Independence Days #0 Highlights

The independent living, a huge challenge for today’s young generation, was the theme of the 8th Congress of Young Europeans entitled ‘Independence Days: Our challenges, our responses’, which we organised on 19-22 October together with the Green European Foundation (GEF) and the Young European Greens (FYEG), as well as with ActionAid Hellas and Infinity Greece as local partners.

The four-day agenda included:

19/10    Welcome gathering (Caravan hotel)

20/10    Workshops on housing, labor insecurity, mental health, youth participation in democracy (Glass House, port)

              Visits to Heinrich Böll Foundation partners (A walk among alternative economic initiatives of Thessaloniki, A visit to the Foundations premises for a pitch on energising youth for socially just climate policies and an ecological film’s screening, Svolou’s Neighbourhood Pocket Park, Exchange with ActionAid and Photo exhibition on the LGBTQI+ refugee experience)

21/10    Public conference on youth’s role in precarious times, the youth participation in politics, housing issues (Olympion theatre)

              Cultural programme (Waterfront walk & boat trip, Photo exhibition on populism at the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, A tour of the former Red Light District of Thessaloniki, A snapshot of political history at Grigoris Lambrakis’ memorial & street concert)

              Party (Rehab Pub)

22/10    Joint breakfast and Workshop on drafting a declaration of the Congress in the form of a public speech (Modiano Food Market)