The primary objective was to raise young people's awareness of waste reduction and the circular economy, developing advocacy and active European citizenship skills for a proactive role in the ecological transition. Specific objectives included gaining an international perspective, exchanging good recycling practices, and strengthening European citizenship awareness through direct exposure to EU policies. Specifically, the aim was to raise awareness of the impact of waste, gain an international perspective on innovative recycling, and strengthen European citizenship awareness through dialogue with EU institutions.
Background: Why did you apply for this project? What were the needs you have addressed? Limited awareness of the Circular Economy and the high production of urban waste in Europe, especially in large urban agglomerations, called for proactive youth intervention. The project addressed the need to raise awareness among young people (19-25 years old) from metropolitan areas with diverse waste management situations: from Bitonto (high collection, actual recycling rate could be improved to 50-55%), to Varna (critical management issues, illegal trafficking, and a low recycling rate of 25%), to Stuttgart (an advanced model but with challenges related to reuse). The aim was to address the lack of environmental awareness, the problem of illegal landfills, and the limited dissemination of reuse solutions by visiting exemplary models in Belgium and increasing the perception of common European citizenship. The waste challenges are common, but the solutions and critical issues vary across Europe (from the efficient German system to the illegal trafficking in Bulgaria). Cooperation between partners (Italy, Germany, Bulgaria) was necessary to exchange best practices and address problems jointly, enriching participants with a European perspective