The new edition of the “Discovering Europe” project has concluded successfully. Funded by the Unione dei Comuni del Gerrei, it was conceived and developed by Focus Europe ETS to help younger people learn about the European Union, its institutions and the values underpinning the process of European integration.
The new edition of the “Discovering Europe” project has concluded successfully. Funded by the Unione dei Comuni del Gerrei, it was conceived and developed by Focus Europe ETS to help younger people learn about the European Union, its institutions and the values underpinning the process of European integration.
Following the training activities carried out locally and the selection tests, nine lower secondary school students from Gerrei had the opportunity to take part in the educational visit to Brussels from 13 to 17 July 2026.
The programme was designed as a comprehensive educational experience, combining theoretical learning with direct knowledge of the places where many decisions affecting the everyday lives of European citizens are taken.
An experience within the European institutions
During their stay, the young people visited the Parlamentarium, the European Parliament’s visitors’ centre, where they explored the history of European integration, the role of Members of the European Parliament and how the Union’s democratic process works.
The delegation then visited the European Parliament Hemicycle, experiencing at close quarters one of the symbolic places of European democracy and understanding how the assembly directly representing the citizens of the Member States carries out its work.
The programme also included a visit to the House of European History, which enabled the students to explore the historical, political, social and cultural events that helped shape contemporary Europe.
The young people also visited the Musical Instruments Museum in Brussels, continuing their learning through European cultural and musical heritage.
Learning, citizenship and discovery
Alongside the institutional visits, the trip included opportunities to discover Brussels, its most representative places and its historical and cultural heritage.
The activities enabled participants to explore topics including European citizenship, democracy, cooperation between peoples, peace, youth participation and the role of local communities in the process of building Europe.
For the young people, this was not only an educational trip but also an experience of personal growth, independence, dialogue and sharing, undertaken together with their peers and the accompanying staff from Focus Europe ETS.
Investing in young people and the future of the local area
The project confirms the importance of investing in the European education of younger generations, offering young people from local communities the opportunity to discover the institutions directly and understand the concrete meaning of belonging to the European Union.
The collaboration between the Unione dei Comuni del Gerrei and Focus Europe ETS made it possible to turn the learning programme delivered in schools into a direct, participatory experience, bringing the Gerrei area closer to the heart of Europe.
Focus Europe ETS managed the project’s conception, training, participant selection, the formalities relating to the mobility of minors, and the logistical and educational organisation of the trip.
At the end of the activities, the final technical and financial documentation was sent to the Unione dei Comuni del Gerrei, including the report on the activities carried out, the educational materials produced and the supporting documents for the expenditure incurred.
Special thanks go to the Unione dei Comuni del Gerrei, the families and everyone who contributed to the success of the initiative.
Through “Discovering Europe”, nine young people from Gerrei were able to experience Europe as a real space for participation, opportunities and the future, beyond a subject studied in books.
