In youth exchanges, we wanted to provide young people with an opportunity to learn from each other and use debate methodology to build confidence, democratic values, and shared European identities. We wanted to empower them to direct their own learning processes and co-create content. In staff mobilities we wanted to empower young people who will begin volunteering and already experienced youth workers to co-create and lead non-formal learning activities using debate as a tool for civic participation and inter-cultural participation. Overall we wanted to connect youth, educators, and organisations across Europe so that by working together they can build cooperation, understanding, and real impact in their communities. Young participants were actively involved in the process of designing the project, contributing to identifying key topics, designing and testing activity formats. This ensured that our programme reflected their needs, expected outcomes and goals and provided a space for engaging in the project from the beginning to fulfil main goal of Empower–Engage–Connect framework of all activities. Participants from earlier events were encouraged to be a facilitator in later events, or even during the event, where they were just in a role of a participant via peer-to-peer sessions. We had 6 objectives EMPOWER O1: Build trainer and youth worker capacity With strong facilitation and clear feedback, youth workers create safe, inclusive, non-formal spaces where young people lead and learn by doing. We focused on feedback, because the majority of our activities are participant-led, and feedback is one of the main forms of instruction. While both Youth Forum events were primarily aimed at intercultural learning, we integrated youth worker and educator shadowing and reflective discussion activities as well, aimed at group leaders O2: Expand activities that support democratic participation and trust in democratic institutions We aimed to give young people real space to take part in intercultural, non-formal youth exchanges using debate as a tool for democracy and participation, discussing important issues, exchanging views and experiences. The Youth Forums were the main activities here. Before each Forum, partners held national pre-meetings where young people helped choose themes and methods, and facilitators met with participants who pitched activities online to co-create them. During the events, participants designed, facilitated, and evaluated workshops and debates on civic engagement, equality, world politics, and ethics. This co-creation built critical thinking, clear communication, and active citizenship ENGAGE O3: Create accessible, non-competitive activities that support soft and transferable skills development We set a clear goal to promote accessible, non-competitive activities that use debate as a means to an end, not the end itself. We focused this objective in Warsaw through staff mobility for youth workers and educators. They worked together to share practice in leading and educating youth, project management, partnership building, and other parts of non-formal education. We also used digital tools to support collaboration, share materials, and keep the exchange accessible for everyone O4: Foster Peer Learning and Reflection We established a peer-trainer model that enables young people to progress from participants to co-facilitators. During each activity of each event participants were offered mentoring, reflection meetings and leading another part of the evnet´s programme to strengthen their skills. This provided continuity of learning across cycles and builds a sustainable pool of trained youth educators within the IDEA network Each participant increased their skills and link experiences to Youthpass competences and see the progress. Reflection was part of all stages (before the activity for goals and expectations, during the activity for small adjustments based on feedback, and after the activity for next steps). CONNECT O5: Community building We built community through partner-based selection, ensuring balanced representation and giving priority to youth with fewer opportunities. We created safe and welcoming spaces with clear group rules, a code of care, and facilitators who supported inclusion and safeguarding. Our intercultural practice brought participants together in mixed-country teams, story-sharing sessions, and collaborative workshops that helped them understand different perspectives and find common ground O6: Create activities that build European and global identities Youth chose themes linked to European values and global issues (equality, rule of law, climate action, media literacy) and designed and facilitated many sessions. Mixed-country teams and story sharing connected local experiences to wider perspectives. Trainers and organisations shared methods and tools, and we used shared online spaces to prepare, stay in touch, and publish outputs beyond one city or country.