Final Event
The final event took place on December 18th, 2025, and was held online via the Zoom platform, with the
participation of all project partners and invited guests from all partner countries. In addition, the meeting
was observed online by groups of young people, such as school classes. Furthermore, the event was
open to the general public, as anyone could connect by scanning the QR code on the poster distributed
through the project and partner communication channels, and was livestreamed on the project's
YouTube channel.
The total number of registered participants who provided data such as gender and nationality is 305;
however, the actual total number of participants is 448 when considering all YouTube views and Zoom
logins. The difference is due both to the inability of some participants to register for the Zoom meeting,
mainly because of information system security restrictions in certain municipal organizations (NIS), and
to the fact that some did not complete the registration form.
Following the public session, a restricted session was held for the project partners to discuss possible
future cooperation and follow-up of the NEXT project.
The event was titled “Ready, not just prepared: Young people heading towards the future” and
covered the following topics :
• Presentation of the project objectives, activities and main outcomes
• Storytelling and dissemination of project results
• Analysis of perceptions on equal opportunities
• Artificial intelligence and future skills for young people
• Youth participation, ideas and reflections on the future of Europe
The public session of the NEXT Final Event was opened by Nikolay Gospodinov (Municipality of Byala),
who welcomed the participants and briefly introduced the objectives of the event and the overall project
framework. The introduction outlined the relevance of the project in the context of youth participation,
equal opportunities and future-oriented skills.
The Municipality of Lousada presented a storytelling video, illustrating the project journey, key
activities and the involvement of young people throughout the implementation period. The video
highlighted the transnational dimension of the project and its local impact.
The Storytelling video is available on the project's YouTube channel at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBfy5uLjy9E&list=PLtNph_dgtnY1_tbUpcyEQDIzwQmI6XRLS
Following the video, Lousada introduced the final project publication, presenting its structure, main
thematic areas and its role as a dissemination and educational tool. The publication brings together the
project’s results, methodologies and reflections developed during the project activities. the final
publication will be made available on the project's official website.
The Municipality of Schwäbisch Gmünd presented the results of the analysis on the perception of
equal opportunities, explaining the applied methodology and the main findings. The presentation focused on differences in perceptions, common challenges identified by young participants and the
importance of promoting inclusive dialogue and awareness.
A key element of the public session was the webinar 'Ready, Not Just Prepared: Thriving in the Age
of AI', delivered by Fabio Salvadori, innovation mentor and author. The webinar explored how students
and professionals can navigate a workforce being transformed by artificial intelligence. Participant
responses revealed a mix of curiosity and concern about AI's impact on their futures. Notably, while job
displacement was mentioned, the predominant worry centered on preserving human creativity,
suggesting that participants' main concern is whether AI will diminish what makes us distinctly human.
Addressing these concerns, Salvadori shared three essential lessons from 20 years of navigating
technological disruption:
• we are more than what we do (our identity should remain fluid beyond our roles),
• mastery matters more than success (focusing on lifelong learning rather than outcomes),
• we must build the right tribe (surrounding ourselves with people who challenge and support
our development).
These principles emphasized that thriving with AI requires not just technical preparation, but human
readiness: the capacity to act with purpose even in uncertainty, to stay curious, and to maintain the
relationships that help us grow. The attached presentation includes the most significant responses
provided by participants via Mentimeter.
The session continued with the presentation of the NEXT Ideas Wall, coordinated by the Municipality
of Byala. This interactive tool allowed participants to share ideas, reflections and proposals related to
youth participation, the future of Europe and inclusive policies. The results collected through the idea
wall clearly outline the priority thematic areas for future project initiatives. Participants identified mental
health and democracy as key topics, considered within the broader context of active youth participation,
social inclusion, and the strengthening of social cohesion. In addition, interest was expressed in
complementary thematic areas such as human rights, culture, migration, sport, entrepreneurship, and
innovation, highlighting the need for an integrated and cross-sectoral approach in the planning of future
activities.
With regard to methodology and formats of implementation, the findings indicate a clear preference for
creative and interactive activities as effective tools for engaging target groups. Such approaches are
perceived as more suitable for fostering active participation, exchange of ideas, and the development
of key competences when compared to more traditional training formats and the use of online tools.
In terms of the future development of the initiative, participants strongly emphasised the importance of
enhanced collaboration and partnerships. Increased coordination, joint actions among organisations,
and the exchange of good practices are considered essential prerequisites for ensuring sustainability,
broader impact, and added value in future project activities.
The public session concluded with closing remarks by the lead partner, Municipality of Faenza,
summarizing the key messages of the event, acknowledging the contribution of partners and
participants, and encouraging continued cooperation and use of the project results.
Following the public session, a restricted meeting was held online via the Zoom platform for project
partners. The discussion focused on internal coordination, reporting aspects and the discussion on
possible future cooperation and follow-up of the NEXT project.
#NEXT #NEXTYoungNEETsshapingEXpectationsforThefutureofEurope
