ERASMUS+, Key action 1: youth exchange
Dates: 8—16 November 2025
Venue: Uzana, region Gabrovo, Bulgaria
Czech team: 4 participants + 1 group leader
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: Europe in Your Hand
Project report:
The youth exchange Clean and Healthy – ECO Youth in Uzana brought together participants from Italy, North Macedonia, Romania, Czechia and Bulgaria. From the very beginning, the atmosphere was friendly and open, which made it easy to cooperate and discuss the environmental challenges we all face in our countries.
Throughout the week we took part in activities focused on sustainability, ecological responsibility and critical thinking. We calculated our ecological footprint, talked about the difference between needs and wants, explored the 5R principles and analysed how social inequality influences our everyday life. A simulation activity showed us how difficult it is to find solutions when different social roles — politicians, activists, journalists or business leaders — must cooperate.
We also learned about the origins of our clothing, the impact of cotton production and the reality of greenwashing, especially in the technology sector. Besides the workshops, we enjoyed the Bulgarian nature, visited Gabrovo, the Šipka monument and the geographical Middle of Bulgaria.
One of the most creative parts of the project was the campaign development. Our group created Stop Plastic Overuse, focusing on the enormous daily production of plastic bags. We designed a concept of recyclable multilayered paper bags with a waterproof beeswax layer and supported the campaign with social media posts and videos.
What made this project truly memorable were the people and the atmosphere. Cultural evenings, mountain walks, sunset moments, laughter, dancing and heartfelt letters created strong friendships that made leaving very emotional.
This project opened our eyes not only to ecological issues but also to the importance of cooperation, respect and personal responsibility. I am extremely grateful for this experience, for the knowledge we gained and for all the amazing people who made this week in Uzana unforgettable.
Kateřina O.
