Reports & Photos 8th Congress of Young Europeans ‘Independence Days: Our challenges, our responses’ – 19-22 October 2023 Around 100 young people from 31 European countries came to Thessaloniki on 19-22 October 2023 to explore the issue of independent living. At the same time they had the opportunity to get in touch with the work of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, but also to get to know the city, learn about its past and present and, of course, have fun. Here is a summary of what happened during the four days of the conference – four intense and busy days, full of experiences, insights, information, contacts and friendships. Workshops – Friday 20 October 2023 On the first day of the Congress, the delegates divided into four groups participated in four workshops that took place in parallel, in different rooms of the Glass House (the former Kindergarten) at the first pier of the Port of Thessaloniki. The themes of the workshops were housing problems, the situation in the labour market, mental health fragility, and the political under-representation of youth in decision-making centres. See detailed description. Meeting changemakers: Visits to HBS Thessaloniki partners – Friday 20 October 2023 After the workshops, the participants were able to get to know a part of the work of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, mainly through presentations by our partners that took place in parallel. Thus, again divided into four groups, they toured Social Solidarity Economy initiatives, they attended the screening of a film on climate change and a pitch on youth climate activation, and they visited a community pocket park as well as a photo exhibition on the LGBTQI+ refugee experience. See detailed descriptions. Public conference – Saturday 21 October 2023 The conference held on Saturday 21 October 2023 at Olympion, in the ‘Pavlos Zannas’ hall, was the part of the Congress that was open to the public of the city. There were about 15 speakers – MEPs and other politicians, academics, journalists and people from civil society – who took part in the four sessions dealing mainly with the mapping of youth problems, but with a special focus on housing and youth participation in politics. See detailed report. Cultural programme – Saturday 21 October 2023 The delegates had the opportunity to explore the city and the known or unknown aspects of its history. The three options they could choose from were a guided walk along the waterfront and a boat trip on the Thermaikos Gulf, a tour of the former Red Light district, and a visit to the main exhibition of the Thessaloniki Photobiennale. In the end they all joined together for a... lesson in modern Greek political history at the Grigoris Lambrakis monument and a street concert. See detailed descriptions. Workshop: Final resolution – building a strong narrative – Sunday 22 October 2023 On the last day of the Congress we all gathered together at the Modiano Food Market for a farewell breakfast. Then, under the coordination of the speaker coach Katerina Biliouri, a workshop was held in order to elaborate the conclusions of the previous days and to draft a kind of declaration in the form of a public speech. See detailed description.
8th Congress of Young Europeans ‘Independence Days: Our challenges, our responses’ – 19-22 October 2023 Around 100 young people from 31 European countries came to Thessaloniki on 19-22 October 2023 to explore the issue of independent living. At the same time they had the opportunity to get in touch with the work of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, but also to get to know the city, learn about its past and present and, of course, have fun. Here is a summary of what happened during the four days of the conference – four intense and busy days, full of experiences, insights, information, contacts and friendships.
Workshops – Friday 20 October 2023 On the first day of the Congress, the delegates divided into four groups participated in four workshops that took place in parallel, in different rooms of the Glass House (the former Kindergarten) at the first pier of the Port of Thessaloniki. The themes of the workshops were housing problems, the situation in the labour market, mental health fragility, and the political under-representation of youth in decision-making centres. See detailed description.
Meeting changemakers: Visits to HBS Thessaloniki partners – Friday 20 October 2023 After the workshops, the participants were able to get to know a part of the work of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, mainly through presentations by our partners that took place in parallel. Thus, again divided into four groups, they toured Social Solidarity Economy initiatives, they attended the screening of a film on climate change and a pitch on youth climate activation, and they visited a community pocket park as well as a photo exhibition on the LGBTQI+ refugee experience. See detailed descriptions.
Public conference – Saturday 21 October 2023 The conference held on Saturday 21 October 2023 at Olympion, in the ‘Pavlos Zannas’ hall, was the part of the Congress that was open to the public of the city. There were about 15 speakers – MEPs and other politicians, academics, journalists and people from civil society – who took part in the four sessions dealing mainly with the mapping of youth problems, but with a special focus on housing and youth participation in politics. See detailed report.
Cultural programme – Saturday 21 October 2023 The delegates had the opportunity to explore the city and the known or unknown aspects of its history. The three options they could choose from were a guided walk along the waterfront and a boat trip on the Thermaikos Gulf, a tour of the former Red Light district, and a visit to the main exhibition of the Thessaloniki Photobiennale. In the end they all joined together for a... lesson in modern Greek political history at the Grigoris Lambrakis monument and a street concert. See detailed descriptions.
Workshop: Final resolution – building a strong narrative – Sunday 22 October 2023 On the last day of the Congress we all gathered together at the Modiano Food Market for a farewell breakfast. Then, under the coordination of the speaker coach Katerina Biliouri, a workshop was held in order to elaborate the conclusions of the previous days and to draft a kind of declaration in the form of a public speech. See detailed description.
