Hi everyone! My name is Lisa, I’m 23 and I’m an Interreg Project Partner for the cross-border “Strategy HEurOpen 2021-2027” since February 2024. This strategy has the aim to promote and sustain cross-border collaboration between the Italy-Austria border. It is developed between three partners: GAL Open Leader, GAL Euroleader, based in Italy, and LAG Region Hermagor based in Austria. The Gal Open Leader is my host organization, is located in Pontebba, a small town in Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is a local action group that works in three main areas: Val Canale, Canal del Ferro and Gemonese, involving 15 municipalities. HEurOpen is an integrated cross-border strategy under the EU’s CLLD (community led local development) approach for the Interreg VI Italy-Austria Program. It promotes local social, economic, cultural and environmental development, sustainable tourism and safety in non-urban areas. Its main goal is to build dynamic, resource-balanced communities that benefit from cross-border cooperation. In order to achieve the goal the strategy can fund: Small projects: their objectives are to stimulate broad participation, promoting the integration of the three border areas and also to make it easier for the local actors to start taking part in the cross border cooperation. The budget for the whole project is between 3.000 and 50.000 euros( 80% public contribution + 20% partners funds); Medium projects with the goal of building cross-border cooperation, promoting local development and cooperation between the three areas in order to address common obstacles. The budget for each project is between 50.001 and 200.000 euros ( 80% public contribution + 20% partners funds). My role is to help improve the communication so that the strategy HEurOpen can be better promoted and reach as many people as possible. I’m also creating a database of possible stakeholder in the HEurOpen area. Thanks to the promotional activities I’m learning a lot about communication strategies and tools, but most importantly I’m learning a lot about cross-border cooperation and Interreg. – Lisa, IVY Project Partner at the Local Action Group OPEN LEADER  for the Interreg Italy-Austria Project “Strategy HEurOpen”. Discover more about the Interreg project HEurOpen Click Here Discover more about the host organization Click Here

During my involvement in the D.E.C. (Digital Ethics Culture) project, I had the opportunity to contribute to an initiative aimed at providing a territorial analysis of the main gaps in citizens’ knowledge and awareness regarding the use of new technologies and the internet. The project aims to identify specific areas where citizens and young people encounter the greatest difficulties and provide them with the necessary tools to manage new technologies consciously. Throughout these three months, I had the opportunity to contribute to the project through various activities: Participation in project meetings: I collaborated with project partners and stakeholders, both locally and cross-border. Management of the project’s social media: I handled the project’s online presence, sharing news and results to increase visibility and awareness. The specific objective of the project is to create tools and methods that young generations can use to autonomously manage new technologies without being subjugated by them. To achieve this goal, the project focuses on analyzing three main areas: European legislation on data protection, cybersecurity, and the challenges and opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. The approach of the D.E.C. project aims not only to ensure compliance with data protection regulations but also to promote technological awareness among citizens and young people. Through concrete and specific actions, the project aims to provide practical tools that enable future generations to manage new technologies responsibly and consciously. – Sabrina, IVY Project Partner at the Eurelations Eeuropean Economic Interest Grouping – Eurelations EEIG for the Interreg Italy-Croatia Project “D.E.C.” Discover more about the D.E.C. project Click Here

Hey there, I am Luka, and I would like to share with you what my IVY experience has been so far.   It has been a month and a half since I first stepped into the offices of the Manging Authority of the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia Programme in Trieste and I am writing this to present to you, future IVYs, what such volunteering experience entails.   I must admit that the first days were quite hard, a new environment, a new desk, and especially new colleagues, quite a lot to digest and get used to! But I soon found out that the work atmosphere is really relaxed, everyone is always ready to answer my questions, listen to my proposals and quickly jump to my rescue when I find myself in doubt.   My role as an IVY reporter is to promote what the Interreg Programme does as an active member of the communication team, so as everyone can imagine my daily tasks are publishing content on the Programme website, revise and help with the writing of the brochure to present the state of the art of the projects cofinanced by Interreg Italy-Slovenia Programme, take part in the weekly meetings with the rest of the communication team, writing emails and much more. I also had the opportunity to be present at the 5th Monitoring Committee of the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia Programme held on March 21st and 22nd 2024, this was something different from the usual day to day office work and was also the occasion for my first study visit of one of the partner’s sites of the MEDS GARDEN+ project.    The prospect of an office job could sound a touch boring and always the same, but it is not. There is always something new and exciting to discuss and learn. Sure, it is quite a steep learning curve, getting used to the terminology and to the new role is not always easy. However, all the challenges and the opportunities that this IVY experience has presented so far were all moments of enrichment, of learning what volunteering in an atmosphere that promotes cooperation and shared European values is.    I would strongly recommend to try it for yourself. Apply and become an IVY and help to promote what cooperation is and how can be implemented. It is an opportunity to challenge yourself, have fun and learn something new, an experience where you can participate in shaping our common future. Sure, everyone has a different memory, a different experience, however I am sure that this volunteering opportunity can help you, young people, to be prepared to work for a better cooperation and with that help to build a Europe ready for future challenges.     Say YES and help shape a better tomorrow!  – Luka, IVY Reporter at the Managing Authority of the Programme Interreg Italy-Slovenia 

