The idea for the exchange came to Gentle Giant months ago: during one of its periodic surveys among volunteers and followers, a survey on active and political citizenship was conducted. The results showed that about 60% of young people between the ages of 18 and 30 do not vote. Among those who do vote, approximately 75% are unfamiliar with the electoral programs and rely on "chance." Almost 60% do not like discussing politics, and less than 30% are involved in activities of social relevance. These figures indicate a disconnect between young people and politics, and active citizenship in general. It was therefore decided to do something to reverse this "trend" among young people, by conceiving this project. The issue was not confined only to the young people within the Gentle Giant sphere: the other partners in this project also faced similar problems and statistical data, with the exception of Türkiye. For example, the Hungarian partner stated that 50% of young people did not vote in the last elections; almost no one knows the electoral programs, and few young people like to talk about politics. The situation is similar in Romania and North Macedonia. The Turkish young people represented a "good practice" (especially regarding high voter turnout and political participation) and this helped enrich and balance the group's perspective, making the activities more interesting. Furthermore, few young people from this partnership have participated in initiatives of social relevance. During the planning phase, another internal partnership survey focused on the reasons for this disconnect among young people: among the most common reasons are the high rate of corruption, inequalities in the application of laws, minimal trust in the political class, and a general sense of powerlessness as a citizen. In recent years, democracy in Europe has been struggling, with the consolidation of extremism, populism, corruption, a resurgence of semi-illiteracy, continuous exposure to fake news, wars, and economic crises. A democracy without the support of young people cannot function. It is precisely for this reason that we organized this project: young people should have a central role in addressing this issue. The exchange aims to pursue primary and secondary objectives. PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT (related to democracy and active participation): 1-Improve participants' understanding and appreciation of democratic values. 2-Promote greater involvement of young people in local, national, and international democratic and social activities. 3-Foster an understanding among young people of the importance of democratic systems and the risks arising from populism, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism. 4-Greater understanding of the European Union (its history, founding values, mechanisms, and objectives) and the opportunities made available for young people. 5-For the organizations involved, to gain experience in managing international projects and on the proposed theme, as well as to strengthen partnerships and cooperation in future activities. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT (related to the essence of the youth exchange): 6-Improve the participants' growth path, enhancing their individual capacities and soft skills (e.g., self-empowerment, comfort zone, multiculturalism, creativity, green skills, time management, teamwork, persuasion, confidence, empathy, interpersonal communication); 7-Improve their understanding of non-formal education; 8-Expand their digital skills; 9-Refine their language skills; 10-Make new friends and contacts. Objectives were also set for the partner organizations: - To improve the organizations' capacity to manage intercultural projects and acquire expertise on the topic at hand, so that it can be reused for future local and international activities. - Strengthening of networking: The organizations will collaborate with partners from different nations, building lasting relationships that can be used for future projects. - Visibility and acquisition of new followers and supporters following the dissemination of an international event like this.