Youth4Regions: young European journalists and European values
Author: Shabnam Duzenji/ Editor: Nicoleta Geru
I like the way my Lithuanian friend and fellow journalist, Ūla Kaulakytė, expressed it: “Do you remember that feeling when you were a child, swinging round the merry-go-round, and you started shouting, ‘More! Turn it again!’? That’s how I feel after a week in Brussels, where I represented Lithuania in the Youth4Regions (Y4R) programme for aspiring journalists, organised by the European Commission.”
That sense of exhilaration resonated deeply with me. From sipping morning tea and chatting over breakfast with journalists from Finland, Greece, Sweden, and beyond, to experiencing the excitement of being live on stage at the Megalizzi-Niedzielski Award Ceremony in their company, every moment of Y4R felt unforgettable. I truly wish I could take you to experience each moment there with me, but in this article, I’ll touch upon three specific experiences that most powerfully illustrate what I, an aspiring Azerbaijani journalist, learned about European hopes and values.
The first value I learned, without a doubt, was collaboration. It was emphasised especially when I worked with Markéta Kršková on an interview following our visits to the EU headquarters, press briefings and various sessions in the European Week of Regions and Cities. It was truly ironic – here we were, two journalists brought together through the Y4R programme, interviewing the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY), a team dedicated to fostering collaboration in Europe through volunteerism, all during the week of European Regions and Cities, the annual event focused on cohesion policy and cooperation. This was a living testament to Europe’s commitment to collaboration. Thanks to this spirit of collaboration, I, along with many others, was able to grow both personally and professionally. Sakina, one of the IVY spokespeople, said, “Thanks to this opportunity, I can develop myself as a young professional and start my career in regional cooperation. It’s also a great way to meet people and connect with those who can help me.”(You can read more about her testimonial and the IVY project assistant Maria’s advice on IVY in our article published in TerritoriALL: The ESPON magazine: Interreg Volunteer Youth promoting regional development)
Visiting places like Euronews, Euractiv, and the European Newsroom during Y4R showed me how important it is to understand the power of the media and the responsibility that journalists have in sharing the truth. The newsrooms, with professionals from Ukraine, Italy, Germany, and more, introduced me to a diverse group of people who had “made it”, all conveying the value of truth to us – an equally diverse group of young journalists carrying the hopes of our regions.
“We are gathered here to celebrate the talent, passion, energy, commitment, and good vibes of a group of promising young journalists who, like Antonio Megalizzi and Bartek Niedzielski, believe in the power of journalism to shape a better future for Europe.” These were the words of the European Commission Spokesperson, Stefan De Keersmaecker, opening the 2024 edition of the Megalizzi-Niedzielski Awards Ceremony. That rush of adrenaline, from the pre-show jitters – some of us in makeup, others frantically rehearsing – to the moment when we stepped onto a stage that suddenly felt enormous, we leaned on each other and embraced the moment. It was a thrill we shared from start to finish. Being one of the first finalists representing my country at the age of 20 was a true honour. That experience reinforced the importance of embracing challenges and stepping forward with confidence.
Wouldn’t anyone wish for a million moments like these? These experiences, born from European values like cooperation, professionalism, and confidence, have been truly transformative. My week in Brussels has shown me the power of these values at first hand. I’m deeply grateful to the EU for this incredible opportunity, the lasting friendships, the invaluable network, and the wealth of knowledge gained. And, yes, as a finalist, I even got a camera!