My name is Lisa Brenier and I am an IVY project partner for the COOL NOONs project at the Agency for Sustainable Mediterranean Cities and Territories (AViTeM) in Marseille, France. I recently graduated from the University of Freiburg and Sciences Po Aix with a double degree in political sciences, specializing in Euro-mediterranean cooperation. I was looking for an on field experience where I could use what I learned during the past few years. I was particularly interested in working on a project addressing climate change consequences in Mediterranean cities. What is COOL NOONS about? The goal of COOL NOONS is to promote climate change adaptation in urban settings while renewing the tourism offer in 5 pilot Mediterranean cities, during the hottest hours of the day : Lisbon (Portugal), Marseille (France), Imola (Italy), Dubrovnik (Croatia) and Budva (Montenegro). First, the pilot cities will develop some Cool Noons paths, mapping and connecting fresh spots and cool areas, including tourist attractions. The firsts paths will be tested on summer 2024. If you happen to visit one of the pilot cities, feel free to check those itineraries out and let us know what you think! Secondly, creative workshops involving citizens, tourists and local stakeholders will be organized to imagine and select some solutions to improve the quality of life and comfort of visitors. This could be greening the city, creating new shadow spaces,  reinventing the use of some buildings, designing new indoors activities… Cool noon paths and some of the technical solutions will be implemented and tested during the summer 2025! Who is involved? The COOL NOONS project started in January 2024 and is funded by the Interreg Euro-Med program. This project is coordinated by the Agency of Mediterranean cities and territories (Avitem, France) and involves 8 other partners from 7 European countries: the Municipality of Lisbon, the Municipality of Marseille, the Metropolitan city of Bologna, the Imola Faenza Tourism Company, DURA (City Of Dubrovnik Development Agency), the Municipality of Budva, the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and the American College of Greece. As an IVY volunteering with AViTeM I support my colleagues in coordinating the activity of each partner – a little bit like an orchestra conductor. It is really fulfilling in the sense that I have an overview of the whole project and get to learn about a lot of different things (mapping tools and methodology, data collection, co-designing, communication etc.) Being posted in Marseille, one of the pilot cities, also allows me to see COOL NOONs being developed on the ground ! A project off to a great start From March 25th to 27th 2024, my colleague and I organized a workshop gathering all project partners gathered in Marseille to kick-off the collective work and to get trained on design thinking and collective intelligence. Through this training we acquired essential skills to coordinate and facilitate the co-designing workshops in their respective cities. It was a nice way to meet everyone working on this project in person! COOL NOONS was also under the spotlight during the kick-off of the Sustainable Tourism Community (Community4Tourism, C4T) in Rome on March 10th-11th 2024. The Community gathers all the thematic projects working on sustainable tourism funded by the Interreg Euro-Med program and aims to create synergies between them. We already saw promising connections with some “sister” projects! COOL NOONS was also presented on April 2024 at the public session of the other horizontal project related to sustainable tourism in Interreg Euro-Med: Dialog4Tourism(D4T). The COOL NOONS project partners during the meeting in Marseille Taking part in such events is a great opportunity to interact with the people and institutions shaping European action on the ground. Plus, it help to get in touch with common issues we have in our respective countries and address them in a transnational collaborative effort. As we presented COOL NOONS in Rome, the temperatures were reaching almost 30°C (in April), showcasing that the issues tackled by our project urgently need to be addressed beyond our five pilot cities. Don’t hesitate to follow the updates of the project on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and its website. – Lisa, IVY Project Partner at AVITEM – Agency for Sustainable Mediterranean Cities and Territories for the Interreg Euro – Med project “COOL NOONS” Discover more about the COOL NOONS Interreg project Click Here Discover more about the host organization Click Here

