Valentin: We come from very different countries.
Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova.
But at the end of the day, having this very distinct cultural backgrounds, sometimes religious backgrounds, what unites us is indeed the European values such as tolerance, open-mindness, and so on.
Darek: This was Valentin a Young European Ambassador from Moldova.
Besides Valentin, there is also Anna from Ukraine and Joanna from Poland who we are talking to in this episode about the Young European Ambassadors initiative.
What is it?
What do Young European Ambassadors really do.
Why it's important for them and how one can join the initiative.
My name is Dariusz Grzemny and together with Marietta Balazs we would like to invite you to listen to this episode of UNDER 30 podcast brought to you by the EU - Council of Europe youth partnership.
Marietta: Hello, everyone.
Today we have a special episode because we are recording at the Youth Action Week, which takes place in Strasbourg with over 400 young people.
And we are very lucky because we have with us the Young European Ambassadors participating very actively.
So we thought that we would use this chance to record a podcast episode and introduce the initiative to our listeners.
And as you know, the EU - Council of Europe youth partnership geographical coverage encompasses the 50 signatory states of the European Cultural Convention.
But some of our activities may have an explicit region of focus on specific regions.
For example, Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Southeast Europe or the South Mediterranean.
For example, last year we had the post COVID-19 recovery impact studies done in both regions, Western and Eastern Europe and in Southeast Europe.
And for this year, we are also planning activities connected to not just COVID, but also the third European Youth Convention in the regions.
And in the youth partnership we also strive to translate our publications to as many languages as possible.
And for example, our Youth Work Essentials, Youth Policy Essentials and Youth Research Essentials series are now available in more than 10 languages.
And also we have just published the Youth Policy Manual in English and also in Russian and soon it will be available in Serbian and French as well.
Darek: Okay.
If you can introduce yourself, that will be nice to know who you are, where you come from.
Joanna: So, hello, my name is Joanna Bagadzińska, I'm the Young European Ambassador from Poland.
Anna: Hi, my name is Anna Bazarna and I'm a Young European Ambassador from Ukraine.
Valentin: Good afternoon.
My name is Valentin Josan.
I'm a Young European Ambassador from the Republic of Moldova.
Darek: And I think it will be interesting to start with exploring a little bit what the initiative is actually about.
A lot of people probably heard about it, but if you can say a few words, what actually this initiative is about.
Why it was created, what for?
Valentin: So, the three of us come from the Young European Ambassadors initiative, which is a project launched in 2016 by EU Neighbours east and the project concentrates on somehow enhancing the cooperation between EU member states and the Eastern Partnership countries, which are Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova.
Ukraine and Belarus.
We share European values and principles in those territories from the Eastern Partnership.
We work on projects together.
We come to conferences, to Strasburg, for example, such as this week.
And the initiative was created in order to sustain and develop this cooperation and this interaction between the countries in order to somehow solidify this strong European community that we have, and to facilitate also the integration of those six countries within the family of the EU countries.
Marietta: And in practical terms, what does it mean?
What is that you as Young European Ambassadors actually do on a daily basis or weekly basis.
Joanna: I think that the main thing is to spread awareness.
So actually that's the key, like all of our initiatives...
the aim is to spread awareness in the European Union about the Eastern Partnership countries and in the Eastern Partnership countries about European Union.
So we share knowledge.
We share our experience, really want to make people interested in this region and make them understand how some things work.
Because I know that sometimes for us as Europeans, these countries may be new, maybe sometimes even exotic.
So we really want to share our experience and our common values.
Anna: It's also about networking.
And I feel like all of us we are like changers.
So we motivate not only each other, but also other people, we are inspiring everyone who is around us.
Darek: I think that very good ideas talking about inspiring, motivating, sharing knowledge or awareness raising.
But how do you do this?
I mean, in practical terms, do you go to schools, for example, do you meet young people in youth clubs or what is actually the work kind of on the grounds?
Do you do such kind of work because sharing knowledge and awareness raising can be done in very different ways.
You can organize campaigns, but you can also go to the places where young people are.
So what are your tasks?
Do you organise your own projects that you are responsible for in your community.
What are these projects about?
Valentin: I guess it depends on every country, from the Eastern Partnership as well as from the EU.
