Lublin is the first Polish city to be granted the European Youth Capital title. The international jury decided that Lublin created the most interesting programme of activities in Europe with its unique energy and inspiring ideas of young people. The number of planned events and the value of allocated funds manifest the scale of the project.
We have every reason to celebrate. Lublin is the European Youth Capital 2023. Owing to the efforts and commitment of many, we will implement a varied programme, full of activities that will make young people’s dreams, passions and aspirations come true. We wish young people had a strong impact on creating and developing various application components for the benefit of the entire community. Lublin calls for further, coherent and interdisciplinary projects for young people. I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the process that brought Lublin to the Grand Finale! Congratulations to Romanian Baia Mare for coming second. We hope that we will work again on many youth projects in the future. Lublin – European Youth Capital 2023. Let’s get started! - says Krzysztof Żuk, Mayor of Lublin.
Other cities that participated in the competition were Baia Mare (Romania), Izmir (Turkey), Kazan (Russia), Lublin (Poland), Poznań (Poland) and Lviv (Ukraine). In March 2020, Baia Mare (Romania), Kazan (Russia) and Lublin remained listed.
Our application resulted from a joint effort, meetings, brainstorming ideas by many representatives of Lublin's NGOs, Youth City Council, students, informal youth groups, and City Hall employees. All the ideas were consulted with the community cooperating with youth organisations. While applying for the EYC title, we noticed how the process itself introduced positive changes and offered new opportunities, encouraged active participation, promoted volunteering, supported the diversity and integration, strengthened youth organisations and brought young people together.
Thank you all for this productive and creative time. Especially to Fundacja Sempre a Frente - Creators - Mateusz Małyska and Aleksandra Kulik with a team of extraordinary people - says Beata Stepaniuk-Kuśmierzak, Deputy Mayor of Lublin for Culture, Sport and Participation.
The Lublin application focuses on three concepts: City for Youth, Youth for the City and Youth and the City.
The European Youth Capital is a title awarded by the European Youth Forum for a period of one year. It is designed to empower young people, boost youth participation and strengthen European identity through projects focused on youth-related cultural, social, political and economic life and development.
Every year, a new European city is given the chance to showcase its innovative ideas, projects and activities that aim to raise up young voices and bring a new youth perspective to all aspects of city.
More information on the European Youth Capital 2023 title can be found on lublin.eu and on the Facebook profile www.facebook.com/Lublin.EYC2023, that was created together with the Lublin Youth City Council and the Children and Youth Team.
