Next Step to Europe – Strengthening the active participation of citizens among young people in small towns

The association Innovative Activities in Education, Tourism, Health and Interculturality KDETYD participates in the program “Next Step to Europe – Strengthening the active participation of citizens among young people in small towns”. The coordinator of the project is the organization Stowarzyszenie Rozprawy o Europie Poland, and the organizations Ayuntamiento De Alzira from Spain, Mobility Opportunities Happening APS from Italy.

The first “Next Step to Europe” event took place in Poland in Starachowice and Kielce from 23 to 27 September 2024.

The first day of activities began with a group meeting and integration. This was followed by the “European Citizenship” workshop. The international participants, together with Polish young people, had the opportunity to reflect on their sense of European citizenship. We talked about values, their belonging.

With the help of conutre maps, our participants conveyed their history of social participation and talked about the opportunities the EU offers. It was a great opportunity to exchange their feelings and thoughts.

There was also a short lecture on the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The workshop was concluded with a competition with prizes. Participants tested their knowledge of the European Union – its history, important figures and dates. They also learned some interesting facts. In the afternoon, the participants visited the city’s Creativity Centre, where they met with the Starachowice Youth City Council. Together they discussed the council’s activities, the essence of social activism, the challenges of young people and the solutions the council applies. The exchange of inspiration and ideas for activities was very fruitful.