Creative Youth Information Award category

My City Liberec – 25 Stops for Eugen

Title of the Project

My City Liberec – 25 Stops for Eugen

Organisation

Eurocentrum Liberec

WEBSITE

https://tvorimevropu.cz/liberec/

Project link

https://www.ddmliberec.cz/v-klub/soutez-moje-mesto-liberec

https://www.ddmliberec.cz/v-klub/soutez-moje-mesto-liberec

Project dates

2025-01-01

2025-01-01

What is it about?

It is a city-wide discovery game where we send students from the second stage of primary school out into the real world. Instead of reading about Europe in a classroom, they experience it through a story. The 2025 theme, “25 Stops: The (Un)known Guide to Liberec,” focuses on a simple idea: two-person teams act as local guides for a friend named Eugen from Belgium. Eugen wants to return to Liberec later as an Erasmus+ student at our Technical University, and the participants’ job is to show him the city’s soul.

What makes this project special is that it can’t be “faked” or solved by a chatbot at home. It’s built on authentic, physical action:

The “Field” Element: Teams have to be physically present at specific spots. They need to find hidden architectural details or document a sunrise on the Jested ridge. These tasks require real-time effort and personal presence that no AI can replicate.

Hands-on Content: We don’t want copied data. Teams research physical archives, talk to locals, and create their own travel journals. They also take on a bonus video challenge—filming 90-second vlogs about their journey, which shows their real emotions and the fun they had.

Teamwork: Working in pairs forces them to talk, plan their route, and decide together how to capture the best shot or answer a tricky question.

By linking the Erasmus+ story with a physical scavenger hunt, we turned the whole city into a playground. It’s a way to show young people that while digital tools are great, the most valuable information comes from personal experience, human curiosity, and teamwork. We are bridging the gap between their local home and their future European opportunities.

How is this project relevant to the specific category?

Instead of just handing out flyers, we turned youth information into a lived experience. Our creativity lies in how we “gamified” the learning process about the EU and Erasmus+ for students who usually find institutional topics boring.

  1. Storytelling over fact-sharing: We replaced dry data with the story of Eugen from Belgium. By making the goal of the project “helping a friend” instead of “learning about mobility”, we triggered a natural curiosity. Students did not just learn about the Erasmus+ programme at the Technical University; they personally guided a peer towards it. This shift from passive listening to active “mentoring” is a creative way to make European opportunities feel personal and reachable.

  2. The “real-world” challenge: We challenged students to capture the unfiltered reality of their city. Tasks like documenting the Ještěd ridge at sunrise or finding hidden details in local archives cannot be solved by a search engine. They require teams to think creatively about logistics, timing, and visual presentation. The final entries are not just filled-in forms; they are unique, handwritten scrapbooks of their physical journey, often decorated with drawings and personal notes.

  3. Blending analogue and digital: We used technology as a creative extension, not a replacement for thinking. While the core research was “boots on the ground”, we added a 90-second video bonus. This forced teams to act as directors and editors, translating their field findings into a format they love—social media vlogs. This “multi-modal” approach—combining a pen-and-paper journal with a digital vlog—engages both sides of their creativity.

By transforming the city into a playground and the Erasmus+ programme into a personal mission, we created a format where the information is not just “received” – it is “discovered” and “created” by the young people themselves.

What was the impact of the project?

The impact of “My City Liberec” lies in connecting local identity with a first, natural glimpse into the European world. For the students, the project changed the way they look at their own backyard.

  1. Building Confidence and Curiosity: By acting as guides for Eugen from Belgium, students shifted from being passive learners to active “experts” on their city. This role-play boosted their confidence. They realised that their local knowledge is interesting to someone from abroad, which is often their first real experience with the idea of international exchange.
  1. Developing Practical Life Skills: The project moved kids from their screens into the real world. To finish the 25 stops, teams had to navigate the streets, search through physical archives, and work together under time pressure (like taking the perfect photo on the Jested ridge). These “soft skills”—teamwork, communication, and planning—are much more impactful when learned in the field rather than from a textbook.
  1. Community Connection: The final ceremony at V-klub turned a school competition into a community event. Seeing their own vlogs and photos on a big screen in front of parents and teachers gave the participants a sense of achievement. It also introduced families to the Eurodesk network in a friendly, informal way, showing them that international opportunities are something their children can aim for in the future.
  1. Seeds for the Future: While the students are still young, the story of Eugen and his interest in the Technical University of Liberec planted a seed. They now know that their city is part of a bigger European map and that programmes like Erasmus+ exist. The handwritten notes and tips they left for Eugen in their journals show that they didn’t just solve tasks—they truly connected with the idea of being part of a larger, open world.

Did the project have any green focus?

Sustainability was built into the core of the competition. Instead of digital simulation, we promoted “slow tourism” within the city.

Climate-Neutral Learning: A key task was dedicated to the “Climate Neutral Liberec” project. Students researched what this initiative means for their future, connecting local urban ecology with European environmental goals.

Low-Carbon Discovery: The entire “25 Stops” route was designed to be completed on foot or using public transport. By sending students to places like the Jested ridge, we encouraged them to appreciate local nature.

Digital Efficiency: While we used physical journals to support analogue creativity, all bonus tasks (vlogs) were handled digitally to minimise paper waste.

By combining physical activity with research on climate goals, we taught participants that being a European citizen also means taking responsibility for their environment.

How did you ensure Eurodesk's visibility in your project?

The Eurodesk network was introduced as the key connection between our local game and real European opportunities. The branding was visible on all project materials, ensuring students recognised it throughout the competition. The most important moment for visibility was the final ceremony at V-klub. During the event, we discussed future mobility with students, parents, and teachers. We used the story of Eugen to show that they, too, can travel abroad through programmes supported by Eurodesk. By connecting the network to a familiar character, we made international mobility feel like a real and achievable goal for everyone involved.

Project highlights

https://www.ddmliberec.cz/v-klub/soutez-moje-mesto-liberec

Your project on video

https://www.ddmliberec.cz/v-klub/soutez-moje-mesto-liberec