Jens Schmitz – 24 – Germany

Jens Schmitz – 24 – Germany

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Spain, 2016

Jens participated in a VET apprenticeship at CASPA’s modern dairy factory in Oviedo. During his stay in Spain, he mastered not only the theory and technical skills from his mechanical engineering studies but he also got hands-on practice. He built up his confidence in Spanish and his own independence. As a football fan, Jens always believed that sport can bring people closer together so he made new friends at work and on the football field. In addition, thanks to techniques he acquired during his Erasmus+ experience, RWE, one of Germany's top Energy firms has offered him a permanent position as an electro-technician.

Antoine Bertouille – 24 – Belgium

Antoine Bertouille – 24 – Belgium

Erasmus - Higher Education

Poland, 2016

When Antoine went to Warsaw, he did not expect to see such a perfect example of a mix of culture. During his Erasmus+ programme, he made lifelong friends and now knows that there is an open door for him in most European countries. Having adapted to a new environment, culture and language, Antoine feels like he has grown as a person and feels more and more grateful for the opportunities that Europe brings. He recommends that anyone should take advantage of this ‘amazing, unexpected experience’.

Nazaret Bonal Rodríguez – 27 – Spain

Nazaret Bonal Rodríguez – 27 – Spain

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

France, 2015

Nazaret studied bakery, patisserie and confectionery at the Andrés de Vandelvira VET School in Albacete. Thanks to the Erasmus+ Programme, she enjoyed the unique experience of following an on-the-job training in Potel et Chabot, one of the most famous catering companies in the world. She was mentored by 2009 Patisserie World Champion, Marc Rivière, and met Michelin-stat chefs Anne Sophie Pic and Guy Savoy. She also had the extraordinary opportunity to take part in the preparation of the catering for Roland Garros and the Orient Express. This outstanding experience changed her life forever. She currently works at the exclusive nouvelle cuisine Don Gil restaurant in Albacete, where she was offered the post before finishing her Erasmus+ experience.

Mihovil Španja – 33 – Croatia

Mihovil Španja – 33 – Croatia

Erasmus – Sport

Germany, 2012

For Paralympian Mihovil, a placement at the headquarters of the International Paralympic Committee was an incredible experience. After 4 Paralympic medals, 4 European and World Champion titles for swimming under his belt, Mihovil then had the privilege of seeing what happens behind the scenes of the biggest non-profit organisation in the Paralympic movement. His advice to potential Erasmus students: follow your dream, it will help you both in your private and professional life.

Dejan Kramžar – 37 – Slovenia

Dejan Kramžar – 37 – Slovenia

School Education – eTwinning

Italy and Austria, 2009- Present

History and German teacher, Dejan, has been a devoted eTwinning ambassador for years, and plans to stay so for many more. His eTwinning project ‘YES’ (Young Europeans Speak) won the Zlati kabel award for best Slovene project for 12 to 14-year olds. He empowered their achievement: the students not only spoke and wrote English; they also filmed and recorded themselves. Another eTwinning project he worked on developed a calendar and a board game with schools from Italy and Austria. No surprise that Dejan was named 2016 ‘Teacher of the year’ by the Ona Magazine in Slovenia.

Murièle Dejaune – 53 – France

Murièle Dejaune – 53 – France

School Education - eTwinning

17 countries, 2008

English and French teacher, Murièle, has developed 33 successful, original eTwinning projects with 17 countries and has won national and European prizes. She has also coordinated Vocational Education and Training projects for her students for 6 years. Working collaboratively has motivated her students: they are more open to the world, more curious and they have improved their language and ICT skills. Murièle is convinced that sharing ideas and working with European colleagues has enriched her professional and personal life. Her school is also a European Parliament Ambassador school.

Arturs Bukonts – 29 – Latvia

Arturs Bukonts – 29 – Latvia

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Turkey, 2006

Arturs is the managing director of 3 Latvian forest industry organisations: the Latvian Association of Independent Timber Harvesting Companies, Latvian Association of Wood Processing Entrepreneurs and Exporters, and is the CEO of Latvian Wood Association. Back in 2006, he participated in a 3-week traineeship in Turkey, while studying at Riga State technical school. He learnt new techniques of wood processing and met known specialists in the field. He also discovered different cultures and how this reflects on the workflow and productivity of larger and smaller wood processing companies. He also came across solutions to these challenges in enterprises that export their production to European countries.  Arturs' advice for future Erasmus+ participants is to keep their eyes and minds open to new knowledge and fully embrace different aspects of everyday life in a foreign country.

