Europe thrives on interaction, committed individuals and international exchange. Young Europeans feel poorly represented in representative democracy, and confidence in European integration is waning. That is why, as part of this project, we will bring together young people from Germany, France, Italy and Poland, work with them on the future of Europe, and share the results with the public.
Our idea
The citizens of Europe are currently experiencing a period of great uncertainty. The European Union must assert itself as an independent force, both economically and politically, within the new world order. This will not be possible without an active and committed population. Especially the younger generations in European countries have little trust in the political system and feel poorly represented politically. Therefore, with the support of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, the dfi is launching a discussion and exchange project to help mobilise young Europeans.
Several studies and surveys involving young people across Europe highlight the expectations, questions and doubts currently on the minds of the younger generations. We want to work with groups of young people from the four EU Member States on the key issues facing Europe’s future, developing proposals and solutions based on the participants’ own life experiences. The project organisers propose topics identified as relevant in the studies and surveys. The participants select those they consider most important. Over several months, the topics are explored in working groups with educational support and discussed in both online and face-to-face meetings. The topic selection process is still ongoing – the first highly relevant topic to emerge is ‘What kind of democracy for tomorrow?’.
The participants
A total of around 80 participants aged between 16 and 25 will work over a period of approximately one year on a range of topics that are important for Europe’s future. We are ensuring that the groups are as diverse as possible in order to make the exchange between, but also within, the language groups as rich as possible. Youth groups, vocational schools, secondary schools, private and public universities, and individual committed young Europeans will be involved.
It was important to the funding body, the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, and the project organiser, the Franco-German Institute, that the twin towns of Heilbronn and Ludwigsburg were involved. The project’s sustainability can be better ensured through this local connection.
Project timeline
This project focuses on practical experience within an international group, intellectual engagement with relevant social issues, and the development of well-considered views on Europe’s future. This educational process will be structured around two major in-person events at the start and end of the project, with the bulk of the work taking place online in between (where appropriate, with support from the young people’s home educational institutions).
Recruitment of participating educational institutions and groups is currently underway. By summer 2026, the topics will be selected, prepared in initial working sessions and discussions organised. After the summer break, preparations will begin for the major meeting of all participating groups, featuring a public discussion event. The meeting will take place over the weekend of 13–15 November in Heilbronn.
In the subsequent phase, the working hypotheses will be explored in greater depth and discussed with experts from the fields of politics, academia and civil society. The aim is to formulate recommendations and findings at a second major event in May 2027.
The entire international discussion process will be accompanied by a professional journalist, who will produce a podcast series with the participants.
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