I can speak on behalf of the Moldovan delegation here.
We do a lot of school visits or at least we did before the pandemic and now we're trying to revitalize that initiative of going to villages, to local schools, telling children and young people about what the EU is.
I had a colleague for example, who had an old Moldovan passport, which he was using before Moldova signed the association agreement, which allowed us to travel freely to Europe without visas.
In one school he ripped his passport in front of everyone to demonstrate what European integration is and what it means for us to join European family.
This demonstrative action is one example of what we do.
We try to make it clear to young people what the EU is and how we work together.
We also do city quests.
We can do some events such as workshops.
I led two sessions on disinformation, fighting against fake news, against Kremlin based propaganda and so on.
So it's a lot of projects.
We don't like very formal educational settings in which one person is in the front presenting something for one hour and everybody's listening.
So we tried to involve the participants as well and young people, because it's a collaborative process.
but that's what we do in Moldova.
Joanna: When it comes to the European Union actions I think it depends on the goals.
Because for us, it's a bit harder to cooperate because we are in different countries.
So usually we work online.
We have online profiles for each initiative.
So we are on Facebook and Instagram, trying to do some quizzes, some activities.
And we're trying to involve as many people as possible.
So that's why we went for the online events mostly.
Of course we do organize some offline events, but not as many as the online one.
So actually we are a part of some bigger campaigns, but we also work with the people.
So, it actually depends on the person.
If you have an idea, go, you can do anything.
Like sometimes you do pub quizzes, so it's really informal way.
Like we really want to gather people and have some fun, not do it in some traditional boring way.
So it really depends on the topic.
And actually just on ambassadors, if you just have an idea, we'll get the support and it's up to you.
Anna: Yes, and also I wanted to say that we are also like the voice of youth of each country because in Ukraine, for example, we also have meetings with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we speak about how Ukraine is represented, like what youth in Europe knows about Ukraine?
What pictures in their head they have.
And also we have campaigns in order to spread information about our humor sense, about our traditions, about everything.
And mostly it's online because of the pandemic.
But I know that now we're starting to do such campaigns offline.
And, yeah, I think we are like the voice of youth, we're representing also youth.
And, we are also like connectors between some governments and youth, and we make our wishes visible.
We show like, here we are, here what we do, here, what we want to do here, we're going to change.
Here, we don't like that, but we like that.
Joanna: I think that it's worth to mention that we work even under very extreme circumstances.
Because we still have a structure in Belarus and in Ukraine and the Ukraine group is extremely active.
Like it's the most active structure right now.
They are very big.
Like of course each structure is active, but Ukrainians right now are really strongly trying to, you know, just to connect people to do as many events as possible.
So even now they operate in both countries.
Marietta: And can you tell us how many Young European Ambassadors are there?
And also like seeing all of you here, I feel that there is a very strong sense of community.
So I guess you also have community building activities.
Can you tell us a bit more about this and maybe why would it be good for someone to join the Young European Ambassadors.
Darek: And how can you join?
Who can become, is there any profile that is actually required to be a Young European Ambassador?
Joanna: So many questions.
Maybe I will go with the sense of community, because the funny thing is that we never met before and we never texted because we are in a different structure.
Like we work together, but the groups for each country and for the European Union, we work separately.
Sometimes we do have some common projects, but technically we are like the separate structure.
But I think that the common values, like they are so strong that's it's immediately after you meet someone, you just have the strong bound and lots of topics that you can talk about.
So I think that's why we are really, really connected since very beginning.
Anna: Yes, I agree.
I feel like we're a family and when I came to this event, I didn't know most like anyone.
Only one girl from Ukraine also, but I didn't know them, but I felt like I knew these people.
So I saw them for the first time in my life, but I feel the energy and I feel like, yeah, we have the same vibe.
We have the same values.
We have the same perspectives.
And, yes, I think that Young European Ambassadors, they have something special.
And, this initiative, re-unites people who are not afraid of changes, who are not afraid of being open-minded, who are not afraid of making the first step and to show that I did it.
And you also can do that.
So, if you also can do that, you can join us and we can do it together.
Valentin: I agree completely with the ideas mentioned so far.
We come from very different countries.
Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova.
