“Turn Your Mind Green” project tackles the current environmental problems EU states are facing and how they are affecting communities and citizens’ health and wellbeing. Recent statistics by the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that Eastern Europe is the continent’s most polluted region. The Republic of North Macedonia was considered one of the most polluted European nations according to these statistics. Air pollution is a major cause of premature death and disease and is the single largest environmental health risk in Europe according to various studies, highlighted in the European Environment Agency’s “Air Quality in Europe - 2019 Report”. According to the European Commission, half of the EU countries are at risk of missing the municipal waste recycling target of 50% by 2020 (including Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal). The Special Eurobarometer 490 from 2019 shows that most respondents consider climate change one of the most serious problems facing the world and that it is primarily the responsibility of national governments and the business and industry sector to make a change. Romania and Bulgaria have the least respondents ranking climate change as the biggest problem facing the world and who have personally taken any action to fight it. Youth, ages 15-24, have the biggest percentage (26%) of respondents who believe climate change is the single most serious problem facing the world. Youth who completed education at 20+ are more likely to take personal action than those who completed their education at younger ages, especially 15 or less. In the Special Eurobarometer 479 from 2018, most respondents (including ages 15-24) believe that climate change is due to human activity, that more measures should be implemented to promote and encourage recycling, energy efficiency and the development of a clean and modern economy and that public financial support should be given to the transition to clean energy. The project will gather young participants, ages 18-24, high school students or graduates, from different EU countries facing environmental problems, countries that need to improve their recycling and waste management, reduce pollution and raise awareness among their citizens about environment protection. The purpose of the project is to engage young participants in active citizenship to help fight environmental issues within their communities. To do so, we will select youth with a keen interest in environmental issues and the will to turn ideas into actions. Project objectives: 1. Raising awareness among all participants about the short and long-term impact of pollution and waste on health and communities and the importance of personal example and involvement to help make a change. (O1) 2. Empowering participants to take action within their communities, by bringing together (at least 5) relevant local institutions, companies and NGOs that can cooperate and find solutions to combat local environmental issues. (O2) Throughout the activities, we want to empower participants to take action in their communities and engage in a dialogue with local companies, institutions and NGOs, by preparing local events to raise awareness on specific environmental issues and the importance of transectorial cooperation. The project will include participants with less access to youth dedicated programmes and opportunities, from smaller towns or rural zones, where environmental education is scarce. The project is in accordance with the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 and the Erasmus+ 2020 specific youth objectives, which focus on: engaging, empowering and connecting youth, active citizenship, social inclusion and transectorial cooperation. Goal 10 - Sustainable Green Europe also focuses on: youth knowing the effect of their actions on the environment; empowering the entire society especially youth to act as agents of change for environmental and sustainable development.