Serap Yeter Bilal – 30 – Turkey

Serap Yeter Bilal – 30 – Turkey

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Germany, Hungary, Romania and Belgium, 2007- present

Serap is an EU projects writer for the Turkish government, applying for funds to assist local initiatives. She participated in 4 Erasmus programmes as a student in Germany, a trainee in Belgium and Romania and a youth leader in Hungary. She organised numerous youth exchanges and training courses on EU youth programmes. Besides being a beneficiary, she also worked as a youth worker and Erasmus+ Vice Institutional Coordinator in a university. In Germany, she discovered non-formal education methods such as interactive teaching where students are encouraged to express themselves. Growing up alone, she describes the Programme as a regenerative energy and a supportive bough in her life. She thinks Erasmus breaks prejudices and reaches out well to people in difficult economic situations.

Pranas Kentra – 34 – Lithuania

Pranas Kentra – 34 – Lithuania

Erasmus- Higher Education

The Netherlands, 2005-2006

As one of the first Lithuanian jazz guitarists to study abroad, Pranas got the chance to play, improvise and compose with incredible musicians from different countries and continents. During his time at Prins Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, he learnt valuable life lessons, made valuable contacts and developed as a person and musician. Inspired by this experience, the guitarist returned to The Netherlands with his group 9 years later and released their debut album, Vague Memoirs. Pranas now teaches at Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy, Vilniaus Kolegija University of Applied Sciences and the Juozas Gruodis Conservatoire. His latest album Centrifuge came out in 2016.

Mikko Hietala – 31 – Finland

Mikko Hietala – 31 – Finland

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Austria, 2004

Mikko is the 2015 winner of reality TV show, Best bakery in Finland. During an Erasmus+ traineeship in Austria’s bakeries in Pinkafield, Mikko not only boosted his English, but learnt interesting baking techniques and enlarged his professional network. So it is no wonder that Mikko is now the owner of his own bakery and 2 cafés in Turku, Finland. Mikko's most extraordinary experience was working with Rinfhoffer Bakery, where he learnt a whole new skillset through studying local products and their production processes. Mikko's tip for Erasmus+ trainees: take full advantage of the stay abroad and apply their skills to various settings!

Tiago Brandão Rodrigues – 40 – Portugal

Tiago Brandão Rodrigues – 40 – Portugal

Erasmus – Higher Education and Marie Curie fellowship

Spain, 1999-2000

‘There’s no other programme or initiative that can beat this one: because Erasmus+ allows people to leave their homes, to feel uneasy and to try and feel at home in a place that they don’t know at first. That’s the greatest and most rewarding experience.’

The Portuguese Minister for Education has had over 15 years’ experience living and working abroad. It all began in 1999, when Tiago undertook a one-year academic internship at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid. He continued this research throughout his PhD in Biochemistry, in Portugal, Spain and the USA. Later he worked as a scientific researcher at the Cancer Research UK in the University of Cambridge, with funding from the European Commission through the Marie Curie Programme and the European Molecular Biology Organization. Tiago thanks Erasmus+ for giving him the confidence to pursue an international career. He recommends young people to take advantage of this opportunity and get to know a different Europe to what they are used to.

Gianni Cristian Iannelli – 30 – Italy

Gianni Cristian Iannelli – 30 – Italy

Founder and CEO of Ticinum Aerospace

Higher Education – United Kingdom, 2010

‘Those who participate in Erasmus+ enter the business market where they see the theory they learned at university applied in practice.’

After 5 months of Erasmus+ experience during his graduate studies in Pavia, Gianni has a career path in sight. Working at a global risk and disaster management consultancy in Ashtead during his Erasmus+, he learnt tools that assess the risk of natural hazards by means of space-borne Earth observation data. This was the ‘starting point’ for him to launch his own company, after completing a PhD and going on to invent new state-of-the art techniques in geospatial data analysis. The Erasmus+ experience helped Gianni to gain a clear view on his carrier aspirations: 'if I hadn't done Erasmus I would still be confused about what to do next ... this experience gave me a hint about what I want to do for the next 10-20 years … After my experience I went back to Italy and started to focus more in-depth on catastrophe analysis based on satellite data. I made a lot of new connections through networking and today I am leading a company in this field.’

