In September our volunteer, Anna Czaman, was in Budapest to attend the Strategic Partnership for Inclusion (SPI) Harvesting Conference 2023, an event that gathered experienced and future Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps volunteers, as well as youth workers from organisations interested in implementing inclusive practices in their European mobility programmes. In her blog, Anna shares her experience at the conference, whose focus was to assess the impact of these practices and collect ideas from volunteers and experts working on inclusion and diversity in the EU Youth Programmes.
From 19 to 22 September 2023, Budapest, Hungary buzzed with the
Harvesting Conference, a melting pot of ideas, connections, and good vibes.
The first evening was all about breaking the ice. It was clear right away that the
group was all about inclusion and embracing new perspectives.
The next day, participants had the chance to chat with representatives from various
organizations in smaller groups, firing off questions about their practices.
Day two was a dose of personal inspiration. The panel session kicked things off,
with individuals sharing their passions and all the things they love and believe in,
such as sustainability, inclusion, and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC)
program. Then, it was back to small groups for more intimate discussions, from
gender equality, solidarity projects, inclusion and diversity to language animation,
and everything in between.
Beyond the talks, this event was the place to be for making connections and
building friendships that’ll last.
The European Youth Center in Budapest was the perfect backdrop. It catered to
everyone’s accommodation needs, making sure everyone felt right at home. The
organizers were like your supportive sidekicks, always there when you needed a
hand.
Looking back, Harvesting Conference 2023 proved that when you bring passionate
minds together, the possibilities are endless. It painted a picture of an inclusive,
bright future where ideas flow freely.
