A member of the Adriatic Ionian Youth Network. Spyridon Kournoutis has contributed to the Interreg GO 2025 event. The Spyros’s testimony:
Last week, I had the distinct honour of participating in the Interreg GO! event in Nova Gorica-Gorizia held on 27 and 28 March, invited by the Adriatic Ionian Euroregion to represent the Adriatic Ionian Youth Network (AIYN). The Adriatic Ionian Youth Network is the key stakeholder of the SMART YOUTH project, which is part of DG REGIO’s Youth4Cooperation initiative and is aimed involving youth in the monitoring of EU territorial cooperation opportunities. The Interreg GO! event, dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the Interreg initiative, cross-border territorial cooperation and youth engagement within the region, offered a remarkable opportunity to engage in critical conversations with EU officials, local stakeholders, and youth representatives. I am deeply grateful for the chance of advocating for the role of Adriatic Ionian youth in the ongoing development of Europe.
One of the most significant moments of the event was the presentation of “The Declaration by Young People on the Future of Territorial Cooperation”. This declaration called for the integration of youth participation into the future of the Interreg programs, emphasizing the need for young people to have a central role in shaping policies and actions that will define the future of cross-border cooperation in Europe.
The declaration highlighted two primary actions: first, youth involvement should be prioritized in the development of future Interreg regulations, and, second, existing cooperation structures should be more open to youth participation. As we look ahead, it is essential that youth remain central to the conversation.
Throughout the event, I had the opportunity to engage directly with high-level stakeholders, including European Commission officials, local government representatives, and other key figures involved in EU policy making and youth initiatives such as the Interreg Volunteering Youth (IVY). These discussions provided a platform to highlight the crucial role of youth networks and organisations, like the AIYN, while addressing the important challenges of our region.
I tried to convey the message that young people can and should play an important role in shaping the EU’s vision. Μost importantly, I had the chance to promote the work of the AIYN, emphasizing its importance for being a youth hub of dialogue, a unifying factor connecting the Adriatic and Ionian countries with their youth. An entity that not only represents youth organisations from different countries and allows them to reach out and exchange valuable experiences, but that has a strong multiplying effect in local communities. The AYIN was in fact built to advance the idea that youth should not just be participants in European cooperation, but be integral to shaping the policies and decision-making structures that govern it.
The event allowed me to advocate for the continued development of our initiatives and create space for future conversations on how to enhance youth involvement in EU projects, for instance by building a constructive dialogue and collaboration with the EUSAIR Youth Council.
At the closing session, we were joined by key figures such as Commissioner Raffaele FITTO, Commissioner Marta KOS, and Director of DG Regional and Urban Policy Slawomir TOKARSKI, who reaffirmed their commitment to supporting youth engagement in EU initiatives. Their presence reinforced the message that youth participation is not a secondary concern but a vital component of Europe’s future success.
We, the youth, are not just the heirs of Europe’s future; we are the architects of the present, and our involvement in shaping our future is now a concrete possibility.
Spyridon Kournoutis, Adriatic Ionian Youth Network, Network of Youth Engagement Katerini
