▶Summary
The overall goal was to empower and motivate young leaders to participate actively in democratic life and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with a special focus on the green tran...
▶Objectives
The overall goal was to empower and motivate young leaders to participate actively in democratic life and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with a special focus on the green transition. Specific aims were: (1) to create a cooperative, cross-border educational and networking programme that promotes active citizenship and European values while linking democratic participation to climate and environmental challenges; (2) to provide in-depth knowledge, practical skills and sustained mentoring so that participants can research, develop and advocate evidence-based green public policies; (3) to establish a durable, transnational network of young civic leaders for long-term exchange, mutual learning and joint initiatives. Planned outputs included a tested joint curriculum and digital learning materials, an active alumni community and a set of innovative policy proposals developed, publicly presented and ready to inform decision-makers at local, national and European levels.
▶Activities
Key steps included joint curriculum design, training of facilitators and creation of a shared digital platform for materials and mentoring. An open call generated over 120 applications, from which 30 participants (10 per country) were selected through a transparent, competitive process ensuring gender, ethnic and geographic balance. The core learning path consisted of three residential seminars—Croatia (institutions and dialogue), North Macedonia (policy design and implementation), Serbia (advocacy and leadership)—complemented by regular online meet-ups and structured mentoring. Experiential elements enriched the programme: a field visit to Rijeka and Krk to observe circular-economy practices and a study visit to Brussels, where participants engaged directly with EU institutions and green-policy NGOs. Communication and dissemination accompanied every stage, from the initial call to the final conference, with weekly social-media and website updates, press outreach, and presentations at international forums (World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg, Alpbach Forum, and the UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development).
▶Impact
The project delivered all planned outputs and more. A joint RSPD curriculum and digital platform were created and tested. A diverse cohort of 30 young civic leaders completed the full programme of three regional seminars, supported by continuous mentoring, a field visit to Rijeka and Krk, and a study visit to Brussels. The policy-work component exceeded expectations: six policy proposals—on circular economy, energy efficiency, waste management, climate adaptation and sustainable urban development—were researched, drafted and publicly presented, surpassing the original target of four. Communication and outreach goals were also met or exceeded through an active online campaign, regular media coverage, and presentations at major international events. An independent external evaluation confirmed the programme’s relevance and high quality, documenting strong gains in participants’ knowledge, practical skills and confidence to apply democratic and green-policy approaches in their communities.