Other than career path and technical skills, Gianni perfected his presentation and language skills, and opened his mind to other cultures and work practices which he later put in practice in Italy and Brazil - all thanks to his Erasmus+ experience.

As an employer today, Gianni is an advocate for young people going abroad and says that those who have travelled are more prone to learn new things, to accept different and challenging situations and to bring forward new ideas: ‘if you have a lot of experiences you can see much further than others … you have more data to compare and you can take better decisions based on your experiences.’

His company, Ticinum Aerospace, is currently active in satellite data analysis for risk assessment, and has been awarded a gold medal and a certificate as the ‘most innovative company’ by the province of Pavia in Italy.

 

Alexandra Pascalidou – 46 – Sweden

Alexandra Pascalidou – 46 – Sweden

Award-winning writer, television and radio presenter, actor and human rights advocate

Greece, 1991-92

‘Erasmus+ gave me the possibility to unite my Greek and Swedish backgrounds, which enhanced my European identity.’

Born in Romania, Alexandra lived in Greece until her family moved to Sweden, when she was 6 years old. Growing up in one of the poorest areas of Stockholm, she was the first person in her family to go to university and an early participant of the Erasmus programme. Alexandra chose to study at one of the smallest universities in Europe - the University of Crete, Rethymnon.

Alexandra’s Erasmus experience enhanced her European identity by uniting her two cultural backgrounds and since then she has forged a highly successful television career in both Sweden and Greece. She says 'Erasmus was really the springboard in my career'. Alexandra represented Sweden in the Council of Europe’s ‘All different – all equal’ campaign. She is also nominated for the 2017 Swedish Grand Prize for Journalism in the ‘Storyteller of the Year’ category. She is currently starring in Alexandra’s Odyssey, in Stockholm - a play she wrote about current events in Europe.

Einar Nilsson – 52 – Norway

Einar Nilsson – 52 – Norway

Restorative craftsman, designer and media personality

Italy, 1997

'Cultural exchange is very important, to see how things are done in other parts of the world. My restoration business is now full of different flavours and facets. It’s about variety, and I think variety is great!'

Creativity, a spirit of adventure and a desire to learn and share new skills have made Einar a household name in his native Norway. As a participant on the popular TV home makeover show ‘Tid for hjem’, Einar is part of a team that renovates and redesigns houses, and he is known to be a keen advocate of traditional handicrafts. He also runs his own design company.

Einar believes that variety is the spice of life. Some of this joie de vivre comes from his experience in Venice, where he spent three months studying the conservation of wall paintings as part of a Leonardo Da Vinci exchange programme (former Erasmus+ programme in the field of vocational and education training). This experience not only enabled him to learn traditional Italian restorative techniques, completely new to him but to also meet inspiring crafts people from all over Europe who had come to Venice to study.

The experience of living and working in an ancient city that is itself undergoing constant restoration was motivating, and feeds into Einar’s work today. Sometimes when he is working on a stucco lustro, or a piece of restoration, he says, memories of Venice come flooding back. One thing Einar believes is ‘we definitely need to learn more from each other'. This is one of the reasons he likes variation in his life and career. He believes that 'there is always something that can be exchanged in the cultural sphere.’

Grete Paia – 21 – Estonia

Grete Paia – 21 – Estonia

Singer

Italy, 2015-16

'I wasn’t scared anymore and I think this newfound confidence was a direct result of my Erasmus+ experience.'

Grete is an Estonian successful singer and songwriter. She is best known for performing in the country’s national Eurovision competition Eesti Laul in both 2013 and 2016. Grete spent a semester at Milan’s Bocconi University, where she studied marketing and finance. Her Erasmus+ experience enhanced her personal development; she became stronger, more independent and confident. She also became calmer, which has been key to conquering her stage fright. Grete says that she gained a 'completely new mindset' which helped her to develop her creativity, as she wrote many songs during her stay in Italy.

