Generation Europe Academy 2024

European Climate Voices: Young Environmental Activists Connect Across Europe

In recent years, young people from Erfurt, Gdańsk, and Marseille have been actively engaged in environmental protection, particularly in the protection of water bodies and advocating for greater participation in environmental policymaking. As part of the multi-year program “Generation Europe: The Academy”, coordinated by IBB e.V. (Internationales Bildungs- und Begegnungswerk), these committed young people meet annually to exchange experiences, learn from each other, and develop new ideas for environmental and democracy projects together.

With the support of Erasmus+, the Franco-German Youth Office (DFJW), and IBB e.V., the “European Climate Voices” youth encounter was successfully held in Erfurt in the summer of 2024. Young people from Poland, France, and Germany came together to present their previous projects and work on new approaches collaboratively.

A Meeting for European Cooperation in Environmental Protection

The participating youths are actively involved in self-organized groups in their respective cities, working to protect local water bodies, strengthen civic engagement in environmental policymaking, and find creative ways to raise public awareness. This year’s meeting in Erfurt focused on the joint creation of multimedia products to highlight environmental and democracy issues from a youth perspective.

In workshops on video production, podcasting, and digital design, participants developed creative ways to express their concerns. They produced a video documentary, a radio show, as well as blog posts and photo reports to showcase the significance of their activism. The local Radio F.R.E.I. accompanied the event, enabling participants to create their own contributions and broadcast their voices through public radio.

Political Education and Intercultural Exchange

A particular highlight was participation in a symposium on environmental policy, where young people engaged with local activists and decision-makers about their rights to have a say in climate protection issues. The city of Weimar, with its historical significance in German democracy, also offered numerous opportunities to reflect on the connection between environmental protection and political processes.

Intercultural exchange played a central role in the program. Participants took part in language animation activities, interactive games, and shared cooking evenings to experience the cultural diversity within the group. The multilingual nature of the project was supported by experienced language mediators and digital translation tools, ensuring that all young people could contribute their ideas.

Sustainable Perspectives for Youth Engagement

“European Climate Voices” was not just an opportunity for networking but also a key milestone in advancing the participants’ environmental projects. In final reflection sessions, the youths emphasized their motivation to continue their initiatives and expand their European connections. The exchange demonstrated that young people are capable of actively shaping their future and influencing environmental and democracy issues.

Our organization, Next Level e.V., based in Erfurt, is proud to have realized this project together with our partner organizations Institute for Socio-Economic Balance (Poland) and Une Terre Culturelle (France). We thank our funders, Erasmus+, DFJW, and IBB e.V., for their support and look forward to the next steps within Generation Europe: The Academy!