A meeting within the D-Effect project was held in Elbląg, bringing together young people, representatives of institutions, and local organisations. The main objective was to summarise ongoing activities and develop the framework for the autumn edition of the Youth Democratic Festival (YDF).

Review of key conclusions from the first Round Table

The meeting began with a review of the main outcomes from the first Round Table involving youth and institutional partners. Participants revisited identified needs related to youth participation in decision making processes and the quality of cooperation between sectors.

The discussion also highlighted lessons learned from previous collaboration experiences. These showed both strong potential for cross sector partnerships and areas requiring improved coordination, clearer communication, and earlier involvement of young people in planning processes.

Evaluation of the pilot Youth Democratic Festival 2025

A detailed evaluation of the pilot YDF edition held in 2025 in Elbląg followed. Participants analysed the applied working methods and the level of youth engagement, which was assessed as high and active.

At the same time, several organisational and communication barriers were identified. These included coordination challenges between partners, logistical issues, and the need to better align the event format with the expectations of young participants. The conclusions will be used to refine future editions of the festival.

Developing the concept for the autumn YDF edition

The next part of the meeting focused on designing the upcoming autumn edition of the Youth Democratic Festival. The session had a workshop format and included mapping program ideas alongside available institutional and organisational resources.

Participants identified potential thematic areas for the festival and matched them with concrete capacities of partner organisations. This allowed for linking conceptual ideas with realistic implementation possibilities in terms of human, organisational, and institutional resources.

Key discussion areas

The discussion centred on several guiding questions related to the future shape of the event. These included what young people want to contribute to the festival, how institutions and organisations can support their involvement, and what resources are already available within the local ecosystem.

Another important topic was the next steps in the cooperation process, with emphasis on ensuring a more coherent and structured preparation phase based on a partnership driven model.

Conclusions and significance of the meeting

The outcomes and ideas developed during the Round Table will form the basis for the framework of the autumn Youth Democratic Festival in Elbląg. The meeting reinforced the importance of strengthening youth participation structures and further developing local cooperation mechanisms between young people and institutions.

Participants

The meeting gathered representatives from:

• Centre for Art Galeria EL,
• Elbląg Technology Park,
• Fabryka Dobra,
• University of Applied Sciences in Elbląg,
• AMiSNS,
• Volunteer Centre in Elbląg,
• Centrum Wolontariatu in Elbląg,
• the Social Consultation Office of the Elbląg City Hall,
• the Municipality of Olsztynek,
• student representatives,
• Sylwia Bożyk, the Mayor’s Plenipotentiary for Youth Affairs.

March was an opportunity for us to practice the Round Table method as part of the D-Effect project—Lessons in Democracy and Civil Society: Bringing a Youth Perspective to EU Policy-Making.

Over 60 students from elementary and secondary schools in Elbląg actively participated in a meeting regarding the upcoming Youth Democratic Festival (YDF), which is a continuation of the 2025 edition.
First and foremost, the participants—with the support of Association staff and the meeting moderator—discussed:

• interesting event formats in which young residents would like to participate
• key themes that might interest their peers
• the Festival’s format and central theme

Next step? Summarizing the conclusions and recommendations from the school community and inviting representatives from the local government, cultural institutions, NGOs, and informal groups to further discussions.

The goal? Joint dialogue and co-creation of an event that addresses residents’ needs while engaging diverse groups—that is precisely what the YDF method is all about.

The activities of the D-Effect project enable young people to learn intergenerational and intersectoral dialogue, develop social skills, and actively engage in the life of the local community through collaboration with schools, participation in workshops, and the formulation of practical recommendations.

Cooperation and experience-these are the cornerstones of the Regional Offices’ effective work in Brussels.
Regional offices play a key role in representing their regions’ interests on the European stage, building international relationships, and supporting educational and networking initiatives
Excellent examples are the Regional Office of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and the Regional Office of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, which not only operate actively in Brussels but are also able to effectively join forces .

Organizing a visit for over 60 participants from 5 countries is a major logistical and substantive challenge.
In such situations, cooperation takes on particular importance—and it was precisely thanks to the joint commitment of both Offices that it was possible to professionally host the guests at the East Poland House in Brussels.
It was the experience and expertise of the teams from both Offices that ensured the program’s high substantive quality, meeting the participants’ needs and fostering a valuable exchange of knowledge and experiences.
We extend special thanks to Ms. Małgorzata Wasilenko and Anna Drążek for their dedication from the planning stage through to the actual meeting in Brussels.
Their support was invaluable to the trip’s organizers and significantly contributed to the success of the entire event.
Thank you for your cooperation and professionalism!
“Pomerania in the European Union” Association
Regional Office of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in Brussels

On March 18–19, 2026, an international study visit titled “Democracy at the Heart of Democracy” took place in Brussels. The event was organized as part of the D‑EFFECT project—“Lessons in Civil Society Democracy”—funded by the Interreg South Baltic program. The event was attended by 61 people from five countries in the Baltic Sea region, including young people, chaperones, and representatives of project partners from Poland, Lithuania, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany. The trip served as a reward for participants in the project activities and the creators of films submitted to the international competition “Camera! Action! Democracy!”, which aimed to encourage young people to reflect on the role of democracy and their influence on public life.

The visit was organized by the Association of Polish Municipalities – Baltic Euroregion in cooperation with the “Światowid” European Meeting Center in Elbląg, with the aim of broadening participants’ knowledge of how European Union institutions function, strengthening the competencies of local government representatives, and fostering international and cross-sectoral cooperation. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the mechanisms of key EU bodies, as well as to take part in discussions on democratic values, the role of youth in public life, and the opportunities that European programs offer to young people and local communities.

The visit’s program included a series of meetings and activities that allowed participants to experience democracy in practice. The delegation was welcomed by Simona Constantin, a representative of Commissioner Michael McGrath’s office, who discussed the objectives of the European Democracy Shield. The young people then visited the European Parliament and the Parlamentarium, learning about its structure and how it operates. A meeting was also held with MEP Michał Wawrykiewicz, during which the young people could ask questions about parliamentary work and the challenges facing the EU. The next item on the agenda was a group lunch at Place Jourdan, followed by a tour of the Parlamentarium. In the evening, the participants attended a dinner for the entire consortium, preceded by a walk and a group photo.

On the second day, the delegation visited the House of Eastern Poland, where the film competition’s closing gala and a presentation of the winning entries took place, as well as a meeting with Piotr Adamiuk, the Polish Consul in Brussels. Next, the participants took part in a discussion with Minister Małgorzata Banat-Adamiuk on the functioning of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union. The program also included a lecture by Oana Maria Licu on the Erasmus+ program and the European Solidarity Corps, introducing young people to opportunities for mobility, volunteering, and skills development. Another key element of the day was an international workshop led by expert Kacper Chyła, focusing on a common evaluation framework and a system of cross-border engagement in the context of preparations for future Democracy Festivals. In the evening, participants attended a dinner for the entire consortium, preceded by a walk and a group photo.

The study visit to Brussels was a key stage in the implementation of the D-EFFECT project, one of whose main outcomes is the development of the concept of annual Democracy Festivals based on the YDF method. These events bring local communities together, strengthen civic dialogue, and increase residents’ engagement in public life. Young people’s direct contact with European institutions, diplomatic representatives, and experts created a unique space for experiential learning, the exchange of best practices, and the building of a shared identity based on democratic values. The visit to Brussels confirmed how important it is to involve young people in decision-making processes and to create real opportunities for them to participate in public life at the local, national, and European levels.