According to Grete the Erasmus+ generation is more open-minded than previous generations. Being born in a time of free movement, she doesn’t understand the idea of boundaries stopping her from going anywhere. ‘If I have a performance in another country, I never think of being stopped from going there. You should be able to go wherever you want.’ This natural freedom Grete feels will likely mean doing a second Erasmus+ stint in the future - perhaps a communication course in the University of Amsterdam.

Eva Sakalova – 31 – Slovakia

Eva Sakalova – 31 – Slovakia

Actress

Germany, 2005-06

'It’s important to connect with other people and communities, to play together and not against each other.'

Eva is a theatre and film actress who recently starred in a film which premiered in Vienna in 2016. Her Erasmus experience at the Hannover University of Drama, in Germany, made her more independent and open. She improved her German language and made contacts which led her to more acting roles.

Eva learnt a new way of singing while in Germany which she took back and applied on the home stage. The experience also made her more confident when cast in international roles and to work internationally. She uses techniques from both schools and can ‘work with other actors, directors, theatres and companies that are doing a great job, great art.’

In addition to taking people out of their comfort zone, Eva believes that taking advantage of the freedom to study, work and travel leads people to grow personally and better understand situations other people are living in. Her parents told her stories of living in a time where free movement was limited, so she values the freedom to choose where to live and work today, and to meet great people abroad. She believes people can grow personally through Erasmus+ and ‘better understand differences, connect and support each other much more’. An impact Erasmus+ has on people today is that ‘those in a good situation can support those in a less favourable situation.’

Thora Arnorsdottir – 42 – Iceland

Thora Arnorsdottir – 42 – Iceland

Media personality and a candidate for the presidential election in June 2012

Italy, 1997-98

‘If you get to know people of different nationalities with different cultures, different traditions, it’s so obvious that you will not think of them as your enemies. It reduces xenophobia, ignorance; it just opens your mind to the diversity of the world.’

For Thora the Erasmus+ programme is one of the European Union’s best inventions because it ‘changes everything’. She is the editor of an Icelandic TV news magazine and the founder of a documentary production company. She was also the runner-up in the 2012 Iceland presidential elections.

Thora’s Erasmus experience in Genoa, Italy had a profound impact on her life: it made her stronger and more confident; it helped her learn Italian and develop an interest for Italy’s culture and politics. She credits her Erasmus experience with helping her get a job in the media a few months after her return. Even today she will cover breaking news from Italy.

Good friendships and gaining a second family with whom she still has strong connections was another plus of Thora’s experience. She encourages young people to be active and ‘open to all the diversity that is right around you and let your voice be heard’.

Tania Habimana – 27 – United Kingdom

Tania Habimana – 27 – United Kingdom

Erasmus – Higher Education

Germany, 2009

Tania grew up in the UK and Belgium. With Erasmus, she studied international business and German. The experience presented Tania with the opportunity to build an international network of contacts, and prompted new, entrepreneurial ideas. Today, Tania runs her own enterprise Tailored Business, a TV show which documents experiences of designing suits for individuals in Africa, and interviewing them about their own careers. Tania is an advocate for women entrepreneurs, and hopes that her TV show will inspire others to explore their own business talents. Tania also contributes to Elle magazine South Africa as a careers specialist.

Simona Bisboaca – 37 – Romania

Simona Bisboaca – 37 – Romania

Erasmus – Higher Education

Italy, 2001

During her Erasmus exchange, Simona was able to take full advantage of the lab facilities available at the University of Bologna, and greatly improved her Italian. On returning to Romania after her stay abroad, Simona was able to secure employment at an Italian firm based in Romania; this was thanks to the language skills and knowledge she had developed abroad. Simona also became more confident and entrepreneurial thanks to her time in Italy. Simona now runs her own company which manufactures a powerful anti-oxidant supplement which she discovered as part of her research. Her research and entrepreneurial skills have led to two patents for her products. Simona is a keen advocate of engaging young people in science and research and allowing them the educational opportunities to grow and innovate.

Anna Kwiatkowska – 50 – Poland

Anna Kwiatkowska – 50 – Poland

Adult Education

Poland, 2013 - Present

Anna is an IT specialist, developing educational tools for people with intellectual disabilities as part of a number of Erasmus+ projects. Anna and her colleagues at the Polish Association for Persons with Intellectual Disability build partnerships with therapists and psychologists across Europe to improve people’s employability, thus helping them live more fulfilling and meaningful lives. To Anna, Erasmus+ means breaking barriers using new technologies. Recently, she helped create a tailor-made computer lab and got to witness how this can help change people’s lives.

