ERASMUS+, Key Action 1: youth exchange
Venue: Garlstedt, Osterholz Scharmbeck, Germany with a two-day visit to European institutions in Brussels, Belgium (3—5 February)
Dates: 30 January—9 February 2025
National team: 7 participants + 1 group leader
Please read the info-pack and daily activities schedule.
Hosting organisation: NaturKultur e.V.
Project report:
The Future EU Voices project has been an exciting and meaningful experience for our Czech team. This youth exchange brought us together for workshops, discussions and cultural activities, with the highlight being our visit to Brussels. Throughout the project, we prepared, learned and reflected on our experiences, which helped us to better understand European politics while making new international friends.
Before heading to Brussels, we spent a few days in Garlstedt, Germany where we took part in workshops and interactive activities. These sessions helped us to learn more about the EU, its institutions and the importance of political participation. At the same time, this time allowed us to bond as a team and establish relationships with participants from other countries, creating a great atmosphere.
The two days spent in Brussels were the highlight of the whole project. We had the opportunity to meet two politicians and officials from the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU. They shared their experiences with us and explained how decisions are taken at European level, which helped us to better understand the real impact of EU policies.
Visiting the institutions and talking to political officials gave us a deeper insight into the functioning of the EU and made us think about possible career paths in politics or diplomacy.
After returning from Brussels, we took the time to reflect on our experiences through various activities. One of the most memorable moments was the walk in the forest during which we shared our thoughts and impressions of the project. These discussions helped us to process better everything we learned and think about how to use the knowledge gained in the future.
We were also proud to represent Czechia culturally. Our intercultural evening was a great success. Everyone enjoyed the traditional Czech food we brought and we had a great opportunity to introduce our culture to others.
The Future EU Voices project was an unforgettable experience. It helped us to understand the EU better, meet inspiring people and build friendships across Europe. We were proud to represent the Czech Republic and contribute to important discussions. This project has shown us that young people can have a voice in shaping the future of Europe, and we are excited to stay involved and keep learning!
Petra
