Building bridges across borders: GaragErasmus Capacity Building 2025

From July 9th to 11th, 2025, Athens became the meeting point for young professionals, youth workers and changemakers from across Eurasia, including countries like Romania, Italy, Turkey, Georgia, and Spain. The occasion? The garagErasmus Capacity Building 2025, held at The Demos Center, under the theme “The Advocacy Blueprint: Strategies, Campaigns & Sustainable Growth.”

Organized under the umbrella of ESAA, the event brought together a diverse network of alumni and stakeholders committed to driving positive impact in their communities, while strengthening the connections.

Over two intensive days of workshops and dialogue, participants explored a range of strategic themes:

• from mapping power structures and designing advocacy campaigns
• to sustainability planning and innovation in nonprofit business model.

Sessions such as “Navigating the Power Map”, “From Insight to Impact,” and the “Integration Lab” created a dynamic collaboration and idea exchange, encouraging attendees to transform local insight into actionable solutions.

Key moments included a warm welcome by Fabrizio Bitetto, President of the garagErasmus Foundation, and Mary Cardaras, Director of The Demos Center at The American College of Greece. Social and cultural elements also played a central role, with networking dinners, offering an authentic taste of Athenian hospitality.

Great news! Soon, the ErasMag will be available for everyone.

What is ErasMag? It is a new online magazine made for young people who are interested in Erasmus+ opportunities, like studying, working, or volunteering abroad. In this magazine, young people inteested in Erasmus+ can find real stories from people who have done Erasmus+, tips and advice on how to apply and a space to explore different experiences and learn what Erasmus+ is really like.