Your Europe, Your Say! 2026

Applications are now closed!

19/03/2026 - 20/03/2026

Location

Brussels

Belgium

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.