Key Information
Dates: 23/08/2026 - 30/08/2026
Location: Herlany, Slovakia
Participants: 36 young leaders from 7 countries
About our Journey
Between 23-30 August 2026, 36 dedicated participants from 7 European countries gathered in the village of Herlany, Slovakia, for a focused initiative on digital citizenship:
The PRISMA European Network collaborated with a strong consortium of partners to implement this Youth Exchange, bringing together representatives from GEYC (Romania), Youth for Youth (Slovakia), EuroMuevete (Spain), Growth Hub (Greece), Dynamic Youth Association (Hungary), Tavo Europa (Lithuania), and EUActive (Austria).
The mobility relied on non-formal education methods, ensuring that learning was both practical and engaging. Through workshops, simulations, and creative labs, young leaders explored the mechanisms behind fake news, discussed online hate speech, and developed concrete campaigning skills.
The aim was to transition participants from passive learners into active facilitators and organizers, equipping them with the project management and content creation tools necessary to implement impactful digital democracy events in their local communities.
Objectives & Outcomes
The primary aim of the project was to equip young leaders with the skills necessary to navigate and positively influence the digital space. The core objectives included:
- Tackling disinformation: understanding the mechanisms behind fake news and learning to counter it through critical media literacy.
- Promoting digital citizenship: ensuring youth comprehend their online rights, responsibilities, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
- Fostering co-creation: guiding participants through a transition from passive learners to active facilitators capable of organizing impactful community events.
The mobility resulted in concrete outcomes. Over the course of the week, participants developed verified Youthpass competencies, project management skills, and a portfolio of multimedia campaigns designed to combat disinformation. They arrived as participants and left as capable event organizers ready for #EDCEWeek26.
Highlights of the Week
- Digital reality checks: national teams analyzed Eurostat data, examined viral fake news cases from their home countries, and critically assessed their governments' current digital policies.
- Defending digital freedom: drawing from the Council of Europe’s Bookmarks manual, teams reviewed complex case studies on online hate speech, debating solutions and voting on ethical outcomes.
- Content creation labs: working in intercultural groups, participants brainstormed, filmed, and edited short-form video campaigns, later utilizing Canva to design educational carousels.
- Developing organizational skills: participants took the lead by practicing public speaking and facilitation, ultimately pitching their own local event plans and navigating surprise crisis-management scenarios to build resilience.
- Rural digital detox: to balance the intensive screen-based work, the group participated in a hike through rural Slovakia, offering a space for cultural exchange and mental recovery.
Highlights from the Ground
Check out some of our favorite moments and digital creations directly from the project participants: