous and EU project manager at RTU; and Elin Priks, project manager at the Estonian Rural Tourism Association.Throughout the one-hour session, speakers shared personal experiences navigating EU funding systems — from first applications to project delivery. The conversation touched on common challenges such as understanding eligibility criteria, ensuring community involvement, and making bureaucratic processes more accessible. The panel also highlighted how cohesion policy can directly support bottom-up initiatives — including rural tourism development and grassroots civic engagement. Audience members were encouraged to ask questions, reflect on local needs, and consider the ways EU support could be applied to their own ideas. The atmosphere was informal and participatory, in line with the LAMPA ethos of open, democratic exchange. This citizen engagement activity was part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness about the impact of cohesion policy and to ensure more transparent, inclusive access to EU support — especially among young changemakers and local community actors in the Baltics. Photos and text by IVY volunteer Nauris.
Cohesion policy for the environment- ‘’the cooling kids’’ act to beat the heat
This event was organised by IVY project partner for project Green Urban Resilience under interreg programme NEXT Black Sea Basin, Christina Karkalaki. The event was designed to raise awareness about the European Cohesion Policy, with a particular focus on its environmental dimension. Participants had the opportunity to explore what the Cohesion Policy entails, including its main objectives and key priorities, especially in relation to sustainable development and ecological initiatives. The event took place in Faliro Park – a central and well-loved green space in the heart of Kavala, offering both a meaningful environmental action and a chance to engage with the community – on the 5th of June and started at 16:00 with a speech by Io Chatzivariti, a specialist on Cohesion Policy. There was time for questions, allowing participants (30 signed participants and 15 visitors who were walking in the park) to engage more deeply with the topic. Approaching the Cohesion Policy from an environmental lens, attendees created banners with environmental tips. Ice cream, juice, and cool water were provided to keep everyone hydrated and energized throughout the event. As part of the event, they also actively contributed to a greener future by taking part in a symbolic tree-planting activity, for which gardening kits with all necessary tools were distributed. Photos by IVY volunteer Christina Karkalaki.
