Between 7 and 11 December 2025, ESN Ukraine delivered the advocacy and outreach activity “EUnderstanding Ukraine: Live ESN Voices for Erasmus+ and Solidarity” in Brussels. The initiative aimed to bring Ukrainian student and youth experiences directly into EU institutional and academic spaces through personal exchange.
The programme took place at the European Commission, the European Parliament, and Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), engaging around 60 participants, including EU staff and trainees, university students, and local youth. The activity was led by ESN Ukraine and the European Parliament Antenna in Ukraine, in close cooperation with DG EAC and academic partners.
The core format was a Living Library, where 10 Ukrainian Erasmus+ alumni shared personal stories on student mobility, volunteering, leadership, war-time realities, and engagement with European programmes. The sessions focused on open dialogue rather than formal presentations and were moderated by ESN Ukraine facilitators.
The programme also included study visits to EU institutions and professional development sessions for the Ukrainian delegation, focusing on advocacy, storytelling, and understanding EU processes.
As key outputs, 12 personal testimonies were recorded for outreach videos and a digital booklet. Participants reported stronger advocacy skills, better understanding of EU institutions, and new professional connections.
Overall, EUnderstanding Ukraine strengthened Erasmus+ and ESN Ukraine visibility, elevating Ukrainian student voices in the EU, and demonstrating the value of people-to-people formats in building understanding and solidarity with Ukraine.
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