International Alliance for Cultural Relations

🌍 Strengthening cooperation through Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

We are pleased to share the successful completion of a six-month Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs exchange hosted within the framework of the International Alliance for Cultural Relations.

Tetiana Nikora (Ukraine) carried out her placement in close cooperation with IACR President András Lőrincz, contributing to the work of IACR and its partner organisations. The exchange focused on organisational development, youth work methodologies, and strengthening international cooperation in the field of cultural relations.

Over the course of the programme, Tetiana was actively involved in both strategic and operational aspects of the organisation. Her activities included vision building, drafting organisational statutes, exploring legal frameworks for youth organisations in Hungary, and contributing to the development of a one-year strategic plan and visual identity.

A key component of the placement was the practical implementation of activities: from designing and organising offline events to outreach, communication, and participant engagement. In parallel, Tetiana deepened her understanding of European youth programme structures, application processes, and long-term organisational development.

🤝 Beyond individual learning, the exchange contributed to expanding IACR’s international network, strengthening partnerships, and supporting future joint initiatives across the alliance.

We thank Tetiana for her dedication and contribution, and reaffirm the value of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme in fostering cooperation, knowledge exchange, and capacity building across Europe and beyond.

🟩 As part of her Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs exchange, Tetiana Nikora continues to advance her knowledge in NGO management, strategic planning, and community engagement. In recent weeks, she has contributed to the development of a practical roadmap that outlines the key steps for organisational registration and stakeholder involvement.

Her work has included identifying relevant partners, mapping the ecosystem surrounding potential new initiatives, and structuring the sequence of actions required to move from concept to implementation. These tasks play an essential role in understanding how effective, sustainable civil society projects are launched and managed.

Tetiana’s strategic mindset, analytical skills, and dedication add significant value to the process, reinforcing the programme’s objective of empowering future social leaders and changemakers.

🇮🇹 IACR at Connessioni 2025 – Strengthening youth work and volunteering across Europe

Between 19-23 October 2025, representatives of the International Alliance for Cultural Relations participated in Connessioni 2025 in Cagliari, Sardinia - a major international event dedicated to youth work, cooperation, and volunteering. With more than 150 participants from across Europe, the event offered an inspiring platform for exchange, learning, and collaboration. The event was organised by TDM 2000 International.

🌍 This was the second time the IACR took part in Connessioni. Our network was represented by two participants, alongside additional representatives from our member organisations in Slovakia, Hungary, and Ukraine.

On the final day, the NGO Fair brought together over 40 civil society organisations, creating a dynamic space to explore partnerships and present ongoing initiatives within the IACR network.

We look forward to further developing the cooperation opportunities that emerged during this year’s edition of Connessioni.

🟩 We are pleased to highlight the ongoing progress of Tetiana, who is completing her entrepreneurial placement within the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme. As part of her learning pathway, Tetiana has been examining the legal foundations and regulatory frameworks that govern the work of non-profit organisations.

Over the past weeks, she has explored how NGOs are established, registered, and managed in accordance with national legislation and EU standards. Together, we have been developing a draft NGO statute and analysing each stage of the registration and compliance process - from organisational governance to operational requirements.

Tetiana’s systematic approach, precision, and strong motivation are contributing to a highly productive exchange. This collaboration continues to enhance mutual learning and supports her preparation for future initiatives in the civil society sector.

🟩 Learning, research, and professional exchange are well underway through the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme. As part of this EU-funded initiative, which supports emerging entrepreneurs in gaining practical experience abroad, Tetiana Nikora has been working closely with IACR President András Lőrincz over the past weeks to deepen her understanding of the NGO and youth sectors in Europe.

During this period, she examined how NGOs operate in practice, conducted comparative research on youth-focused organisations in Ukraine and across Europe, and analysed their structures, governance systems, and funding mechanisms. This exploration has provided her with a solid foundation for developing future initiatives in the youth field.

Tetiana also participated in several youth programmes and community events in Hungary, where she strengthened her skills in communication, photography, and event coordination. Her research and field observations contributed to mapping current trends, needs, and challenges within the Hungarian youth sector - an important milestone for her professional growth and future project development.