I am volunteer in the framework of the Interreg Project “EE-LV00013 – Forest and Coastal Hiking Trails’ accessibility improvement for different social groups. The main goal for this project is to improve the accessibility of tourism services in Estonia and in Latvia for individuals with disabilities, ensuring they can enjoy their travel experiences without barriers. In Latvia, a substantial number of individuals, nearly 127,000, live with invisible disabilities or functional impairments. Despite shared basic needs with other travelers, unique solutions are required to ensure their access to tourism services. Embracing universal design principles is key for service providers to reduce barriers in understanding, communication, and physical access. By prioritizing accessibility in accommodations and facilities, Latvia and Estonia can offer a more inclusive tourism experience for all travelers. Everyone benefits from promoting inclusive tourism in Latvia. Individuals with disabilities or functional impairments gain improved access to tourism services, allowing them to enjoy travel experiences like anyone else. In this collaborative effort to promote inclusive tourism in Latvia and Estonia, I played a vital role by designing and distributing questionnaires to gather information. – Elīza , IVY Reporter at the Latvian country tourism association Lauku Celotajs for the Interreg Estonia – Latvia project “EE-LV00013 – Accessible Hiking Trails” Discover more about the Interreg project “EE-LV00013 – Accessible Hiking Trails” Click Here Discover more about the Host Organization Click Here

I am Syria Paoloni, an IVY volunteer in the Regional Coordination Unit of Interreg Italy-Austria in Trieste at the Autonomous Region Friuli Venezia Giulia. Additionally, I am pursuing a double master’s student of European Governance (University of Utrecht) and Politics and Public Administration (University of Konstanz). Friuli Venezia Giulia is a cross-border region located in north-eastern Italy bordering Slovenia and Austria.  I always believed that cross-border cooperation can bring together different cultures, act as a door to other European macroregions, and most importantly, strengthen the European identity. I couldn’t miss this opportunity of experiencing cross-border cooperation between Italy and Austria!   Interreg Italy-Austria covers six regions, three per country: Salzburg, Tyrol and Kärnten in Austria, and the Veneto Region, the Automous Region Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano in Italy. Interreg Italy-Austria has its Managing Authority located in Bolzano, in South Tyrol, Italy. Its structure comprehends the joint secretariat located in Bolzano and the Regional Coordination Units located in each region of the program. In particular, the Regional Coordination Unit like the one where I am volunteering, acts as an interface between the programme bodies and beneficiaries, acting as the primary point of contact for potential beneficiaries. The offices in Trieste and Udine of the Regional Coordination Unit where I am volunteering provide constant assistance to the beneficiaries. They organize InfoDays and private meetings to ensure correct application processes, assist with partner searches, and evaluate projects. Moreover, the office verifies the project synergies with national and regional strategies and policies, to answer common questions, discuss procedures, or solve common problems with the other Regional Coordination Units. For the period 2021-2027 there are 5 priorities: innovation and entrepreneurship (1), climate change and biodiversity (2), sustainable tourism and culture (3), Community led-local development (CLLD) (4) and reducing cross-border obstacles (5). CLLD is a peculiarity of the program: it finances the implementation of four cross-border local development strategies through Community-Led Local Development. The strategies intervene with a ‘bottom-up’ approach, involving Local Action Groups, which are entities created within the framework of the EU ‘Leader’ approach for the implementation local development strategies. In our region LAG Region Hermagor, LAG Open Leader and LAG Euroleader cooperate in the HEurOpen strategy. Coming to my activities, I arrived in February and so far I am really enjoying my experience. My colleagues are very opened to listen to my proposals and opinions about the office activities. I mainly take care of communication, promotion and organization activities. First of all, I helped with the communication with the beneficiaries concerning the InfoDay about the program second call focused mainly on the second priority, namely climate change and biodiversity. During the InfoDay, which was held online, I also had the opportunity to present the IVY initiative to the beneficiares. Secondly, I offer assistance regarding the German language in the e-mails or meetings with the Austrian units. Thirdly, I regularly update the website with program-related news on the website Europa FVG such as the call openings, InfoDays, and opportunities for the beneficiares and citizens such as RegioStars 24, Interreg Volunteer Youth, and the Youth Council of the macrostrategy EUSALP. Additionally, I am currently helping with the gadget plan for the period 2021-2027 to promote the program. What I enjoy the most is to attend the Interreg Italy-Austria events because I can truly enjoy cross-border cooperation. For example, I had the opportunity to join a “Meet&Match” event in Mestre, Veneto, where partners from all the six regions of the program were invited to meet and match in order to find the right partnership for their projects proposal. There I met Managing Authority representatives and made use of my German skills to help the beneficiaries when needed! Another interesting opportunity was a kick-off event in Trieste where the beneficiaries presented a project funded by Interreg Italy-Austria. I was very happy to present the IVY initiative. Finally, in May I will attend the Monitoring Committee of the Program in Lienz, Austria! Last, but not least, analyzing synergies with other Interreg programs is fascinating. My colleagues also work with macrostrategies and other programs, providing me with valuable insights into the Interreg world. – Syria, IVY Reporter at the Regional Coordination Unit FVG – Interreg Italy-Austria  Discover more about the programme Interreg Italy-Austria Click Here