From July 1st to 3rd, 2025, Berlin played host to the European Green Roundtable, a landmark event organized under the Response-Ability: Responsive Youth for Climate Action (RYCA) project and co-financed by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union 🇪🇺.

This three-day gathering brought together over 30 young environmental leaders from across Europe—Italy, Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, and Lithuania—to collaborate, inspire, and advocate for a more sustainable future, together with other local youths from the city of Berlin.

What made the Roundtable truly impactful was the presence of several EU representatives and Climate Pact Ambassadors, who joined the youth in discussions about climate action, policymaking, and youth-driven solutions. Their insights, combined with the energy and vision of our young participants, created a powerful space for dialogue and innovation.

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🌍 Day 1: Building Connections and Sharing Actions

The Roundtable opened with warm welcomes from partner organizations Einzigartige Projekte and Eurobox, followed by an engaging overview of the RYCA project’s achievements. Attendees also learned about the Ecommunity Activators Network (EAN) and shared their local initiatives—especially the EcoGuides, developed by young people to promote environmental best practices across different regions.

A policy brainstorming session closed the day, setting the foundation for collective action and ideas to be explored in depth over the following days.

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🌿 Day 2: From Ideas to Proposals

Day two kicked off with inspiring keynote presentations and expert-led case studies on impactful environmental projects. Participants then dove into refining their policy proposals through group discussions and workshops designed to boost youth engagement with policymakers.

The afternoon featured expert critiques of the draft ideas, offering constructive feedback and sharpening the participants’ focus for their final proposals.

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🏛️ Day 3: Youth Meets Policy

The final day was all about action and advocacy. Youth participants officially presented their draft policy proposals, discussed how to scale their outcomes, and engaged in an open dialogue with invited Members of the European Parliament and policymakers. Together, they co-created a final policy document aimed at informing local and EU-level environmental strategies.

The event concluded with a strategic plan for disseminating the outcomes and sustaining the momentum of the RYCA initiative.

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🌱 Why It Mattered

The European Green Roundtable was more than an event—it was a platform for real participation, where young people didn’t just speak, they were heard. The presence of EU officials and ambassadors underlined the importance of youth perspectives in climate decision-making and demonstrated that collaboration across generations and institutions is not just possible—it’s essential.

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💡 What’s Next?

With a solid set of policy recommendations, new connections, and fresh energy, the RYCA community is ready to continue advocating for a greener, fairer future. The outcomes of the Roundtable will be shared publicly and brought forward in future campaigns, projects, and local actions.

📲 Stay connected with us via @rycaproject and rycaproject.eu as we move from discussion to transformation—together.