Although I am a recent member of the Fund Operator team, I had the chance to witness and value your motivation, commitment, and eagerness to address the current societal challenges through the implementation of your projects as concrete realisation of your ideas. As recipients of the EEA Norway Regional Funds Grants, you had the key to not only opportunities but also to contribute, by making available your studies, your recommendations, your products, and tools, influencing the policies that directly impact your and our lives.
We all know, however, that the key and the turning twofold point remains to find a space for discussions, for disseminating results, analysis and to establish a dialogue with relevant decision makers. This task is quite challenging as most of the time rely on the willingness, on the vision of the parties involved and how much mindful their work is conceived.
This is both my personal consideration and the conclusion of exchanges held with some of you over the recent past. This is the reality, or better to say a part of the reality, but it should not be forgotten that we all – young people and a bit elder – are not just beneficiaries but architects of change.
Your projects have been conceived in this perspective, but how can you, can we continue to make these efforts sustainable, impactful? I would say the first step is exercising active citizenship and proactively engaging and working with your community key actors. Another opportunity that I would like to share with you is offered by the “Have Your Say” portal emerging as a vital tool in amplifying your voice. It is an online space designed for you to voice your opinions, concerns, and aspirations directly to the European institutions – the main policy and decision makers of our common European House (https://have-your-say.ec.europa.eu ). This platform is not just a tool; it is a bridge between your ideas and the policymakers who can turn them into reality. Through “Have Your Say,” you have the chance to contribute to the discussions on policies that matter most to you and to directly engage with issues close to your heart. Be it climate change, education, employment, or social justice, employment, this platform ensures your perspectives are not just heard but considered in the decision-making process.
“Have Your Say” is not just an invitation; it is an opportunity to actively shape policies, it is the space, platform most of you, us were looking for. By staying informed, participating in discussions, and contributing your thoughts, you break down barriers and become an integral part of the democratic dialogue and participatory policy making process. Shape Tomorrow through your Say!
To not forget, there is also another powerful tool in our hands: the elections. It’s not just about voting; it’s about actively engaging in the dialogue that shapes policies for a tomorrow that mirrors our aspirations for a better sustainable future and be change actor of the future.
I am aware that these tools cannot be used by all our family members, and I do apologise, should my invitation for Call to Action be cause of frustration, however, bear in mind one of the leading and golden principles of our common path: sharing experiences, best practices, benchmarking. In this respect, let us hope these brief considerations might be of inspiration.
Cristiana Gaita,
FO Team Senior Consultant
Team Europe Direct network member, Italy
