14/10/2026
Seven days in Lithuania 🇱🇹
Something happens when you bring young people from five countries into one space and give them the time, tools, and trust to explore who they are and how they relate to others. It does not happen instantly. It builds slowly, through games that seem simple but are not, through conversations that start awkward and end honest, through quiet moments of reflection and loud moments of shared laughter.
Our team has just returned from Trakai, Lithuania, where they participated in "The Lost Art of Connection", an Erasmus+ youth exchange built around the Ikigai concept. The project created a space where young people could step away from the noise of everyday life and ask themselves difficult questions: What do I love? What am I good at? What does the world need? What could I be paid for? And perhaps more importantly, how do I connect with others in a way that feels real? 🌀
This is what meaningful non-formal education looks like. It is not about delivering information. It is about creating conditions where learning happens naturally, through experience, reflection, and exchange. The activities were designed to gently challenge participants, pushing them slightly outside their comfort zones while keeping them supported. They shared personal stories with strangers who became friends. They explored loneliness, connection, and what it means to feel seen. They interviewed locals, visited the municipality, and engaged with the community around them. đź‘Ą
The cultural nights were not just performances. They were invitations to understand one another more deeply. The Turkish team brought a Kına Gecesi, a traditional henna night, and filled the room with music and dance until no one was sitting. The Georgian and Italian teams shared their traditions with warmth and generosity. Lithuania opened its history and hospitality to everyone. France contributed its own stories and customs, adding to the mosaic. 🇹🇷🇱🇹🇫🇷🇬🇪🇮🇹
What remains after a project like this is not just knowledge. It is confidence. It is the understanding that connection requires effort but is always possible. It is the realization that young people carry within them the capacity to create change, both in their own lives and in their communities ✨
It is funded by the European Commission, and the European Commission is not responsible for its results 🇪🇺
