Youth Participation and Democracy Award category

Erasmus Days: Konya Youth Festival

Title of the Project

Erasmus Days: Konya Youth Festival

Organisation

Atmosfer Bosna Youth Center

WEBSITE

https://www.instagram.com/eurodeskatmosfer_/

Project link

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQJ6M5HCKZg/?igsh=YnN5ZHRsNXpmczJ2

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQHKMdTiKQO/?igsh=c2hma3VrNGhmY3N4

Project dates

October 13, 2025

2025-10-17

What is it about?

Erasmus Days: Konya Youth Festival was a comprehensive 4-day mobilisation campaign designed to democratise access to European opportunities and foster active youth participation in Konya. Spanning across three different universities and culminating in a grand finale at the Atmosfer Youth Center, the initiative reached approximately 750 young people, transforming a standard information campaign into a vibrant, participatory festival.

Our primary objective was to ensure that information about Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps is not a privilege for a few, but a right accessible to all. Moving beyond dry, one-way presentations, we created an interactive ecosystem based on peer-to-peer learning. We collaborated with the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), where international students and former beneficiaries didn’t just attend but actively led the information stands, sharing real-life experiences with their peers. This approach shifted the dynamic from “instruction” to “collaboration.”

The event featured creative engagement tools to boost participation. We hosted a “Badge Design Workshop” where youth visualised their dreams, and a “Mapping Workshop” where they marked their desired global destinations, turning abstract goals into concrete plans. The festival atmosphere was further enriched by the “Play for Erasmus” music event, which brought youth together through the universal language of music, and various icebreakers, Mail Art, and Felt Workshops at the Youth Center. By distributing recyclable info cards and seed pencils, we also integrated a strong message of sustainability. This project successfully bridged the gap between local youth and European opportunities, proving that information is the first step towards active democratic participation.

How is this project relevant to the specific category?

Erasmus Days: Konya Youth Festival corresponds to this category because it fundamentally reimagined “Youth Information” as a democratic right, not a privilege. In many contexts, European opportunities are perceived as accessible only to an “elite” group of students. By physically taking this festival to three different universities and reaching 750 young people, we actively democratised access to information, ensuring that every student has an equal chance to participate in European mobility.

Peer-to-Peer Leadership: The core democratic element of this initiative was its youth-led structure. We moved away from the traditional “expert-to-student” hierarchy. Instead, members of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and our local volunteers—youth themselves—took the lead. They managed the stands, shared personal experiences, and mentored their peers. This peer-to-peer approach empowered young people to become active agents of information rather than passive consumers, fostering a sense of ownership and active citizenship.

From Passive Listening to Active Agency: True participation requires agency. We designed the “Mapping Workshop” (where youth pinned their dream destinations) and “Badge Design Workshop” as exercises in self-determination. Instead of just listening to a lecture, participants visualised themselves as mobile European citizens. The “Play for Erasmus” event further cemented this by giving youth a platform to express themselves through music and unity. This project fits the category because it provided the tools, the space and the confidence for young people to step up, get informed and claim their place in the European sphere.

What was the impact of the project?

The impact of Erasmus Days: Konya Youth Festival was immediate and widespread, creating a tangible “mobility culture” among the 750 young people reached across three universities.

Breaking Psychological Barriers: The most significant impact was on the mindset of local youth. Many students previously viewed European opportunities as complex or unattainable. Through the “Mapping Workshop” and “Badge Design,” we moved beyond abstract information; we helped them visualise themselves as global citizens. Seeing their peers (ESN students) actively living these opportunities dismantled the “I can’t do it” barrier, replacing it with a concrete plan of action. We observed a sharp increase in enquiries and applications at our centre following the event.

Strengthening Civil Society & Participation: By integrating the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) into the core of the event, we strengthened the culture of volunteering. Local youth saw that international students are not just visitors, but active contributors to the community. This interaction reduced prejudices and fostered intercultural dialogue right in the heart of Konya.

Institutional & Environmental Legacy: We successfully positioned Atmosfer Youth Centre as the central hub for European information for all three local universities, creating a sustainable network for future cooperation. Furthermore, the distribution of seed pencils and recyclable info cards left a lasting green legacy. Participants did not just take home a pen; they took home a lesson in sustainability, planting seeds that symbolise their own growing potential. We created a generation that is not only informed about their democratic rights to mobility but also conscious of their environmental responsibilities.

Did the project have any green focus?

Yes, despite organising a mass event for 750 participants, we prioritised a strict “minimum waste” philosophy. We deliberately moved away from traditional, wasteful promotional materials like glossy brochures that often end up as rubbish.

Instead, we designed recyclable information cards with digital QR codes and distributed seed pencils (plantable pencils) to students. This innovative promotional strategy turned a simple giveaway into an environmental lesson: once the pencil is used, it can be planted to grow herbs or flowers. By doing so, we planted a physical and metaphorical seed of sustainability in the minds of university students, effectively raising awareness about the European Green Deal alongside mobility opportunities.

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

We ensured high-impact visibility across three campuses, reaching 750 students with flags and recyclable info cards linking to Eurodesk resources. To boost digital reach, we created a branded “Eurodesk Photo Frame.” Participants who shared photos on social media received promotional gifts from the Turkish National Agency, creating an organic social media buzz. Additionally, during the “Mapping Workshop,” we positioned Eurodesk as the essential gateway to their dream destinations. By combining physical branding with digital incentives and gamification, we ensured that Eurodesk was recognised not just as a logo, but as the primary enabler of youth mobility.

Project highlights

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQJ6M5HCKZg/?igsh=YnN5ZHRsNXpmczJ2

Your project on video

https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTQ2NDI3NjY4MDk4MzQ2?igsh=MTA4NTM4bG03OTloMw==