Between the 29 September to 4 October 2025 35 young people from Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe [CDN] and Young European Greens [FYEG] have gathered for the study session Canvas of Change: Youth, Culture and Political Participation at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, France.
The Study Session in collaboration with the Youth department of the Council of Europe brings together young people from 20 member states to explore the role art and culture have in shaping political processes. Canvas of Change hopes to empower participants to use creativity and innovation for activism, political participation, fight against discrimination, and to create sustainable and inclusive futures for European societies.
The objectives of the session were:
- To equip participants with knowledge about the historical and political dimensions of art and culture, with a focus on diverse European cultural heritage including heritage of underprivileged communities.
- To inspire creativity and innovation through exploration of imaginative and artistic approaches to activism and political engagement.
- To encourage green youth of Europe to integrate artistic and cultural approaches to their future organisational processes and youth projects related to political participation and anti-discrimination.
- To encourage intercultural dialogue between European communities, with reflection on their geographical, historical, political, and social diversity of heritage.
During the week participants heard from Shams Albeshawi from No More War who is also an independent artist. Nada Greku from the European Institute of Roma Arts and Culture Serbia and Rita Marascalchi from the Intercultural Cities Programme at the Council of Europe.
As part of the programme the participants had a private screening of Sleepless City followed by a Q and A with the director Guillermo Galoe.
