Youth exchange

“Enabling young people to discover the world by learning from their cultural differences”: this is the youth hostels’ commitment to young people. How? By organizing annual intercultural meetings. They bring together young people from different countries for a residential stay in a youth hostel. Exchanges and debates, participative and creative workshops, free time, visits and excursions… A collective and cosmopolitan time focused on the culture of peace.

Future of Europe: Rendezvous in Strasbourg from 23 to 29 June 2025
Participating countries : France, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain

The 7th ‘Future of Europe’ intercultural meeting will take place from 23 to 29 June 2025 in Strasbourg. This year, our network’s youth hostel, HI Strasbourg, has the honour of hosting this programme. A total of 7 European countries will be represented by young people aged between 18 and 26 (teams of 4 young people per country).

      • The aim of this event? To offer young people with an interest in European issues a time of exchange and discussion on the prospects for Europe.
        For 2025, the main theme is as follows:
        Strengthening the participation and inclusion of young people in the European decision-making process.
      • On the program:
        -> Dialogue sessions: time for debate on issues relating to society and Europe. These sessions are prepared and led by Kamila Ciok, founder of the NGO ‘Alimuradova Organisation’.
        -> Thematic and tourist visits (visit to the European Parliament, etc.).
        -> Meetings with local players and organisations promoting young people’s involvement in Europe.
        -> Tourist visits (including an afternoon at the Bagersee lake).
        -> Cultural evenings at which the teams present their countries.

Future of Europe…

  • encourage exchanges and dialogue between young people
  • debate European issues together
  • to encourage people to explore opportunities in Europe

The program

  • the program is based on “dialogue sessions” (or times for debate led by a facilitator), as well as themed and tourist visits
  • Working in a European country? What about populist movements and a multicultural society? What about the European Youth Goals? And SDGs? (Sustainable Development Goals)
  • 100% expenses covered (travel, accommodation, catering and visits)

IOU Respect: next edition from 2 to 14 August 2025 in Egypt (Cairo and Ismailia)

Participating countries : Egypt, France, Germany, Lebanon, Tunisia, United States

IOU (I Owe You) Respect is the flagship event of HI’s national youth hostel associations. The aim of this meeting is to create a dialogue between the Arab and Western worlds. 6 countries take part every year: 3 Arab countries and 3 Western countries (Europe/USA).

This program was set up in support of the peace campaign launched by the International Youth Hostel Federation (Hostelling International) in 2002, in partnership with UNESCO. This international campaign was launched in the wake of the September 11 attacks, on the theme of “Youth Hostels in the service of peace and international understanding”, to promote the mission and values of the Youth Hostel movement worldwide.

Discussions and debates, fun and creative workshops, tourist visits and visits to local players… These meetings are a collective and cosmopolitan time focused on intercultural dialogue and peace.

IOU Respect allows…

  • enrich your knowledge of other cultures
  • develop your intercultural communication skills
  • encourage your actions in favor of constructive intercultural exchanges
  • promote mutual understanding

Meeting program

  • Program highlights: “dialogue sessions” provide an opportunity to express and compare points of view on issues such as identities, religion, stereotypes and conflict…
  • A great deal of time is devoted to exchanges and getting to know other people and their cultures, through fun, cultural and sporting activities: group games, country presentation evenings…
  • Free time to facilitate exchanges
  • Sightseeing and cultural visits will be chosen following a survey of all participants

FUAJ, Canva

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