Germany and France have a special responsibility towards Europe. Franco-German reconciliation has led to today’s close cooperation and interconnectedness in a variety of areas of the former historical enemies. This is closely interwoven with the shared commitment to European integration.
Franco-German relations are not only part of Europe; they are also effective for the European context. Youth exchanges are designed to help young people experience other cultures, acquire key skills for Europe and thus get to a stage where they are ready to contribute towards the continued cooperation between the Member States. The European idea of solidarity and tolerance is being lived out during the exchange projects, the European identity is strengthened and the European project is further developed.
The experiences of the Franco-German reconciliation process and the resulting close relationship between the two countries should be shared with other countries and act as inspiration for peaceful dialogue, reconciliation and conflict prevention. This also sets a framework for the meaningful contemplation of history and remembrance work.
In times when the European idea is put to the test, the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) also wants to initiate exchanges with young people from the European Union, whose home countries are confronted with various challenges.
The choice of the third partner country and the project theme should therefore take into account the current situation of the three countries involved and the needs of young people. Projects that are carried out with European countries in crisis must therefore respond to current political and social issues, such as youth unemployment or vocational training, and also reflect on the situation of refugees, Euroscepticism, populism, etc. European countries in crisis may include, for example, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Application procedure
These projects can only be funded directly by the FGYO. Applications should be sent with the completed application form directly to the relevant department at the FGYO, depending on whether it is a school exchange, an extracurricular or professional exchange or a project in further education.