From 28 to 30 May 2024, the Eurodesk Multipliers Seminar took place in Brussels. 49 Eurodesk multipliers from 21 countries had the chance to go to the European capital to meet, network and receive training organised by Eurodesk Brussels Link (EBL). Besides, the ceremony for the 2024 Eurodesk Awards was also held where representatives from the winning projects were awarded as the final results and honourable mentions were revealed.
Pavlina Macounova, Eurodesk President, kicked off the three-day event with a welcoming speech while Audrey Frith, Eurodesk Director, presented the network's main priorities. Various members of Eurodesk Brussels Link then took turns on stage.
Karolina Kosowska tested the new Time to Move “Adventures in Europe” board game with the multipliers, Sara Garcia Ruiz presented the 2024 Time to Move campaign, and Grazia Cannarsa introduced the information management tools accessible to multipliers, such as the Eurodesk Opportunity Finder and Euroclasses. Sara Garcia Ruiz and Stefanos Agathokleous presented the Eurodesk Inclusive Digital Communication guide. In the evening the multipliers had the chance to enjoy the international night.
During the second day, attendees participated in seminars and workshops presented by EBL members. The themes varied to suit everyone's needs: initially, participants could choose between a workshop on AI-based tools in youth information work facilitated by Ghiță Kraszuk, or a workshop on how to create a campaign plan with Stefanos Agathokleous. In the latter part of the morning, two sessions were conducted: Karolina Kosowska provided advice on mental health in youth information work, and Sara Garcia Ruiz offered a practical graphic design session. Multipliers also had the opportunity to hear about EU Youth Policy Updates, from the European Commission thanks to the insides of Marta Touykova, Head of Sector, Youth Policy, Outreach, DiscoverEU, and Tanya Basarab, Research and Youth Policy Officer in the EU-CoE Youth Partnership. In the afternoon, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a city tour of Brussels' city centre, which combined visits to historical sites and comic-strip murals!
In the evening, the awaited ceremony of the 2024 Eurodesk Awards Ceremony took place. The Eurodesk Awards were established 13 years ago, to highlight the amazing work done by local Multipliers of Eurodesk, who have been empowering and helping young people to discover the opportunities that Europe has to offer. This year, the five members of the jury awarded four projects, including the Eurodesk Network Prize given by National Coordinators, and recognised five additional projects with honourable mentions.
The multipliers’ seminar was an outstanding event, crucial in emphasising the importance of Eurodesk’s campaigns, particularly the European elections and the upcoming 2024 Time to Move. Participants felt inspired by the various sessions, returning home with innovative ideas for their organisations and new partners. The sessions promoted by Eurodesk Brussels Link were essential in fostering cooperation among multipliers and their organisations. Additionally, participants were pleased to share their cultural heritage, resulting in a general feeling of enthusiasm from the extensive exchange of knowledge.
These were some of the comments submitted by the multipliers:
“The seminar was top level, considering all the information we received and getting a refresh on all the possibilities we have with the MyEurodesk and workspace that is available. Of course, getting to meet so many great people who create and implement so many projects that impact their communities and that inspire us to continue to promote more youth empowerment!”
“I will use information gained during this event to develop new projects and activities for the young people but also help my organisation reach out to more young people through the activities and social media”.
Eurodesk Brussels Link would like to personally express its appreciation to all the multipliers that attended the seminar and is enthusiastic to hear about all the projects and initiatives that will come up throughout the year.