Roberto Breeveld – 30 – Netherlands

Roberto Breeveld – 30 – Netherlands

School Education – eTwinning

Germany, Denmark, UK, France & Sweden,  2012

Roberto is a geography teacher and enthusiastic eTwinning ambassador for the Netherlands. Since 2012, Robert has led two eTwinning projects, organising virtual student exchanges across five European countries. By interacting with people from different backgrounds, his pupils gain new perspectives and become more open to new ways of thinking and learning. They also greatly improve their English language and ICT skills. The experience is also educational for Roberto himself, prompting him to try new and exciting approaches to teaching and learning.

Ruth Frendo – 37 – Malta

Ruth Frendo – 37 – Malta

Adult Education

Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, 2015

Ruth represented Malta in a multi-country Erasmus+ project which promoted social inclusion. During the project, Ruth interviewed asylum seekers and refugees in Malta and was able to connect with people on a personal level through their stories. Ruth learnt a lot from her experience, and built lasting relationships with colleagues throughout Europe. Ruth's research was translated into seven European languages, and resulted in the production of a television documentary.

Aleksandra Krsteska – 24 – The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Aleksandra Krsteska – 24 – The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

European Voluntary Service (EVS)

Spain, 2014

Aleksandra currently works as an EVS Placement Coordinator in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. During her own stint in Spain, Aleksandra volunteered at Adefis Juventud Internacional in Madrid. In this role, she worked with recently arrived migrants and jobseekers to improve their employability and access administrative and learning channels. This experience enabled Aleksandra to develop the skills necessary to land an internship at the Macedonian embassy in Madrid, and ultimately her current job. Additionally, her time as an EVS volunteer provided Aleksandra with the opportunity to make lasting friendships and build a professional network, as well as improving her English and Spanish language skills.

Claude Englebert – 39 – Luxembourg

Claude Englebert – 39 – Luxembourg

Youth in Action

Germany, 2002

Claude is a specialised educator at the Collectif Dadofonic Ligue HMC in Luxembourg, a professional group of performing artists with special needs. He volunteered at Cabuwazi, a Berlin-based association organising circus workshops for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Claude feels an Erasmus experience helps young people grow up and find out what jobs they really want to do. He met his soon-to-be wife during her Erasmus; they now have an ‘Erasmus baby’.

Katja Nigsch – 40 – Liechtenstein

Katja Nigsch – 40 – Liechtenstein

Vocational and Educational Training (VET)

Ireland, 1999

Katja completed a traineeship at the Connacht Tribune in Galway, as part of her training to become a graphic designer. She now works in Liechtenstein as an office assistant at the Ministry of Health, and on weekends at an art museum. Prior to her VET mobility, Katja felt shy when speaking English. By the end of her traineeship, however, she noticed a marked improvement in her language skills, and even felt confident in her ability to live and work internationally. Her experience also allowed Katja to appreciate the wealth of knowledge to be gained by adapting to new ways of life and being open to other cultures.

Michael Ward – 23 – Ireland

Michael Ward – 23 – Ireland

European Voluntary Service (EVS)

Estonia, Finland, Georgia, 2013

Michael is a youth worker and currently part of the National Youth Action Group in Ireland. He is a strong advocate of Erasmus+ programmes, having participated in an EVS exchange to Estonia in November 2013 and gone on to lead youth exchanges in Finland and Georgia. A member of the Irish Traveller ethnic group in Ireland, Michael believes that international exchanges help to remove prejudices and give participants opportunities they might otherwise not have known existed. He plans to study abroad next year, and his ultimate goal is to establish an NGO that helps disadvantaged youth to realise their potential.

Gellért Szó – 28 – Hungary

Gellért Szó – 28 – Hungary

Vocational and Educational Training (VET)

France, 2014

Gellért spent his apprenticeship in France learning the tricks of the trade from pastry chefs. An avid baker since he was a teenager, Gellért used his time in France to further improve his skills and techniques, and explore new methods of work. Gellért now owns an award-winning bakery in Budapest, and has recently opened a second branch in Eger, Hungary. Gellért has employed the skills he learnt on his Erasmus+ traineeship, and been awarded the 'Best Cake' prize in Hungary for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016).

