Transnational Awareness Raising Event – Dresden

Two days of exchange, ideas, and meaningful participation.
On 20–21 March 2026, the transnational awareness-raising event in Dresden officially launched the Youth4Change project, bringing together young people, project partners, local authorities, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders from across Europe.

Within the framework of Youth4Change, one central question guided the event: How can youth participation be made truly effective today?
The forum offered a diverse programme of interactive formats, discussions, creative workshops, and spaces for exchange – all aimed at bringing together different perspectives and jointly exploring solutions to current societal challenges.

Friday, 20 March 2026 – Dialogue, perspectives & creative methods
The first day began with an open Welcome Lounge, offering space for arrival, getting to know each other, and initial conversations. After the official opening of the NEXT.GEN.FORUM and the introduction of the European Youth4Change project by Myrto-Helena Pertsinidi and Doreen Siegmund from Jugend- & Kulturprojekt e.V., the programme continued with an interactive icebreaker that invited participants to make different perspectives visible and engage in dialogue.

A particular highlight was the World Café “Youth in Dialogue”, where participants discussed key topics in small rotating groups – including youth participation, media literacy, digital spaces, diversity, belonging, and the future of Europe. This open format made it possible to connect different experiences and ideas and jointly explore current challenges, needs, and possible solutions.

Participants then deepened their engagement through a series of workshops on key societal topics: from argumentation and fake news to digital participation, activism, democracy, diversity, and creative self-expression. Through hands-on exercises, creative methods, and group discussions, participants shared perspectives, gained new insights, and deepened their understanding of current societal challenges.

In the afternoon, the youth-centred panel discussion “Let’s Talk About Change” brought together young people with representatives from politics, organisations, and civil society to discuss what meaningful participation can look like and what structures are needed to support it. The panel featured Myrto-Helena Pertsinidi (JKPeV), Elodie Bohling (OBESSU), Nuša Stamejčič (IDEA), Elli Martius (SPD City Council Group), Steve Hanschur (Dresden Student Council), Sascha Möckel (District Advisory Board Neustadt/Pieschen), Marcus Weber (Politischer Jugendring Dresden e.V.), and Fabian Gabsch (Saxon Student Union).

The different perspectives provided valuable input for the discussion and highlighted different views and experiences around youth participation. The exchange also addressed existing structural challenges and the importance of strengthening dialogue between young people and political representatives to make participation not only possible, but meaningful and effective. Questions from the audience were also included, creating an open and interactive exchange.

The day concluded with a concert at KulturCentrale. In a relaxed and energetic atmosphere, the Spanish band La Chismosería and the Dresden-based band Canelazo brought participants together through their diverse mix of original songs and musical influences, creating a lively space for encounter, exchange, and shared moments.

Saturday, 21 March 2026 – Collaboration, deepening & networking
The second day began with a keynote by Eva Jähnigen, Deputy Mayor of the City of Dresden, who emphasised the importance of actively involving young people in democratic processes and creating opportunities for meaningful participation. We were also pleased to welcome Dresden’s Mayor Dirk Hilbert, who visited and supported the forum.
Next, the Pitch Session gave various organisations the opportunity to present their work and ideas in short presentations, providing impulses for further exchange and collaboration. Participating organisations included Cambio e.V., Dresden Student Council, farbwerk e.V., and MedienDemokratieHub. Their contributions offered insights into different projects and perspectives and sparked further conversations among participants.

The Round Tables then provided space for more in-depth discussion on key topics related to youth participation, democracy, and social change. In several parallel discussion rounds, participants exchanged experiences, perspectives, and challenges and jointly explored possible solutions. Key themes included structured dialogue between youth and politics, media literacy and disinformation, as well as diversity, inclusion, and accessible spaces for participation. Another Round Table focused on Roger Hart’s “Ladder of Participation”, reflecting on different levels and forms of participation in schools, society, and politics. The format enabled open, discussion-based exchange on equal footing and highlighted the importance of taking young people’s perspectives seriously and integrating them into political and societal processes.

During the following Networking Forum “Let’s Share One Umbrella”, young people, organisations, and European partners came together in an open format to connect, exchange ideas, and explore potential collaborations. The Youth4Change partner organisations OBESSU (Belgium), MANO Europa (Lithuania), IDEA (Netherlands), La Guajira & the University of Almería (Spain), and InCo Molfetta (Italy) exchanged with local initiatives from Dresden, including AG Kurzfilm – German Short Film Association, farbwerk e.V., coloRadio Dresden, cambio e.V., Aktion Zivilcourage / Partnership for Democracy, Zeugen der Flucht Dresden e.V., the Dresden Student City Council, and MedienDemokratieHub. Together, they created a diverse space for networking, exchange, and potential future collaboration.

What remains from the NEXT.GEN.FORUM
Two days of exchange, discussion, creativity, and encounters showed the importance of dialogue and co-creation for meaningful youth participation. The NEXT.GEN.FORUM created a space where different perspectives could be heard, ideas could be developed, and connections could be made between young people, organisations, local actors, and European partners. At the same time, it provided a starting point for the cooperation and exchange that continued through the following Youth4Change activities.