Beyond Borders Neighbours Together
Launching Seminar of the Long-term Strategic Partnership on Youth Cooperation Between Programme and Neighbouring Partner Countries
Max Fras
20 – 24 June 2022, Paris – France
“Beyond Borders – Neighbours Together”
is an initiative promoting strategic cooperation between SALTOs and National Agencies for Erasmus+, youth field, and the European Solidarity Corps, with a focus on cooperation between Programme and neighbouring partner countries (third countries not associated to the Programmes) within the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes.
During the last generation of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, the regional SALTOs and National Agencies increasingly identified the need to concentrate and coordinate the existing resources in a more strategic way in order to reinforce the opportunities for partnerships and the impact of projects involving partners from neighbouring regions and to increase the visibility and recognition of the relevance of this dimension of the Programmes among different stakeholders.

“Beyond Borders” was created in 2021. It is coordinated by three regional SALTO Resource Centres and the National Agencies of the Czech Republic, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovenia. The overall objectives of the strategic project are to:
- Further develop the cooperation in the youth field between Programme and Neighbouring Partner countries within Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps, in particular to:
- enhance opportunities for sustainable partnerships and joint projects;
- develop regular and targeted support for projects and partnerships;
- strengthen the impact of the projects involving partners from neighbouring regions;
- increase support for the development and recognition of youth work in the Partner regions;
- Further explore the links between the Programmes, relevant policies and strategies;
- Increase the visibility and recognition of the relevance and added value of this dimension of the Programme among different stakeholders.
The Kick-off Event
Paris was the place to officially launch Beyond Borders in June 2022 in presence of a wide diversity of stakeholders. The event was also a space to explore and develop collaboration initiatives for interregional cooperation.


The main aim of the Kick-off Event was enhancing the visibility and value of the cooperation between Programme and Neighbouring Partner countries within Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps. The specific objectives were to:
- Engage stakeholders in shaping priority areas of cooperation between Programme and Partner Countries, within the framework of the “Beyond borders – Neighbours together” partnership.
- Capitalise on the experience of existing projects, initiatives and expertise for mutual learning and future cooperation.
- Increase the understanding of how different stakeholders can benefit from opportunities for cooperation between Programme and Partner Countries.
The Kick-Off Event brought together over 100 participants with different profiles and coming from various contexts and with different experiences, including:
- Representatives of experienced organisations from both Programme & Neighbouring Partner Countries under the Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps Programme;
- Representatives of organisations interested in getting (more) involved in this cooperation;
- Institutional stakeholders (especially representatives of the EU Delegations in the relevant countries, European Commission and National Agencies for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps).
The event programme was built around elements of reflection on past experiences, including both success stories and challenges in cooperation with partner regions, analysis of current realities as well as forward-looking elements such as identifying common priorities in cross-regional cooperation.
The event represented an important stepping stone of the “Beyond Borders” partnership. The insights from consultations carried out Neighbouring partner regions in 2021 as well as the priorities for further cooperation identified by the participants during this event represent an important input to defining the future priorities and activities of the “Beyond Borders” partnership:
- Inclusion and diversity;
- Recognition of youth work and volunteering;
- European Solidarity Corps;
- Youth participation and youth policy development;
- Thematic priorities: digitalisation, gender, sustainability, resilience, peacebuilding.
The structure of the partnership will still be developed. It should include further consultative elements and moments involving the youth work community of practice in Programme countries and the Neighbouring Partner regions.
Participants’ point of view
During the seminar, we talked to some participants about the following questions:
- Who are you in the context of cooperation between Programme and partner countries?
- Why is the cooperation between Programme and partner countries important for you, your organisation and community?
- In your experience, what are the main benefits of cooperation between Programme and partner countries?
- Beyond Borders just launched a platform for cooperation between Programme and partner countries. What could be the relevance and benefit of such a platform?
Adina Halilović, Proni, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Lama Zeinoun, Chabibeh Club, Lebanon
Marius Ulozas, Institute of Policy Research and Analysis, Lithuania
Sara Bertolino, Giosef Torino, Italy
Atom Mkhitaryan, Federation of Youth Clubs, Armenia
Ahmad Abu el Haija, Erasmus+ National Office, Jordan
Olena Glazkova, Kremenchuk European Club, Ukraine
Visar Haxhifazliu, THY, Kosovo