Policy Coordinator – EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)
DG REGIO – European Commission

Last year the EU celebrated the 30th anniversary of “Interreg” with three key priorities that have been promoted during the whole year: neighbours, green and youth. In fact, youth is a key priority for both the European Territorial Cooperation and Macroregional strategies. We are committed to involve young people in the decision-making processes and to help them cooperating and working together across borders and to share their innovative ideas.
The Youth Manifesto published last year gathers ideas and recommendations of young people so that Interreg and Macro-regional strategies can be more in line with their expectations.
The Commission welcomes the renovated engagement on Youth in the EUSAIR and we consider the Young PROPRI initiative as an important step to make the involvement of young people in the schools, universities, associations, NGOs, administrations and in the business more embedded in the EUSAIR activities and governance.

Slovenian journalist and TV editor

Barbara Zrimšek is a renowned Slovenian journalist and TV editor, dealing with European projects linked with sustainable development,environment, ecology and food. She shared with us some thoughts about the importance of supporting young people in following thier entrepreneurial dreams.

Outfit 7

Cooperation and co-creation are gaining more and more importance, where each person contributes to the result with the work he is most skilled at. Co-creation is also a skill that needs to be learned and the younger we are, the easier it goes. Through co-creation, goals that address the real needs of time and space are achieved or even exceeded more quickly.

EUSAIR Facility Point

I hear taking risks, initiate ideas, team work, communicating, building communication skills and learn about new methodologies is the key point of POPRI. How exciting! Leading a transnational project among the countries of Adriatic-Ionian region that aims to raise cooperation among the governances and other institutions in this very diverse environment with common geographical and social challenges, is something similar. With partners around the region we, the EUSAIR Facility Point project, strive for new approaches that would lead us out of comfort zone of »not possible« into »let's try it«! There are many generations and only one future in front of us, let's unite our forces and cooperate. We, the seniors with some more experience, are looking forward to the new energy and fresh, out of the box, ideas. EUSAIR facility Point is a proud supporter of the POPRI festival and we promise to promote your ideas among the region and to integrate them into our efforts.”

Interact Europe

Cooperation in Europe is the key to breaking down barriers between borders and to increasing trust and common understanding among countries. There are approximately 3.4 million young people who are unemployed in the EU, aged between 14 and 24. This is a common challenge in Europe. Therefore, youth participation in cooperation initiatives, be it an Interreg project or a macro-regional initiative such as EUSAIR POPRI, help to bring innovation forward, make better policies and actions that offer opportunities and protect young people.
In this regard, 94 on-going Interreg projects tackle youth, training and education, with an allocation of EUR 153.09 million. Macro-regional strategies can offer these projects an opportunity to connect actions implemented on the ground with policy work across territories.
Great things are never done by one person but by a team of people, said Steve Jobs. Ideas developed jointly with others are powerful and can address challenges that know no borders like unemployment, pollution, climate change, connectivity and build resilient communities.

National Coordinator, EU Macroregional Strategies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Slovenia

Youth is our future; they are decision makers of tomorrow. Young, following their vision and ideas, will build green and smart Europe. This is why, Slovenian Presidency of Adriatic Ionian macro-regional strategy, is supporting an active engagement of youth from all EUSAIR countries in developing entrepreneurial skills and interregional cooperation. New challenges require complex solutions; we will find them only by acting together and trusting each other. To contribute, EUSAIR decided to power POPRI and thus actively involve young in building prosperous region and our common future.

Ministry of economic development and technology

In a knowledge-based society, it is not enough to remember the mere fact that we master the theory.
It requires the integration of different knowledge, experience and ideas, as well as a great deal of creativity, critical thinking and cooperation.
And this is more urgent than ever. To shape new ideas, new products, new knowledge! To seek answers to the challenges of the present and the future. To seize opportunities and realize our ideas and turn them into new values.
Therefore, be bold! Believe in yourself and in your knowledge. Take advantage of the acquired skills and use them at the contest. Who knows, maybe your very idea will make the world a better place?