The Voice of Ukrainian Youth in Europe: Menas ir inovacijos Concludes International Project with Hackathon in Italy

The end of September marks the conclusion of the Erasmus+ project YESDGs (Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development Goals). One of the project’s highlights was the international youth hackathon held in June in Potenza, Italy, which brought together more than 20 participants from six European countries. Over three days, the event became an intensive creative laboratory, where young people worked in international teams, joined mentoring sessions, and developed innovative solutions to climate change and social inclusion challenges.

Representing Lithuania, the NGO Menas ir inovacijos invited four young Ukrainians living in Lithuania to take part in the hackathon. For them, it was their first experience with the Erasmus+ programme.

Contribution of Ukrainian Youth

The participation of Ukrainian youth was a key element of the event. For the young participants, the hackathon offered a unique opportunity not only to gain new knowledge about climate challenges, but also to build international connections, strengthen their confidence, and experience intercultural exchange.

Hackathon Ideas

During the hackathon, participants developed a variety of initiatives exploring how creativity and technology can be applied to build a sustainable future. Among them were:

• Rewear – a campaign tackling the fast fashion industry through clothing swaps, recycling workshops, and digital tools;

• Forest Fest – a community-driven festival aimed at reforesting and restoring areas affected by wildfires;

• ECEP (European Culture Exchange Platform) – a digital platform designed to reduce social exclusion by encouraging cultural dialogue and shared activities.

The winning idea was BridgeU, a mobile app designed to combat social isolation among young people by transforming unused urban spaces into open cultural, wellness, and community centres. According to the jury, this idea demonstrated the greatest potential for continuity and real-world application.

The Role of Menas ir inovacijos

In Lithuania, Menas ir inovacijos has consistently worked in the field of youth empowerment, with a strong focus on social inclusion and supporting vulnerable groups. Beyond the hackathon, the organisation has implemented a variety of educational and creative activities in Lithuania that helped young people better understand the challenges of climate change and prepare for international cooperation. In this way, Menas ir inovacijos acts as a bridge between local and international initiatives, ensuring that the voice of youth is heard across Europe.

“The YESDGs project created a unique space for young people to engage in international dialogue. The hackathon proved that youth are ready to generate solutions that matter to the whole of Europe,” says Eglė Naureckytė, project coordinator in Lithuania.

Project Completion and Continuity

YESDGs is one of several international initiatives in which Menas ir inovacijos takes part. Another flagship project is E-lit Adults (Energy Literacy for Adults), implemented in Lithuania together with Kaunas University of Technology. This project addresses energy poverty across Europe by strengthening adults’ energy literacy. It brings together academic, non-formal education, and business experts from five countries to identify gaps in knowledge, develop micro-learning courses, and build an online platform for knowledge sharing.

Through such activities, Menas ir inovacijos contributes not only to addressing the challenges of climate change, but also to responding to the needs of vulnerable social groups.

The project is funded by the European Union. The views expressed in this article are those of the author only, and neither the National Agency nor the European Commission can be held responsible for any use of the information contained therein.