Your Europe, Your Say! 2026

19/03/2026 - 20/03/2026

Location

Brussels

Belgium

It’s a wrap!

Two days, countless ideas, and one shared goal: strengthening democracy through youth voices.

On 19–20 March, the EESC welcomed YEYS-ers and teachers from across Europe to Brussels for an inspiring journey of interactive workshops, networking and collaborative discussions. Together, participants explored how young people can play an active role in shaping a more inclusive and participatory democracy.

Over the course of the event, around 100 participants between 16-25 worked together to co-create ideas around this year’s themes: meaningful connections, active participation and democratic engagement. At the same time, around 40 teachers explored new ways to bring EU topics into the classroom and support youth engagement within their school communities.

The event kicked off with inspiring contributions from Boris Gurzhy (JEE), Carolin Hochstrat (The Democratic Spin) and Miroslav Hajnoš (EESC Youth Group member), with the opening session chaired by Marija Hanževački, EESC Vice-President for Communication.

The highlight? The young participants presenting their five proposals during the closing plenary on Friday 20 March. The session was chaired by Séamus Boland, EESC President, alongside Ingrid Bellander Todino (DG Education, Youth, Sport & Culture) and Laure Niclot (EESC Youth Group member).

These proposals capture young people’s expectations for the future and will feed directly into the EESC’s advisory work, contributing to the development of the next EU Youth Strategy.

The 5 YEYS 2026 proposals – ranked by priority are:

1. Go BIG or NO home – focuses on housing and calls for stricter oversight of tourist apartments in order to help safeguard local community life. It includes ideas for regulating tourist apartments, renters' rights regulations and guaranteed affordable student housing

2.Think before you click: make privacy sexy again – aims to increase media literacy in the public sphere by introducing it as a school subject, labelling AI-generated content and improving digital conditions through an EU-funded app

3.Nothing about us without us – tackles the feeling among young people that their voices go unheard. It suggests developing an AI-based digital platform offering information on the EU and targeting underrepresented groups, such as migrants, to foster their engagement and enhance communication among young people

4. Bring youth and start-ups to the center of attention – suggests reducing bureaucratic barriers for start-ups to facilitate access to funding, easing regulations, promoting greater integration of the EU market, and improving conditions for young workers and recent graduates.

5. Most googled thing AFTER Brexit: What is the EU? – focuses on empowering young people to engage in EU-related issues, amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups, and fostering trust and meaningful connections between youth and decision-makers. To achieve this, it proposes creating an AI platform for youth participation, reaching out to underrepresented groups, improving direct contact with decision-makers, and making sure the platform is a safe space for political discussion.

Stay tuned for more updates, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep the conversation going!

The YEYS team is looking forward to welcoming YEYS-ers and teachers from across Europe to Brussels on 19–20 March 2026.

This year’s edition will explore Meaningful Connections · Active Participation · Democratic Engagement

Through interactive workshops, networking activities and collaborative discussions, participants will reflect on how young people can contribute to stronger democratic participation and inclusive dialogue. Over one and a half days, participants will develop ideas together and build skills such as critical thinking, inclusive dialogue and active participation. In parallel, teachers will get the chance to explore how EU materials can be integrated into the classroom and how they can support EU youth engagement in their school communities.

The youth assembly will conclude by identifying the top priorities, which will then be formulated into policy recommendations. The recommendations will set out their views and expectations from the next EU Youth Strategy and be presented at the event’s closing plenary on Friday 20 March.

The EESC will ensure that the proposals are channelled into the Committee’s future advisory work and contribute in the consultations on the next EU Youth Strategy.

YEYS 2026 will open with contributions from Boris Gurzhy (JEE), Carolin Hochstrat, (The Democratic Spin) and Miroslav Hajnoš (EESC Youth Group member).

Stay tuned for updates and join us online on Instagram and Facebook to find out more!

Would you like to follow the YEYS opening and closing plenaries online?

You can do so on 20 March via the webstream link available on this webpage.

This year, the YEYS team was proud to receive over 3,000 applications through an open call.

We are grateful for each of the candidates who applied and for the high interest in joining our flagship annual youth event.

We reviewed 515 school applications and 2,596 individual applications, coming from all 27 EU Member States, the 9 EU candidate countries, and the UK.

Every application was carefully and thoughtfully assessed — a challenging task given the exceptional quality and passion shown. The YEYS team selected 37 schools, one per country and 43 individual participants. Below, you can find the list of selected schools:

Albania – Berat – High school ''Kristaq Capo''
Austria – Perg – Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium Perg
Belgium – Brussels – Hellenique School of Brussels
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Mostar – Gimnazija Mostar
Bulgaria – Ruse – Secondary school for European languages "St. Constantin-Cyril The Philosopher"
Croatia – Rijeka – Prva riječka hrvatska gimnazija
Cyprus – Nicosia – Latsia Lyceum
Czech Republic – Kladno – SZS and VOSZ Kladno
Denmark – Middelfart – Middelfart Gymnasium & HF
Estonia – Väike-Maarja – Väike-Maarja Gümnaasium
Finland – Iisalmi – Iisalmen lyseo (Iisalmi Upper Secondary School)
France – Tours – Lycée Descartes
Georgia – Tbilisi – Green School Dighomi
Germany – Düsseldorf – Goethe-Gymnasium Düsseldorf
Greece – Veria – 1st Lyceum of Veria
Hungary – Budapest – Budai Ciszterci Szent Imre Gimnázium
Ireland – Rathfarnham – Coláiste Éanna
Italy – Arzano – I.I.S. Don Geremia Piscopo
Latvia – Ādaži – Ādažu vidusskola
Lithuania – Panevėžys – Panevėžio Juozo Balčikonio gimnazija
Luxembourg – Hamm – St George’s International School
Malta – Birgu – De La Salle Sixth Form
Moldova – Floresti – Theoretical Lyceum ''Ion Creanga"
Montenegro – Podgorica – "Mirko Vešović" Secondary School of Economics
North Macedonia – Kochani – Ljupco Santov
Poland – Krasnik – Zespol Szkol nr 2 w Krasniku
Portugal – Lisbon – Escola Profissional Magestil
Romania – Bucharest – Gheorghe Asachi Technical College
Serbia – Vrnjačka Banja – Gimnazija Vrnjačka Banja
Slovakia – Bratislava – School of Applied Arts Josef Vydra
Slovenia – Kranj – Gimnazija Kranj
Spain – Cáceres – IES El Brocense
Sweden – Gothenburg – Klara Teoretiska Gymnasium Postgatan Gothenburg
Turkiye – İstanbul – Haydarpaşa Lisesi
Ukraine – Kyiv – Lyceum
United Kingdom – Greenock – Notre Dame High School

Individual participants

The 43 young people selected through the open call represent dynamic mix of national and regional youth councils, student unions, civil society organisations, advocacy and volunteers' movements and individuals driven by a strong commitment to civic engagement. Together, they form a vibrant pan-European cohort, bringing diverse voices from across East, West, North, and South Europe and connecting urban and rural communities, grassroots activism, academia, and youth-led policymaking.