By Selda and Martin – Young European Ambassadors from the Western Balkans

Europe Day in Brussels? At first, it might sound like it’s all about red tape and serious faces behind glass offices. But in reality, it’s quite the opposite. Imagine 15,000 people walking through the doors of EU institutions, live music playing in the background, hands full of sweets and brochures, and curious minds exploring everything from quizzes to VR stations. That’s the Europe Day we experienced, and this is the story of how six Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) from the Western Balkans spent three unforgettable days in Brussels.

 Day 1 – Open Doors, Open Minds

Every year on May 9th, the EU celebrates the anniversar y of the Schuman Declaration- when, in 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed a new form of European cooperation to prevent future wars. That idea became the foundation for today’s European Union. To mark this day, EU institutions in Brussels open their doors to the public to bring EU citizens closer to the decision-making bodies that shape their lives.

This year, we. YEAs from Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo* were right there in the middle of it all. At our joint stand inside the European Commission’s Berlaymont building, we presented the Young European Ambassadors Network in a “Living Library” format. We spoke with visitors of all ages about our home countries, the work we do as YEAs, and how our region contributes to the European story. Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib even stopped by to see our activities!

Yes- on that day, we basically worked for the European Commission like it was no big deal! It was a surreal yet empowering experience. Across the institutions, various EU agencies set up engaging, interactive booths filled with games, installations, and quizzes, turning a day of civic engagement into something that felt more like a festival.

Day 2 – Museums, Stories, and Lightbulb Moment

We began the second day at the House of European History. Now, we’ll be honest- some of us usually only visit museums when it rains. But this one was something else. It’s not your classic dusty exhibition hall; instead, it takes you on a stunning visual journey through Europe’s past—from revolutions and wars to unity and modern-day challenges.

Our favorite moment? A towering installation that stretches across all the museum’s floors. As you walk up, you move through the layers of European history, discovering how ideas, people, and events have shaped the continent. Standing there, it rea lly hit us: the Western Balkans have always been part of this story- culturally, historically, and humanly. We may not be “inside” the EU just yet, but our place in the European narrative is undeniable.

Later, we headed to the Parlamentarium, the European Parliament’s interactive visitor center. Available in every EU language, it offers virtual tours, simulations, and multimedia exhibits that explain how the Parliament works, how decisions are made, and how citizens are represented. It’s designed for everyone- from kids to policy nerds- and honestly, we didn’t want to leave.

Day 3 – Behind the Scenes of Enlargement: A Love Story in the Making

On our final day in Brussels, we traded museums for something equally eye-opening- a deep dive into the EU’s enlargement machinery. The Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood takes forward the EU’s Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood policies (DG ENEST), we had the chance to meet with some of the people who quite literally think about the Western Balkans every day. Among them was Agathe Nowak, a Policy Officer working on the EU enlargement process, who helped us understand how this journey has evolved from 1957 to today. We also spoke with Anja Nagel, who leads the private sector team within the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), and Klara Orlowska, who focuses on energy and manages programmes like EU4Energy in the Eastern Neighbourhood.

Together, they gave us an inside look at what’s coming next, from the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans to efforts around digital transformation and the EU’s Green Agenda. What stood out most was how concrete everything felt. These weren’t just policy ideas on paper- these were real people working on real projects that are already shaping reforms in our home countries, paving the way for future membership. If you’re curious about what that looks like in practice, keep an eye on WeBalkans channels- it’s all happening there.

From meaningful conversations and official meetings to spontaneous laughter, chocolate breaks, and snapping photos in front of every EU flag we could find, these three days reminded us why we do what we do as Young European Ambassadors. The Western Balkans are not just future members of the EU; we’re already part of its heart and story. And celebrating Europe Day right in Brussels? That just made it feel a little more real.

From Brussels, with love.