What does EU enlargement mean to you? Young Ambassadors’ reflections from the European Youth Event 2025
Authors: Alice Barlaam, Anna Rathfelder
More than 15 Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) had the opportunity to participate in the European Youth Event (EYE) 2025, which was held in one of the capitals of the European Union, Strasbourg. There, they exchanged with youth from across Europe and raised awareness about the EU’s cooperation with its Eastern Partnership countries. They were given the opportunity to implement various activities, such as a workshop on the topic ‘A larger EU: EU Enlargement for Beginners’. In this workshop, YEAs invited more than 95 participants to discover in an interactive way how EU enlargement works (with a focus on Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). Finally, participants had the chance to discuss EU enlargement with YEAs and to share their own thoughts on the topic. Even though the workshop itself was very exciting, it was the final discussion with the guiding question ‘What does enlargement mean to you?’ which stayed in the minds of YEAs.
What did YEAs learn from the workshop?
Anna (YEA from Germany):
This workshop was actually the first workshop I hosted as a YEA at an international event. And what can I say? It was the best experience I could have ever wished for! We were lucky to have an active audience with whom we shared some laughs and also shed some tears. Indeed, I was pleasantly surprised by the enormous interest in the topic of EU enlargement. To be honest, I didn’t expect to host the workshop in a room full of curious people. But the high number of participants shows that EU enlargement is still a highly relevant topic for youth because young people especially have a lot of hopes and dreams when it comes to EU accession.
This is probably the reason why EU enlargement is such an emotional topic. EU membership not only requires certain economic and ecological standards, but also legal and political standards such as freedom, justice and stable institutions. Therefore, many people associate their country’s accession to the EU with values such as democracy and rule of law, which gives them hope for a better future.
When my fellow YEA Dachi[1], who was born and raised in Georgia, talked about the recent developments in his country, I could really feel how the room went quiet and everyone listened attentively to his words. As he shared his personal feelings and his dreams concerning Georgia’s EU accession with us, I felt touched and privileged at the same time because I get to enjoy the benefits that the EU offers to me on a daily basis. This taught me not to take these opportunities for granted. That exact emotion caught me a few more times during the discussion, when participants from Ukraine and Türkiye expressed their hopes and dreams regarding EU enlargement. At one point, I even teared up because I was so moved by the stories the audience shared with us. As I’ve been an EU citizen my entire life, I couldn’t even imagine how it must feel to fight every day for one’s country’s EU membership. These young people deserve a lot of respect for not giving up their belief in EU enlargement – and we shouldn’t give up either!
Alice (YEA from Italy):
What an incredible experience! This was my first time hosting an in-person international event as a YEA and participating in the EYE. This experience made me reflect on the importance of intercultural dialogue and youth participation. On the one hand, the workshop brought together young people from all over the world to discuss important socio-political topics. The discussion in the workshop really showed me that people can share the same values and ideologies, regardless of their diverse cultural backgrounds. While taking part in the workshop, participants found common ideas and hopes for the future. This really highlighted to me how we can be ‘United in Diversity’, following the motto of the EU. This mutual support between EU and non-EU citizens is essential for the enlargement process. Continued intercultural exchanges and dialogue can enhance international cooperation and support the accession process.
On the other hand, the active participation and discussion in the workshop really proved to me that young people are the driving force of change! I feel optimistic looking at the coming generation, our future leaders and innovators, bringing fresh perspectives on the EU enlargement process. It is not a secret that the majority of young Europeans are supportive of the EU. Youth are even more pro-EU in comparison with the older generations. Does this surprise you? Our strength is our hope and our feeling of unity. After attending EYE and hearing all these perspectives during our workshops, I am confident that youth can truly positively shape the future. Our voices can be heard: let’s get together and make an impact!
Conclusion
As we wrap up this wonderful experience at the workshop and the EYE 2025, we are left with so much food for thought. We are truly grateful for all the participation and the perspectives everyone shared in our workshop. Different perspectives can truly show us how to be ‘United in Diversity’. As YEAs, we have hope, feel optimistic, and are ready to continue having meaningful intercultural dialogue on the enlargement. Indeed, our conversation did not end at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, it actually continues!
For this reason, we invite you to engage in self-reflection and to think about your own life experiences, and try answering the question ‘What does enlargement mean to you?’
[1] Read this blog post to find out more about Dachi’s story: https://euneighbourseast.eu/young-european-ambassadors/blog/what-eu-candidate-status-means-to-me-dachis-story/
