September marks Interreg Cooperation Day across Europe. This year, the event marks its 15th anniversary. It is an opportunity to bring the idea of cooperation and the values of working together closer to young Europeans in particular. This year’s Final of our 2026 Educational Campaign for Youth, held in Warsaw on 15-18 September, took a special form to mark the occasion.
This year’s edition was organised in cooperation with the Centre for East European Studies, University of Warsaw, a beneficiary of the 2014–2020 Programme. Thanks to the fruitful cooperation, participants had the opportunity to work in the University of Warsaw Library’s unique interiors and gardens, whose rooftop offers a beautiful panoramic view of Warsaw. The students explored the University of Warsaw Campus and learned more about the university’s educational offer – perhaps they will return to its halls in the near future.
The finalists were selected from among 22 school teams that submitted their qualifying entries in spring. The competition task was to prepare a short video related to a selected project implemented under the Interreg NEXT Poland – Ukraine 2021-2027 Programme or its previous edition, then edit it into a reel and publish it on social media.
Teams representing 12 schools from Poland and Ukraine qualified for the Final. During their four-day stay in Warsaw, the young participants took part in a range of thematic workshops, including LEGO construction, performance and choreography, and sports and coordination activities. Importantly, the students worked together in mixed Polish-Ukrainian teams, which allowed them not only to develop their skills but, above all, to learn how to cooperate in an international group and work towards common goals.
The participants’ own accounts are the best way to show how they remember the Final:
Agribusiness School Complex in Rzeszów:
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“Nadiya” Lyceum in Lviv:
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An important part of the event was a tour of Warsaw. The participants visited the Old Town and the University of Warsaw Main Campus, walked along Krakowskie Przedmieście and saw the offices of the European Commission Representation and the European Parliament Liaison Office, before ending the day by admiring the city from the observation deck of the Palace of Culture and Science. The day culminated in the Final Gala, held in the University of Warsaw’s representative hall. During the Gala, the young participants had the opportunity to present the results of their work to the audience, as well as learn more about the educational offer of the Centre for East European Studies and the PIMReC project implemented by the University of Warsaw under the Programme. The Gala was a special moment of the entire event and brought many emotions. It was attended, among others, by Marcin Kołnierzak – Director of the Centre for European Projects, Roman Shepeliak – Consul General of Ukraine in Lublin, and Ireneusz Maj – Deputy Director of the Centre for East European Studies. At the end, all Final participants received prize sets and commemorative certificates. Many of them said they would certainly take part in future editions.
Primary School in Mielec:
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