By its very definition, cohesion is the process of sticking things tightly together or, in a nutshell, unity. It is a tissue that collectively grows with each and every connection it makes.
When we apply these same principles to the Youth4Regions programme 2023, we can see an abundance of similarities.
The entire programme was a week that united all 42 of us, a week during which our shared interests and achievements poured into one collective mass. A week that proved inspirational and cemented my own confidence in what I do and, most importantly, why I do it.
Individually, we were molecules. Collectively, we became an unbreakable and everlasting bond.
I use the metaphor of cohesion because it symbolises the very existence of Youth4Regions, a programme that works to create such close friendships and relationships.
Through the combination of mentoring sessions, panel discussions, networking events and debates, the objectives of this programme were almost certainly met.
There were many other aspects alongside the timetable of events that contributed to this cohesive glue. Little things that, on paper, are insignificant but that, in the context of things, proved vital.
The small talk before/during and after the activities, having a cup of coffee at Café Léopold, walking from Motel One to the Square convention centre in Brussels. So many small things that connected us all together.
A return home
This is the stuff I strive to experience every single day. This was the stuff that played a huge part of my life when I spent exactly 293 days here in Brussels, from 1 September 2022 to 20 June 2023, while on Erasmus. Those 293 days instilled in me a passion for photography, a deeper understanding of journalism and an insurmountable belief in the European Union and its importance.
Being back here again after only three-and-a-half months, felt like home. Back into the heart of Europe. Back where I truly belong.
In journalism, we talk about connections and contacts. We talk about networking and coffee meetups. We talk about social circles and information. Brussels is the tungsten core to all of this. The place where I can thrive.
The question of identity gets thrown around a lot and people ask me: ‘what are you? Irish or European?’ My short answer: European.
The Youth4Regions programme answered that question once and for all. After I came home from Erasmus, I started questioning how my life would be without all of these connections and social bubbles, seeing as I live in the countryside of Tipperary, Ireland.
Connected to Europe
Youth4Regions gave me the relief that I had sought. I truly want to be connected to not just my own country, but to the rest of Europe, and beyond. I don’t feel tied to any particular nationality. Rather, I am just everything.
I am a cohesive sponge. I grow exponentially, absorbing everything in my path and creating new opportunities with each direction that I take.
Each day on this programme gave me exactly that. I got to film a live news broadcast for Romanian television. I took portraits for a report I did on a panel discussion about Euroscepticism. I visited the newsroom of Politico and met the editorial management of European Newsroom. I caught up with old friends at Place du Luxembourg and I met talented alumni of previous Youth4Regions programmes.
I experienced nothing but unbridled joy and excitement throughout the week. Another day, another dollar, or so to speak. Another opportunity to expand my network.
The motto of my old secondary school, Cashel Community School, is ‘Foghlaim is Fírinne – Learning and Truth’. It is a phrase that I stuck by during my six years there from 2014 – 2020. Even as a journalism student, this motto is relevant to my degree. It is my Bible. It reminds me of another famous phrase: knowledge is power.
In many ways, this is the very essence of what I do. By learning, you generate knowledge. By knowing, you hold power. It is up to us journalists to utilise such power to tell the truth and teach the truth.
The bonds and friendships we make over time give us the tools to learn and thus inform the world.
It is that cohesion that will transcend even time itself.
Ní neart go cur le chéile – there’s strength in unity
By Elio Bonelli
DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a participant of the Youth4Regions programme. The author is sharing thoughts and views about their experience at the EURegionsWeek held in October of this year. The immersive experience provided them with the opportunity to broaden their horizons, gather insights from professional journalists, and discover the workings of EU policy and institutions. The perspectives shared in this piece solely belong to the author and do not reflect the official stance of the European Commission.
