In February, our Erasmus+ Youth Ambassadors met in Copenhagen, Denmark for our first Up-Root Eco-Democracy Erasmus+ mobility. Our Youth Ambassadors from Ireland, Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal had a lot of fun learning about addressing climate change by voting in the EU elections. The project Up-Root Eco-Democracy is a KA120 youth project aiming to empower youth by increasing awareness about the EU, democratic processes, and climate change. With the upcoming European Parliament elections in mind, the project aims to enhance youth participation in democracy. The project hopes to instil a sense of responsibility and activism among the youth, equipping them with the tools to shape the future and address the pressing issue of climate change. Up-Root has a Facebook page and Instagram page updated with all ongoing and scheduled activities. Young people will be engaged in local activities, online webinars and one more upcoming mobility in Turkey. Day 1 During the first day of our Erasmus+ activity on Tuesday, we learned a bit more about each other as well as about the EU. We began with some ice breaker exercises so that everyone would feel welcome and included. Before jumping into learning about democracy in the EU, our Danish host led team building activities, where Youth Ambassadors shared their personal stories through painting colorful mandalas. Our first session was an interactive seminar on EU legislation, jurisdiction and activities. Young people played a matching game about EU country flags in which they learned about each EU member states. Then, participants got introduced to the roles of EU parliament. Our Ambassadors discussed how the EU does and could address climate change in areas including tech, inclusion, production and sales as well as city planning. Then we discussed how voting in the upcoming EU elections empowers youth to address climate change globally! Our Youth Ambassadors found out how different countries arrange their EU elections. We learned about different voting methods and their implications on election outcomes. As our final activity, we held mock elections to select a president and vice president to represent our Youth Ambassadors during the remainder of our visit. The Ambassadors had fun selecting their candidates, collaboratively writing their pitches, delivering them and finally actually voting using the Two-Round Voting System. The day set a dynamic tone, laying the groundwork for a week of collaborative learning and cultural exchange. Day 2 The second day started with an energizer led by the Irish Ambassadors, preparing us for a day filled with group activities. In preparation for our visit to the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Thursday, we researched what the EEA does to prevent the climate crisis, and what their role is in the EU’s decision making processes. Ambassadors read the EEA’s research on nature, health, sustainability and economy. We then came up with questions to ask during our upcoming visit. Finally, our president and vice-president led a youth ambassador meeting to finalise the questions. After lunch, our Danish host took us on a beautiful walking tour of Copenhagen. We walked by the city’s famous attractions, like the City Hall, Tivoli, Frue Plads, and got the opportunity to learn the history and stories behind them. Day 3 The third day gave us the opportunity to visit the European Environmental Agency (EEA). The EEA’s staff members and interns held an insightful presentation about the Agency. Ambassadors learned about their roles and responsibilities in tackling environmental issues and climate change. Additionally, we were informed about traineeship opportunities in the EEA. At the end, Ambassadors asked their questions and received transparent and informing answers. After our visit, we held a debriefing session, during which the Ambassadors shared their thoughts. We ended the day with a fun and playful cultural night. Our Ambassadors from across the continent shared their culture with us through delicious food, traditional dances and gleeful quizzes! Day 4 Our last day of the Up-Root Democracy Project Mobility in Copenhagen, Denmark was all about reflection, feedback and farewell. Our host held a reflection and feedback session where young people shared their feelings, thoughts and compared their expectations about the mobility with their current experiences. We awarded our Youth Ambassadors with certificates to acknowledge their hard work and learning. After the certification ceremony and it was time to say goodbye to our new friends until we see again during the next mobility in Cappadocia, Turkey. Did you miss this opportunity to use democracy to battle climate change? Do you want to join us for our upcoming activities? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more information on this and upcoming Erasmus+opportunities. We have plenty coming up in 2024!
