Trilateral encounters with Central and Eastern Europe
The enlargement of the European Union since 2004 by 10 new Member States and the accession of Bulgaria, Romania (2007) and Croatia (2013) mark important moments in the history of Europe.
The FGYO wants to help take advantage of this historic opportunity for cohesion. Youth encounters are intended to help people grow better-acquainted with one another, to create a European sense of togetherness and to strengthen cross-border cooperation. This also applies to exchange projects with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as one of the priority regions in the FGYO’s trilateral funding work.
"What is the significance of practising tolerance, solidarity, democracy and equality of opportunity in the EU? "
And how can these values be implemented in practical terms? The trilateral meetings are aimed at young people and young adults committed to civil society who want to make a difference in their home countries and throughout Europe. The FGYO and its partners provide them with the necessary tools and teach young people the skills they can use to secure and expand stability, peace and the rule of law in Europe.
The FGYO promotes encounters with the following countries of Central and Eastern Europe:
Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and some of the EU’s Eastern Partnership countries, such as Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
Topics
Trilateral encounters with Central and Eastern Europe are designed to contribute towards a better understanding of other cultures as well as one’s own. The FGYO and its partners tailor these programmes to the situation in participating project countries of Central and Eastern Europe. All measures are intended to pursue a project mission that meets the requirements of the CEE Special Fund of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and they must be in accordance with the Guidelines of the FGYO.
The following topics are decisive for funding through the CEE Special Fund in 2023:
- Civic education to strengthen the role of young people and civil society
- The future of the European concept and citizenship
- Peace education and remembrance
- Vocational training and sustainable entrepreneurship
- Environmental protection in the fight against climate change
Sample topics can be found in the list of the projects funded in 2024.
