A number of Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) from the Western Balkans were invited to take part in this year’s Europe Day in Brussels, joining other YEAs from the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood and Goodwill Ambassadors from the Southern Neighbourhood.

With the 2022 European Year of Youth putting the spotlight on young people, the Young European Ambassadors participated in events organised by European Institutions, including a youth debate organised by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture and the football match in support of refugees worldwide organised by the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs. In addition to taking part in the celebrations, YEAs from the Western Balkans also met their peers from the EU Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods to discuss challenges and opportunities for youth in all three regions, as well as future collaboration between these networks.

Every year, a series of public diplomacy activities take place in Brussels in the week leading up to 9 May – Europe Day – to celebrate the peace and unity of Europe. The aim is to bring the EU closer to people, informing and raising awareness about what the EU stands for: its values, structures, and institutions, and its partnership, cooperation and support to regions and countries across the world.

This year, Europe Day is also an important moment to reaffirm the EU’s commitment to peace, to showcase its unity and solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, and to stand up for universal values like freedom and democracy in a rules-based global order.