Nicolas Pallikarakis – 68 – Greece

Nicolas Pallikarakis – 68 – Greece

International Cooperation

19 Partner countries, since 1990

Despite officially retiring recently, Nicolas remains committed to fostering excellence in the field of biomedical engineering and encouraging European research collaboration within Europe and beyond. As Professor Emeritus at Patras University in Greece, Nicolas continues to teach postgraduates, coordinate R&D activities and support new Erasmus+ programmes at the university. Nicolas was an early advocate of harmonising biomedical engineering curricula across Europe and beyond, and has seen first-hand the benefits to students, institutions and citizens in general of closer research collaboration in medical research. His current ambition is to strengthen synergies with universities in South America.

Mina Jaf – 28 – Denmark

Mina Jaf – 28 – Denmark

European Voluntary Service (EVS)

Belgium, 2015

Having left Iraqi Kurdistan as a child, Mina understands the importance of protecting refugee rights. In 2015, she volunteered at Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen (Flemish Refugee Action) for a year. The experience allowed her to develop her own skills, such as languages (she speaks five), management, leadership, and coordination. Mina is passionate about protecting the rights of refugees. She established the organisation Women Refugee Route which aims to provide information and services to women and girls during their journey, and increasing their visibility. In 2016, Mina was awarded the Voices of Courage Award by the Women's Refugee Commission.

Martina Baseggio – 39 – Czech Republic

Martina Baseggio – 39 – Czech Republic

School Education

Czech Republic, 2008-present

Martina is an established eTwinning Erasmus+ ambassador, organising virtual exchanges with schools throughout Europe. In 2008, she took part in a Comenius project which explored the social impact of migration. She later ran a project combining language learning and ICT. In her school in Ostrava, Martina is currently running a programme for English and Spanish teachers, which involves short-term teacher exchanges and job shadowing. In 2011 and again in 2015, Martina was awarded the European Language Label for her work. Martina is a firm believer in eTwinning as it has helped her students experience other cultures, form their own opinions and identify as European citizens.

Xenia Constantinou – 37 – Cyprus

Xenia Constantinou – 37 – Cyprus

Erasmus – Higher Education

France, 1999

Xenia’s Erasmus experience piqued her interest in European integration. While doing her thesis on the same subject, she discovered the Council of Europe Human Rights in Education programme in Budapest and promptly enrolled. She then started running communal peace activities between young Turkish and Greek Cypriots and not long after, took advantage of the Erasmus youth programme to organise exchange visits between Cypriots and other Europeans. Xenia has twice served as Vice-President of the Cyprus National Youth Council (CYC). She has also served as Vice-President of the European Youth Forum (YFJ). Since November 2014, she is Chairwoman of the Democratic Rally Women's’ Organisation in Cyprus.

Christina, Angela & Yuriy – Bulgaria, Moldova & Ukraine

Christina, Angela & Yuriy – Bulgaria, Moldova & Ukraine

International Cooperation Project

10 countries, 2012-15

Are three of the many people involved in La MANCHE, a project promoting the modernisation of higher education in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. In addition to these countries, the consortium includes five EU Member States. The project has been instrumental in leading change for all countries involved.  By involving students in decision-making processes, the project generated innovative ways of thinking and new approaches to management. For the students involved, it also equipped them with valuable skills which improved their employability.

Ali Mahlodji – 35 – Austria

Ali Mahlodji – 35 – Austria

Youth in Action

Germany, Italy & Switzerland, 2011

Ali is the co-founder and managing director of the whatchado job-counselling platform. On it, people from across the work share their inspiring stories and provide young people with insights into their job and studies.

Watchado began as a side project in 2011, and expanded after receiving financial support from the Youth in Action programme. The funding and instant access to education experts changed everything, and whatchado now employs 50 people, from 15 countries. The platform currently has 1 million visitors per month and helps young people find opportunities. Ali was nominated as an EU Youth ambassador in 2013 and as part of this role, he was invited to the European Parliament to share his story. In his speech, he mentioned the importance of people working together and not against each other.