The main objective was to empower active European citizenship by promoting youth participation in the 2024 European Parliament elections and encouraging critical debate on the hot topics of climate crisis and migration. Through creative workshops at local, national, and EU level, young people developed their own political demands and expressed them through artistic formats. These were presented in a political art performance and a youth roundtable in the European Parliament to their newly elected MEPs. Furthermore, there was a focus on developing journalistic and social media skills through targeted workshops. A digital toolkit was planned to ensure that the methods and results remain accessible beyond the project. h
The partnership applied for this project because they share a strong and long-term commitment to empowering young people, fostering active citizenship, and addressing urgent social issues through creative, participatory, and inclusive methods. All partners were motivated by the need to engage young people who feel disconnected from political institutions or lack access to cultural and civic participation. The project offered a concrete framework to strengthen youth engagement around key issues of the 2024 European elections, in particular climate change and migration. By travelling to the hotspots of Lampedusa and Zicksee youth experienced the topics first hand which made them more tangible while connecting to European politics by engaging with the elections and concluding with a youth roundtable and performance in the European Parliament in Brussels. The project addressed the need to make European politics more accessible for young people. Many lack spaces to express political views, develop civic skills, or connect their lived realities with EU-level debates. By using arts-based and non-formal methods, the project lowered barriers to participation, strengthened critical thinking, and built self-confidence.