But at the end of the day, having this very distinct cultural backgrounds, sometimes religious backgrounds, what unites us is indeed the European values such as tolerance, open-mindness, and so on.
And this is how we come together and get to know each other, become friends.
And just to answer to a question about how we can join, who, where, when, if there's anyone from Moldova listening to this podcast now, you have to join right after you listened to the whole podcast.
As I know now, the process of application is quite fluid.
So you can join at any given moment by writing to the national leader of the country, if you know that person or contacting one of the Young European Ambassadors that you know.
My name is again Valentin Josan, so you can find me on social media.
You can text me and I'll help you join the initiative.
We want people who share our values.
We want people who are not afraid to speak out, to represent the voices, as Anna said, of the youth, the European youth in front of European officials, local officials, national officials as well.
And if you have the energy, the time and the commitment you are most welcome to join.
Anna: I think if you have desire, if you really want, and then we'll have energy, time and commitments.
Joanna: And if you are from the European Union and you wish to join, you have to go to the euneighbourseast.eu website.
And I think that the next intake will be in September, but for sure we will announce it on our social media.
So I think that we'll leave all the links in the description.
Maybe it will help.
So all of the needed information will be there.
Anna: Yes.
And I think the same is also if you are from Ukraine and you're really willing to join us the links will be provided.
But I think the intake will be September.
Darek: And how many of you are there in the network?
Anna: In general I think it's more than, if we take all countries, more than 500.
Yeah, more than 500.
Joanna: It's over 100 in the European Union.
And the Ukrainian structure is quite big.
Anna: I think it's maybe about 200.
Valentin: Yeah.
And then there's Moldova with less than 100, I would say around 70.
Again, it depends on the country.
And on the given time you're calculating the numbers.
Because there are some periods in which one country specifically active doing projects.
And then, that delegation might be a bit dormant in some circumstances.
We had also a difference of numbers, let's say before the pandemic, after the pandemic, during that, because it also depends on the behavior of the youth in the country, too.
Marietta: And we know that this initiative, as you said, was created in the framework of the EU neighborhood policy And, what does this support, what they give means, like, does it mean that they give you a platform to act or does it also come with the financial support.
How can we imagine, for example, when you do a project, how does it come to life?
Valentin: It is supporting all the dimensions.
So I would say, from financial means, because obviously we can't do anything without having a bit of money on the materials.
Joanna: Oh, I disagree.
Actually.
I think that we've done a lot without funds.
Like I think that lots of our actions are cost free.
Anna: If we speak about different campaigns like online sessions.
Yeah, it's possible to do that.
Easier.
Yeah, but, offline and even coming to this event, of course we cannot do it without financial support.
And there is a difference that online it's possible to do and it's easy to do.
And it doesn't take a lot of money, but it's not that priceless.
I think.
So when you come and you see people having eye-to-eye contact, it's, it's better.
I think.
Valentin: And naturally besides financial funds, we get logistical help.
Help in terms of being provided a platform in which we can act and represent again, the voices of young people, such as this given conferences in Strasbourg.
And I feel like we feel included in the European family, through EU Neighbours east.
Marietta: And I guess, especially now that Moldova and Ukraine have been granted the EU candidate status.
And, it's becoming more and more important the work that you do.
Have you already sensed some change in young people after this news.
Valentin: I feel like I have felt changed throughout the last years.
The last, let's say decade, more than a decade.
Maybe, we had a large pro-European protests even in 2009 to overthrow the communist government at the time.
So it's not like we were neutral before we're granted the status of a candidate.
We worked for it very hard.
We want it to be recognized as a European nation, as a country that's worth joining this family of the Union.
We succeeded doing that and I'd like to congratulate Moldova and Ukraine on that, and Georgia with the possibility of joining in the future.
So I feel like it's an ongoing process, including thanks to Young European Ambassadors or other active young people from these countries.
Anna: Yeah, I agree.
And also I think such youth, they don't change here.
They give you more motivation.
You see that you did a lot of a lot.
And, it's also like this victory.
It's also thanks to you, even if you did some small stuff and something not really big, but it's also thanks to you.
And you see that you're doing it well and two should continue doing your job.
And, it's like the beginning of something really great.
And it's not about changes.
It's about motivation to do even more.
To show that we are even more than we are right now.
