NOW – Connecting the Dots

NOW – Connecting the Dots

NOW – Connecting the Dots, a collaborative initiative between Home for Cooperation and Austria-based Innovation in Politics, along with organizations in Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Lebanon, and Kosovo, took place from 2021 to 2022. It aimed to empower young people to voice their opinions on decisions affecting them while promoting youth dialogue and participation.

Four Cypriot participants, two Greek-speaking and two Turkish-speaking, were selected by the Home for Cooperation to engage in activities in Stuttgart, Antwerp, and Brussels, including capacity-building seminars and workshops. Participation at the ACT Now Mayor’s Conference and transnational visits to EU institutions sought to strengthen social cohesion locally and internationally. Objectives encompassed increasing awareness of youth participation, reinforcing self-confidence, creating an international network of youth change-makers, enhancing understanding of EU institutions and policies, and building capacities of partner organizations in youth work.

The project involved consultation meetings, a seminar week on youth engagement and social cohesion, the NOW Mayor’s Conference with interactive discussions and workshops, and visits to EU institutions and youth organizations. Anticipated outcomes included mobilizing and influencing young people at the local level, improving relationships between youth groups and local representatives, and fostering cooperation between local authorities and youth in decision-making processes. Funding for this project was provided through Erasmus+.