EU.YOU.GO IV

Before the start of the Youth Exchange (YE), we met with the group leaders from Spain, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Greece to finalise the last details of the project and programme. This preparatory visit was essential to inspect the spaces where the workshops would take place, as well as the accommodation and common areas, including the kitchen. We also discussed the proposed programme and other aspects, such as intercultural evenings and participants' needs that had to be addressed before the exchange began. We also reviewed the safety protocols to ensure that all activities would run smoothly and without unexpected issues. The group leaders shared valuable suggestions to improve the schedule, making it more balanced between educational and leisure activities. This meeting strengthened the spirit of cooperation between the partners, creating a positive atmosphere ahead of the exchange. Finally, we agreed on the communication channels and follow-up tasks to be carried out in the weeks leading up to the start of the Youth Exchange.

Our participants arrived in the welcoming and warm village of Ferreira do Alentejo, ready to embark on an exciting intercultural journey. Representing Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Spain, they were meeting for the first time, so the day was dedicated to breaking the ice and building initial connections. The atmosphere was filled with curiosity and excitement as everyone shared their first impressions and discovered each other's cultures. We started with energetic introduction activities combining memory and movement. Participants introduced themselves through original gestures, followed by a game in which they had to form their names using letters borrowed from other participants. These playful interactions laid the foundations for teamwork and collaboration. This was followed by a dynamic speed-dating activity, in which participants rotated through short one-to-one conversations, answering fun questions such as “What three items would you take to a desert island?” or “If you had a superpower, what would it be?”. These quick conversations sparked laughter and helped create a relaxed and friendly group dynamic. The thematic component of the exchange began with a presentation of the “EU.YOU.GO IV (2025)” project. Participants learned about Erasmus+, Youthpass and the European Solidarity Corps, while also sharing their expectations, concerns and what they hoped to contribute over the following days. This activity helped bring the group together around a common goal and prepared participants for meaningful involvement in the project. During the afternoon, we explored the 11 European Youth Goals through an interactive team game. Using colour codes, symbols and quick thinking, teams decoded messages and answered related questions to earn points. This engaging activity combined learning and teamwork, raising awareness of key issues affecting young people across Europe. After a brief reflection session, the day ended with the first Intercultural Evening, dedicated to Greece, Poland and Portugal. Participants enjoyed traditional dances, music, languages and food in a lively celebration of cultural exchange. The energy and enthusiasm shared throughout the evening set a vibrant tone for the rest of the project.

The third day in Ferreira do Alentejo was entirely dedicated to exploring the theme of quality employment through four creative workshops: Visual Arts, Theatre, Dance and Music. Participants remained in their chosen groups, using artistic tools to reflect on inclusion, trust and values in the workplace. In the Visual Arts workshop, they illustrated their personal values, created comic strips portraying ideal and toxic work environments, and sculpted symbols such as clocks and scales to represent fair employment. The Theatre workshop focused on non-verbal communication, using movement, silence and group dynamics to explore empathy, leadership and emotional intelligence. The Dance group worked on trust and emotions, moving with their eyes closed and responding freely to music, highlighting the importance of emotional safety in professional life. The Music participants explored the art of storytelling without words, using instruments to recreate sounds, create group rhythms and compose live soundtracks based on improvised stories. After lunch, an energiser led by the Italian team brought fun and movement to the group. The day ended with reflection groups and a relaxed evening, bringing an intense and expressive day of learning through art to a close.

Creativity and sustainability took centre stage as participants explored how discarded materials — and even emotions that are often overlooked — can be transformed into meaningful forms of shared expression. The day began with a lively discussion about fast fashion and textile waste. Participants reflected on environmental and ethical issues, discussed recycling challenges specific to their countries and created thought-provoking sentences using shared keywords. A quiz and examples of brands embracing the creative reuse of materials (upcycling) offered inspiring insights into how innovation can turn waste into art and fashion. Moving from discussion to creation, participants worked in groups to produce artworks using discarded fabrics. The results were imaginative and bold: a version of Van Gogh's The Starry Night made from denim, vibrant fabric collages and abstract pieces expressing themes such as anxiety, hope and sustainability. Every stitch and every shape told a story of regeneration and care. During the afternoon, the artistic workshops reached their creative and expressive peak. The Dance group focused on fluid movements and breathing, recreating movements in silent sequences that encouraged trust and presence. The Music participants explored body percussion and rhythm to provide a soundtrack for a silent film, demonstrating how sound alone can shape a narrative and convey emotions. The Theatre group created scenes based on movement and wordless storytelling, using choreography and creative games to communicate with humour and depth. In Visual Arts, participants built a “rubbish garden”, filled with plastic butterflies and trees made from tin cans, creating a playful installation that reminded everyone that beauty can be found in discarded objects. By the end of the day, participants had not only created striking works of art but also explored how art can inspire change, demonstrating that even things that seem useless can hold the potential for renewal and connection.

The final performance takes place on the park’s outdoor stage and aims to bring together the work developed in all the workshops in a joint presentation. This event provides a spectacular conclusion to the cultural exchange, with the performance being free of charge and open to the residents of Ferreira do Alentejo and all other visitors. This year, the performance focused on the European Youth Goal relating to quality employment for all. The presentation was divided into three parts. Following speeches by the organisers of the youth exchange “EU.YOU.GO IV (2025)” and the Mayor of Ferreira do Alentejo, the show began shortly after 9 p.m. on the evening of 30 July. Interspersed with poems recited in the participants’ mother tongues, the performance lasted just over 20 minutes. It ended with a great round of applause, photographs, words of thanks and a few tears.