The implementation of the project 'Youth Empowerment. Changing the World Around Us.' was driven by a central objective: to empower young people and inspire them to actively engage in their communities. At its core, the project aimed to encourage participants to address pressing issues such as social exclusion and discrimination while increasing awareness among others about these critical societal challenges. A key focus of the project was to develop the competencies of young people in the art of photography. By equipping them with technical skills and fostering their ability to tell compelling stories through visual media, we aimed to empower them to effectively express their perspectives, highlight community issues, and advocate for change. Moreover, the project sought to promote a deeper understanding of cultural diversity and inclusivity. Through activities that encouraged participants to explore and appreciate differences while recognizing shared humanity, we aimed to foster empathy and mutual respect among youth from diverse backgrounds. The project also responded to the exacerbated systemic inequalities brought to light by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focused on marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, women experiencing increased rates of domestic violence, and LGBTQ+ individuals facing heightened challenges. By raising awareness of these issues, the project aimed to contribute to more inclusive recovery efforts and advocate for policies that address social disparities. A critical aspect of the project was its emphasis on youth leadership and community engagement. Through non-formal educational methods and participatory discussions, participants were encouraged to take on active roles in addressing social inclusion and advocating for equal opportunities, particularly for marginalized youth. Furthermore, the project aimed to challenge existing media narratives by empowering young people to capture and share the stories of marginalized individuals often overlooked by mainstream media. By amplifying these voices through photography, the project aimed to broaden representation and promote social change. Objectives of youth exchange ‘Youth Empowerment. Changing the World Around Us’: -to increase participant’s understanding of the concepts of visualization and communication by the visual language of photography; -to increase participant’s understanding of the roots, forms, and consequences of social exclusion, discrimination, and stigmatization; -to develop participant’s competencies to use photography as a tool of expressing own ideas, talking about issues that matter to them as well as a tool of addressing the issues of social exclusion, discrimination, and stigmatization in their societies; -to empower participants to address issues that matter to them and to be actively involved in the life of their communities by communicating and creating photo messages; -to create visual stories of social exclusion, discrimination, and stigmatization; -to develop the participant’s teamwork, communication, creative and photography competencies; -to equip the participants with knowledge on Erasmus+ Programme, especially KA1 and to create an opportunity to brainstorm new ideas for future projects in the framework of Erasmus+ programme; -to organize follow up events with the aim to raise awareness on the issues of social exclusion and discrimination in participating communities;