IVY Alumni: Meet the Core Group

Launched in July 2024, the IVY Alumni has grown into an informal network of over 30 current and former IVY Volunteers.

The network is founded on the following principles:

IVY Alumni Mission:
To communicate and present Territorial Cooperation and Cohesion Policy in way that resonates with young people, promoting their active understanding of and engagement with its principles and impacts.

IVY Alumni Vision:
To influence and shape Territorial Cooperation and Cohesion Policy with a strong youth perspective, ensuring that it is aligned with the needs, aspirations and evolving voices of the young generation.

IVY Alumni Values:

Youth Engagement: Support the voice of young people in policy discussions, recognizing their insights as essential to a cohesive and future-oriented Europe.
Inclusiveness: Ensure a diverse representation of young people from all regions, backgrounds and experiences to enrich dialogue and promote inclusive decision-making.

Luka, Maria-Parthena, Sara and George represents the IVY Alumni Core Group, leading and supporting the activities of the whole network.

Name: Luka Čavdek
Nationality: Slovene
Age: 23
Place where volunteered: Interreg Italy-Slovenia Programme
Studies/Interests: Bachelor’s degree in History
Why did you decide to join the network? I think that is a unique chance for us youth to actively engage and participate in shaping the future of Interreg, and with that become a link between institutions and youth. When the opportunity to become part of the IVY Alumni group presented itself the decision was a no brainer. I believe that it’s important that young people are engaged and feel that their needs are met by the EU policies and the Alumni network could become a way to accomplish that. For me it is a space where we all can share our experiences as IVYs, and present suggestions on how to further engage youth in EU policies.

Name: Maria-Parthena Moula
Nationality: Greek
Age: 25
Place where volunteered: Greek Managing Authority of Interreg 2021-2027
Studies/Interests: Political Communication – Regional Cooperation
Why did you decide to join the network? My IVY experience made me realise that regional Cooperation is a field I want to invest in both academically and professionally. IVY alumni gives us the opportunity to continue our journey in Interreg programmes by helping to shape their future.

Name: Sara Battini
Nationality: Italian
Age: 26
Place where volunteered: Interreg Italy-Croatia Programme
Studies/Interests: Master’s degree in International Relations
Why did you decide to join the network? I joined the network because I think that, as the IVY network keeps growing, it is important to create an active and close community of young people who want to be engaged in shaping the future of Cohesion Policy and Territorial Cooperation on the needs of youth even after their IVY experience. The Alumni network is also a way to meet new people from different countries and with diverse backgrounds, to work in synergy with different European Institutions, and to reach an overall strengthening of youth involvement in Interreg.

Name: Georgios Karapatouchas
Nationality: Greek
Age: 19
Place where volunteered: Interreg Euro-MED project Dialogue4Tourism
Studies/Interests: Department of Geology and Geoenvironment of the National and Kapodistrian
Why did you decide to join the network?
I became a member of the IVY Alumni group while still serving as active IVY, motivated by a desire to connect with fellow volunteers, share my experiences, and exchange ideas and perspectives. Since August 6, 2024, I have had the privilege of being part of the IVY Alumni Core Group, where we engage in meaningful discussions aimed at enhancing the communication and outreach of the initiative. Being part of this team is a truly rewarding experience.