We kicked things off in April with our first youth workshop, “Recycle with Purpose: Embracing Sustainability”—and we didn’t just do it once. We ran it in Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece, bringing together young people ready to rethink recycling and dive into the European Green Deal. But this wasn’t your average sit-and-listen session. It was all about getting hands-on, sharing personal values, sorting real waste, and connecting global climate goals with everyday choices.

One of the best parts? We made it local. Sure, we talked about EU targets and becoming climate-neutral by 2050, but we also zoomed in on what’s happening in our own neighbourhoods. In each workshop, we looked at local issues—overflowing bins, missing recycling stations, schools that still treat sustainability like a buzzword—and started asking real questions. Why is this still a problem? Who’s fixing it? And more importantly, what can we do?

We also took time to reflect on how things have been changing around us. Are local recycling efforts actually improving? Has climate awareness grown or dropped off since last year? In some places, progress was obvious—like new composting programmes or cleaner public spaces. In others, not so much. But that honest reflection made space for ideas, debates, and even a few passionate rants (all part of the process).

Alongside the workshop, we hosted a roundtable to go deeper, with discussions focused on:

• Obstacles to the Green Deal and how to overcome them
• How young people can help shape green policies
• The role of tech and social media in promoting sustainability

Next month, we’re shifting gears and diving into EU Values—what they mean, why they matter, and how they shape the world we want to live in.