At the Just Transition Platform Conference, Panorama spoke with the young activists from the EUTeens4Green advocating for a Just transition in their regions. Read about their hopes for the equitable and sustainable future that the European Green Deal might deliver…if we listen to them.

‘EUR 32.4 billion in resources from the development and cohesion fund will go to Italy’s regions and autonomous provinces for the 2021-27 programming period.’ Thus reads the tagline on the screen in my waiting room at Marco Polo Venice Airport.

EU Cohesion Policy is one thing. The act of cohesion is another. However, both have the same principles and outcomes.

The glass doors of the Hilton let us in one by one. Thirty-eight young people filled the rooms, a little scared and excited at the same time. There was a buzz of different languages in the air: the Italians spoke with emotion, using their gestures as punctuation. French, Greek, Bulgarian, Ukrainian and many other languages echoed from the corners of the room. English united us all, building bridges between people who would never have met in other circumstances.

On 7 October 2023, fighters of the Islamist terror group Hamas breached the border defenses separating the Gaza strip and southern Israel. There they would stay for more than a day before the Israeli security services drove them back to Gaza. In their wake, they left carnage.

The European Year of Skills is creating awareness about and encouraging solutions to the shortage of skilled workers in many regions. The Harnessing Talent Platform is one of the tools the European Commission has developed to help Europe’s regions promote, retain and attract the talents that their economies lack.

On June the 2nd we found each other again in the sunny Krakow, ready to embark on the train trip of our lives. But neither of us were really thinking about the many adventures that were awaiting us.

Greater cooperation, dialogue and youth involvement can strengthen the role of the Western Balkans in the EU, leaders of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), said during its 8th annual forum in Sarajevo from 23 to 25 May 2023.

This article was written by a member of the Youth4Regions programme, following her participation in Regions Week, which was held in October this year. The experience allowed her to expand her horizons – to learn from experienced journalists and discover the workings of EU policy and institutions.

This article was written by a young member of the Youth4Regions programme, following her participation in Regions Week, which was held in October this year. She argues that the event is an opportunity to bring citizens and EU institutions together. Young journalists can contribute to closing the gap between them and to communicating the benefits of cohesion policy funding.

This article was written by a member of the Youth4Regions programme, following her participation in Regions Week, which was held in October this year. She expresses admiration for the spirit of inclusiveness, cohesion and freedom that the EU embodies.

This article was written by a young member of the Youth4Regions programme, following her participation in the EU Regions Week, which was held in October this year. She argues that aspiring journalists should explain to citizens, in clear, accessible language, how the EU works and its impact on their lives. In addition, the role of the EU and its institutions needs to be taught in schools.

The European Year of Youth in 2022 has been an occasion to honour and empower young Europeans. Throughout the year, cohesion policy led to several initiatives and involved young people in open dialogue to mobilise and support their efforts to achieve a green and resilient Europe.

More than a year ago, when 2022 was announced as the European Year of Youth, Interreg programmes did not hesitate for a second to climb on board the Youth train and DG Regional and Urban Policy’s flagship initiative “Youth4Cooperation”.

A programme to support Interreg through youth involvement. The Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) initiative is a unique opportunity to have a lasting impact on European cooperation and an investment in the future of regions. Now celebrating its 5th anniversary, IVY has already made an impact on the lives of over 780 young people who participated in the programme along with their mentors.

During the European Week of Regions and Cities, the Commission has awarded the Megalizzi – Niedzielski prize to young journalists Ani Arveladze from Georgia, Laura Bannier from France and Mateja Kelemenic from Croatia. In 2022, at its fourth edition, the prize also featured a new category for photo-journalism. Panorama spoke to the three winners to learn more about their work and the experience they had at the EU Week of Regions and Cities that just ended in Brussels.

Freedom of movement is fundamental to the European Union, yet it can result in an exit of young talent and workforces from one region to another. A recent dialogue between young leaders and EU Commissioner Elisa Ferreira underlined areas that need addressing and showcased several measures to tackle the issue.

Youth4Regions is the European Commission programme that helps journalism students and young journalists discover what the EU is doing in their region. In 2021, we received 354 applications and selected 33 participants. This series is a selection of the best articles resuming the experience of four participants during the EU Regions Week and the Youth4Regions programme. This third article of our series is written by Xoel Rodríguez Poy.

Youth4Regions is the European Commission programme that helps journalism students and young journalists discover what the EU is doing in their region. In 2021, we received 354 applications and selected 33 participants. This series is a selection of the best articles resuming the experience of four participants during the EU Regions Week and the Youth4Regions programme. This third article of our series is written by the storyteller Vicky Hristova.

The EU’s path toward decarbonisation is not straightforward, or perfectly predictable, but we need to advance quickly. Interreg funding, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is making a difference by providing support for a generation of ground-breaking solutions to achieve that goal, writes Alessia Baratto.

Youth4Regions is the European Commission programme that helps journalism students and young journalists discover what the EU is doing in their region. In 2021, we received 354 applications and selected 33 participants. This series is a selection of the best articles resuming the experience of four participants during the EU Regions Week and the Youth4Regions programme. This second article of our series written by Isabelle Bock questions the real visibility of the #EURegionsWeek.

Youth4Regions is the European Commission programme that helps journalism students and young journalists discover what the EU is doing in their region. In 2021, we received 354 applications from EU, accession and neighbouring countries. We selected 33 participants, which came to Brussels during the EU Regions’ Week and followed dedicated trainings, worked in the pressroom and visited EU media organizations. This series is a selection of the best articles resuming the experience of four participants during the EU Regions Week and the Youth4Regions programme.

The EU is committed to encouraging a more sustainable tourism industry, with Interreg playing an important role in funding tangible local strategies to achieve that goal, writes Laurence Moureh-Ledig.

More than 540 volunteers aged 18-30 have joined the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) initiative since March 2017 to experience and learn about cross-border, transnational or interregional programmes and projects. One of them is Luca Arfini, a young Italian passionate about communication. Read what it meant for him working as an Interreg Reporter at the Managing Authority/Joint Secretariat (MA/JS) of Interreg Baltic Sea Region.

In the last of our four-part series focusing on the strong links between EU regional policy and the younger generation, we look at how DG REGIO’s Youth4Regions programme is reaching out to aspiring young journalists.

As part of the European Commission’s Junior Professionals Programme, this initiative involved young staff members from various EC Directorates working together for youth. On behalf of DG REGIO, their main mission was to invite young people to get involved in the Just Transition Fund .

The second article in our new series focuses on a group of young Europeans who, in October 2020, contributed to the publication of the ‘Manifesto for Young People by Young People to Shape the European Cooperation Policy’.

There is a very good reason for engaging youth in initiatives such as policymaking. Throughout history, young people have played a central role in the awareness and evolution of our democracy, our societies and our civilisations.