Kick-off Meeting in Strasbourg: Setting the Stage for the EYE Village

Insights from the Kick-off Meeting

During the two days, we received guidance on important next steps and preparation support, as well as technical and organisational details, including logistics. We also covered topics such as the participant registration system, inclusion measures and responsibilities, potential risks and solutions, and the legal procedure.  All participating organisations shared their work, and visited the event venue. These sessions ensured that all organisations were well prepared to create impactful and accessible activities.
Since the event took part also in the European Parliament building, we had an off-schedule visit to the Hemicycle, providing us a glimpse into European decision-making. 
Evenings were spent of engaged in networking activities and wrapping up the days with board games, discussing more about what our organisations do or what are our plans for the EYE Village event. It is important to mention the effort we put into explaining what debate is and  why i tis an excellent way to effectively fight with the populism and euro-scepticism.

What’s Next for EYE2025?
For us, the Kick-off Meeting is the starting point. Our work just begins there and does not even end at the EYE2025 event, but much later after that. After the process of selecting volunteers who will help us run our activities, such as a workshop or showcase debate, it will be about preparing for the workshop, debate, and all logistic needs to ensure that everything will run smoothly for both participants and us. With the connections we established during the kick-off meeting, along with the support from the organisers, the work ahead will be smooth. Already now, we cannot wait to teach plenty of young people how to debate and construct a strong argument.