This youth exchange brings together young people from Bruges and Kopychyntsi in a carefully designed non formal learning environment that supports them in becoming active, engaged and confident citizens. From a youth work perspective, the project is rooted in one overarching ambition: to encourage young people and provide them with the resources, confidence and competences to actively shape their society. Inspired by European values and the identity of Europe, the project supports young people in promoting solidarity, democratic participation and positive change, especially in times of social and political uncertainty. The project’s primary objective is to empower young people to become active and engaged citizens. This means helping them: • develop a voice and the confidence to express it; • understand and apply democratic principles in practice; • learn how to arrive at well supported, collective decisions and initiatives; • and experience solidarity and responsibility beyond their immediate environment. Rather than treating democracy and EU values as abstract concepts, the project approaches them as practices that can be learned, tested and experienced through dialogue, cooperation and shared responsibility. Guiding theme of the youth exchange All activities are structured around one clear and concrete guiding question: “How do we see our city and our partner city in the future, and what role can young people play in shaping that future?” This guiding theme invites young people to reflect on their city as a place to: • live and grow up, • feel safe and included, • participate and have a voice, • and take responsibility for others. Young people are encouraged to explore both their own city and their partner city from a critical and imaginative perspective. They reflect on similarities and differences, on challenges such as inequality, safety, war, democracy and social cohesion, and on how young people can contribute to a positive future for their communities. Building on this central objective and guiding theme, the project pursues the following interconnected goals: - Strengthening intercultural dialogue and empathy Young people from different social, cultural and geographical contexts meet as equals. Through mixed groups, joint activities and facilitated dialogue, they develop mutual understanding, empathy and trust. The existing city partnership provides a safe and reliable framework to address not only everyday differences, but also complex and sensitive topics such as war and peace, Europe’s role in the world and the meaning of solidarity. - Practising democratic participation in real situations Young people actively experience democracy by doing it. They co create group agreements, contribute to decisions about parts of the programme and engage in structured dialogue where different opinions are welcomed and negotiated. This helps them understand democracy as a collective process, not just a formal system. - Developing key competences through non formal learning Participants strengthen essential competences such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity and self confidence. Non formal youth work methods—creative co creation, dialogue circles, city based learning and guided reflection—connect learning directly to young people’s lived experiences and questions about the future. - Exploring European values through lived experience By exploring Bruges as a European city and by working closely with peers from Ukraine, young people experience European values such as solidarity, respect for diversity and shared responsibility in a concrete way. Europe becomes tangible through real encounters, cooperation and mutual support, rather than through abstract explanations. - Ensuring inclusion and equal opportunities The project pays special attention to young people with fewer opportunities, including those facing socio economic, geographical or contextual barriers. Tailored support, accessible methods and the continuous presence of experienced youth workers ensure that all young people can participate fully, safely and with confidence. - Creating lasting connections and local impact Meaningful encounters between local Bruges youth and the group from Kopychyntsi strengthen the project’s local relevance and foster long term connections. Follow up activities encourages them to continue working on the theme of the future of their cities and the role of youth after the exchange. By embedding this youth exchange within an existing partnership between the cities, the project guarantees credibility, continuity and sustainability. It empowers a new generation of young people to actively contribute to the future of their cities and to international cooperation. Ultimately, the project aims to create young people who not only reflect on the future, but who also feel capable, responsible and motivated to shape it—together, across borders, and in line with the democratic & solidaristic European values.