Barbara Favaro, IVY volunteer battles to protect the marine environment

Hello everyone! I am Barbara Favaro, IVY volunteer at the EUCC – The Coastal Union of Germany in Rostock-Warnemünde (https://www.eucc-d.de/).

EUCC-D is an NGO, promoting the sustainable development of coasts and seas in Germany by developing and implementing projects in the Baltic Sea region.

During my IVY experience, I have researched into environmental issues and helped in the implementation of Interreg projects, which try to tackle these issues. I have been able to enter into contact with local and international stakeholders and see how relevant cooperation is to overcoming common challenges and share best practices.

Moreover, I have had the opportunity to develop my own event – the so-called Citizens´ Engagement Activity – named SeaBeyondBorders, with the aim of informing citizens about the benefits brought to the Baltic Sea region in the fields of coastal protection and sustainable development thanks to European territorial cooperation. Organizing this event allowed me to grow personally and professionally and represented a great opportunity to bring the EU closer to its citizens, giving citizens the opportunity to participate in the development of their regions.