During the Summer Academy, five groups composed of six participants from different countries will be created. Each group will develop a project on topics like ‘Regional cooperation in Southeast Europe’ or ‘Effectiveness of the EU towards Balkan countries’. The groups are trained in project management and intercultural teamwork during the Summer Academy. Back in their own countries, the participants continue planning their joint activities. Then, the team members meet again for the presentation of their event in the countries of Southeast Europe in February or March 2011. Monitored and funded by the Programme partners, these joint activities aim at transmitting the knowledge acquired during the first part of the Programme to a wider public and at laying the groundwork for sustainable cooperation in the region.

Examples

LDP 2006/2007: Project ‘European Path’, Trebinje, Bosnia & Herzegovina, March 2007

The group, composed of LDP participants from Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Germany, Macedonia and Denmark, produced a brochure presenting different views on European integration. The participants interviewed policy-makers and NGO representatives in their countries about the integration of their respective countries into the EU. The printed brochure was presented in a one-day conference in Trebinje on ‘The Economy of the EU’ to students and NGO representatives.
Brochure EU Path | Poster Conference

LDP 2007/2008: Project ‘Kosoview’, Pristina, Kosovo, March 2008

This group sought to raise awareness of the EU and its actions after the declaration of independence of Kosovo by producing a documentary film, creating a website and organising a conference on the ‘EU Mission in Kosovo - Views from inside and outside’. For the film, the group members interviewed young people in their countries (United States, Turkey, Austria, Kosovo and Belgium) about their views on Kosovo and the EU. By combining these views from the film with the official views of the high-level speakers on the discussion panel, like Pieter Feith, EU Special Representative for Kosovo, the event attracted crowds of people and was covered by almost all Kosovan media.
Agenda of the Panel Discussion | Film: Kosoview

LDP 2008/2009: Project ‘EU & U’, Skopje, FYROM, March 2009

With the ambitious aim to present the relationships towards the EU in a ‘plastic and entertaining way’ and reaching a wide audience, the group prepared a movie showing the views and expectations of young people coming form different countries (candidate countries, EU member states, and countries which currently are far a way form Europe). The participants also interviewed politicians and EU representatives in Macedonia, on the same questions: benefits of EU membership, expectations, challenges and most painful handicap of being outside of the EU. The result is a double comparison: differences between young people coming from different countries; and a clear difference in the approach of youth and politicians towards the EU. At the end of the movie, there is no explicit conclusion: it is up to the audience to make its own opinion! Copies of the movie were spread in schools and universities.