From 22 to 31 December 2025, the Bulgarian mountain town of Smolyan became a meeting point for young people from Bulgaria, Romania and Greece during the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange “Sustainable Youth Action for Community Impact.”
The activity was implemented by Young Improvers for Youth Development (YIYD) within Erasmus+ project 2025-1-BG01-KA151-YOU-000298009, under the organisation’s Erasmus+ Youth Accreditation 2023-1-BG01-KA150-YOU-000193502.
The exchange brought together 19 young participants and three group leaders. Seven young people represented Bulgaria, six came from Romania and six from Greece.
The programme was designed around one central idea: young people can become active contributors to their communities when they are given the opportunity to learn, exchange perspectives and transform ideas into action.
Throughout the mobility, participants explored sustainability, responsible consumption, environmental responsibility, active citizenship, community participation and intercultural learning. Instead of relying on traditional classroom-style education, the programme used non-formal education methods, practical challenges, teamwork, discussions, creative activities and reflection.
Smolyan itself became part of the learning environment.
Participants explored the city, communicated with local people, discussed community needs and examined the relationship between local identity and European citizenship. The Rhodope Mountains provided a powerful setting in which environmental sustainability, cultural heritage and community development could be discussed not as abstract concepts, but as realities visible in everyday life.
A particularly important element of the project was inclusion. Fourteen of the 19 young participants were participants with fewer opportunities, including young people facing geographical, cultural or economic barriers.
The exchange demonstrated that international mobility should not be reserved only for young people who already have extensive travel experience or strong international networks. Erasmus+ can reach young people from smaller towns, rural communities and peripheral regions and give them access to the same European learning opportunities.
The activity also created strong intercultural connections between the Bulgarian, Romanian and Greek groups. Participants learned to cooperate across linguistic and cultural differences, to listen to different perspectives and to recognise diversity as an educational resource.
The results of the official feedback were highly positive. All three group leader reports confirmed benefits for the young people and positive results related to teamwork, intercultural cooperation, critical thinking, active citizenship and European belonging.
The youth exchange showed that meaningful international learning does not require a large European capital. It can happen in a mountain town like Smolyan, where European ideas meet local realities and where young people can discover that community change often starts with small actions.
Project: 2025-1-BG01-KA151-YOU-000298009
Erasmus+ Youth Accreditation: 2023-1-BG01-KA150-YOU-000193502
Activity: Sustainable Youth Action for Community Impact
Location: Smolyan, Bulgaria
Dates: 22–31 December 2025
Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the competent programme authorities. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.