Valentin: Oh, just mentioned, obviously we're happier now that we got the status as we work hard for it.
And we feel like we were worth it.
And this is why now we need even a stronger support from European institution.
Young people need even more available resources and opportunities to work hard on creating this platform for negotiation, for changing policy, including in the sector of youth services, for us to be able to kind of model the legislation in order for it to be in accordance with European law so we can join the EU in, I hope, a short period of time.
Darek: What do you think about your impact?
What your impact is on young people and in the places where you work and what you still identify as gaps or challenges that you as Young European ambassadors need to really tackle and address.
Because you talk a lot about that you do a lot of stuff, that you worked hard for, for example, Ukraine and Moldova, and you feel that your contribution really was kind of recognized when it comes to getting the candidacy status and so on.
But what's your kind of impact on young people and where are the gaps you need to work?
Valentin: There is a difference in Moldova, at least, between young people from more remote villages and big cities.
Obviously, people from big cities have more opportunities and they know much more about the European Union, on projects such as Erasmus and many more.
That's why, as I said, in the beginning, we also tried to go to villages, in the schools in villages, as it is important.
We do a good job.
We can do an even better job.
Because I am sure there are some locations in which young people still don't know what great chances says they have.
And that they can join for conferences, workshops.
Information sessions, even some university studies grants, let's say.
So that's the thing we can work on to have an outreach, which is significant and to be as inclusive as possible because also all of us live in certain social bubbles.
And we'll get the information from there.
Maybe my friends are very socially active and that's how I know about many projects and opportunities, but there's a person
less fortunate than me and we have to take them into account.
Joanna: I can also say that in the European Union young people really do have a lot of opportunities, but sometimes they are really passive.
So I think that's the one thing that young people can benefit from us.
They get inspired sometimes.
It was like, really small impulse just to acting.
Because that's the thing that even though the actions aren't huge and you don't see like the big results right on spot, you can see that.
Some small steps will bring you that bigger results and you cannot be passive.
Like we really have a lots of rights, lots of opportunities.
And our job is to just to use these opportunities as good as possible.
So I think that's very important because we, as young people in European Union,
sometimes we just like to be, you know, on the side, to be a bit passive.
Like we have a lot of opportunities and now our job is to use them and to share the experience and to include all the people that didn't have this opportunity.
Anna: And also I think that the impact, we cannot say that some impact can be big or small that I had a big impact and someone had smaller.
I think it really depends because
we are sharing a lot of different opportunities and possibilities and all of that.
But also we are using social medias.
And for example, me, when I joined initiative, I was the only person among my friends who, who learned about it, who found information, tried it.
And my friends are like Young European Ambassador, who are you?
What are you doing?
Why are you going to such events?
What are you doing there?
Oh, that's nice.
I also want to join you.
I also want to do that.
How can I join?
So they this third thing, like what are they doing?
Because very often we have routine life, day-to-day, like just basic stuff.
And then something in your head just like clicks and you're like, yes, I also want to join this community.
I also want to meet new people.
I also want to discover new countries and to exchange knowledge and to just to be active, because sometimes we are not active in our lives and we are just like (influ) of different situations.
And then yeah, it's also possibility to be an active citizen.
And to show that, hi, here I am.
And, I'm ready.
I'm ready to all of the challenges and I'm ready to help others also with challenges.
Valentin: I think this is part of the principle of leading by example.
And very often we're told that we are not Young European Ambassadors only during events.
We are Young European Ambassadors for life, I guess by voting actively in elections and convincing old friends and acquaintances to vote and even strangers, by organizing petitions, by going to protest if we don't like something and using all the democratic tools that we have to make our voices heard.
Because again, to be a Young European Ambassador means to have some values and to be ready to share them with the world in order to make an impact and maybe shape policymaking.
Marietta: Thank you very much for this very fruitful conversation.
And, have a look at the page of the Young European Ambassadors, follow them on social media and also have a look at our pages with a special focus on regional activities, especially our activities in solidarity with Ukraine, which also includes podcast where you can hear more about youth work in Ukraine and in the neighboring countries.
And also have a look at our cooperation video or youth political participation, which was also recorded during the Youth Action Week in the Democracy Here, Democracy Now campaign of the council of Europe.