The European Youth Event (EYE) convenes annually at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, as well as online, gathering thousands of young individuals from across the European Union and the globe. Its purpose is to exchange and shape ideas concerning the future of Europe. Once again, this exhilarating and significant event sparked fresh ideas and fostered new connections in Strasbourg, the city housing European institutions. This included the participation of Young European Ambassadors and EU vloggers involved in the “Made of Us” campaign.

The exceptional journey commenced on 8 June at the Council of Europe for the Young European Ambassadors from the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership, Southern neighborhood, and the EU vloggers engaged in the WeBalkans “Made of Us” campaign. The interactive one-day event featured workshops dedicated to combating discrimination, championing freedom of expression, and advancing gender equality. Participants had the opportunity to visit the Council and engage in a high-level panel discussion featuring the EU Ambassador to the Council of Europe, Vesna Batistic Kos, the Director of Political Affairs and External Relations at the Council of Europe, Miroslav Papa, as well as the Directors of Human Rights and Democracy, Christophe Poirel and Matjaž Gruden, respectively. This platform aimed to bridge the gap between the Council of Europe’s work and the younger generation, emphasizing the ongoing imperative to promote the principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

The following two days were defined by the European Youth Event, the significant annual gathering for young people held at the European Parliament. Within this event, Young European Ambassadors from the Western Balkans and EU vloggers conducted a series of important panel discussions. Notably, one panel showcased the impressive “Made of us” EU-Western Balkans road trip, a part of the WeBalkans EU regional communication programme for the Western Balkans.

The “Made of us” campaign featured twelve young vloggers from both the EU and the Western Balkans, who embarked on a journey across the region. They shared their experiences, promoted EU projects, and highlighted the unique cultural heritage present in the Western Balkans. Additionally, the Young European Ambassadors collaborated with representatives from the Eastern and Southern partnerships to organize an engaging Thinkaton for youth. This Thinkaton addressed topics relevant to youth worldwide, such as social affairs, the digital realm, environmental protection, and climate change. They designed various quizzes to familiarize participants with the three regions and held a panel discussion titled ‘The role and impact of youth activism – Perspectives from the East, South, and Western Balkans’, which attracted a large audience. MEP Thomas Waitz participated in one of the most attended panels, discussing the EU accession of the Western Balkans and the East. Finally, the Young European Ambassadors and vloggers had the opportunity to meet in person with MEP Rookmaker to discuss real-life activism and the importance of active citizenship among young people.

All the activities and highlights from the youth adventure in Strasbourg were featured on the webalkans.eu channels. This provided young individuals from across the Western Balkans and Europe the opportunity to virtually participate in this exceptional event.