🌍🇮🇹✨ International Summer Week Sardinia – The International Alliance for Cultural Relations had the pleasure of taking part in the International Summer Week Sardinia - a vibrant international event filled with cultural exchange, learning, and new friendships.

Our network was proudly represented by several member organisations, showcasing the diversity and strength of the IACR community:
🇬🇪 Georgian Association for Cultural Relations, 🇭🇺 Institute for Cultural Relations Policy, EMINA Career Guidance Foundation, Foundation for Consciousness and Environment, 🇦🇹 Austrian Association for Cultural Relations, 🇸🇰 Medzinárodné a kultúrne vzťahy Slovákom, 🇺🇦 Forward for Future, Ukrainian Institute for Cultural Relations Policy

Throughout the week, participants joined workshops, intercultural dialogues, outdoor activities, and collaborative sessions - building connections and generating ideas that will continue to inspire future projects within our network.

A warm thank you to the organisers of International Summer Week TDM 2000 for hosting such an enriching experience. We look forward to bringing the energy, learning, and cooperation spirit into our upcoming initiatives!

🟩 We are pleased to welcome Tetiana Nikora from Ukraine, who has joined our organisation within the framework of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) programme. This EU-funded initiative supports aspiring entrepreneurs by offering them the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in established organisations across Europe. Through cross-border exchanges, participants strengthen their entrepreneurial skills, broaden their professional perspectives, and develop the competencies needed to launch or scale their own initiatives.

Tetiana has now started her six-month learning placement with the IACR, during which she will engage in an in-depth exploration of:
- the organisational structure, governance, and operational management of NGOs,
- the youth sector landscape, including trends, policy frameworks, and international cooperation practices, and
- community engagement strategies, with a special focus on civic participation and inclusive project development.

Her professional curiosity, motivation, and analytical approach are already contributing positively to our daily work. We anticipate a mutually enriching collaboration where knowledge, experiences, and innovative ideas will be shared in both directions.

Tetiana’s stay also supports one of the core objectives of the EYE programme: strengthening European cooperation by connecting organisations and emerging entrepreneurs who wish to create social impact, develop sustainable initiatives, and build long-term networks across borders.

We look forward to the months ahead and to the results of this partnership.

Representing IACR, its member organisation, the Ukrainian Institute for Cultural Relations Policy took part in the Summer Camp on Active Youth Involvement, held from 29 to 31 July 2025 in Eger, Hungary.

Attended by over 50 civil society organisations, the event focused on the importance of cross-border cooperation and active youth engagement. The conference programme included panel discussions with experts from Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, and Poland, round tables on youth-led initiatives implemented across different countries, and debates on the current state of civil society in the Carpathian region, including shared challenges faced by organisations.

In addition, the camp offered space for sharing best practices, showcasing award-winning social innovation projects, and exploring diverse methods CSOs use to engage young people at the local level.

The event also featured a presentation by a representative of the International Visegrad Fund on available funding schemes. A special guest appearance was made online by the Vice-President of the European Parliament from Romania.

The participation of the UICRP reflects the IACR’s and its member organisations’ firm commitment to strengthening cross-border cooperation and highlighting its vital role in building resilient, inclusive, and youth-driven civil societies across Europe.

🌍🤝 Strengthening Alliances in the Digital Age: the International Alliance for Cultural Relations was present at the recent international seminar on AI in youth work, held in Tallinn, Estonia 🇪🇪 - a timely and forward-looking event that gathered youth professionals from across Europe.

The focus of the seminar was on partnership-building, and we were proud to have several IACR member organisations represented and promoted during the NGO Fair.

The event offered fertile ground for future collaborations, and reaffirmed IACR’s mission to connect organisations working at the intersection of technology, culture, and youth engagement.

Between 8-17 December 2024, a group of young people from around Europe, passionate about movement and video making, came together to Ommen, the Netherlands, and co-created Motion Pictures! youth exchange - the 5th edition of Erasmus+ funded international dance projects hosted at Olde Vechte Foundation, in the Netherlands.

Participants of the exchange shared with each other their interests and skills, exploring topics related to self-expression, diversity and community. Using the exchanged skills, they created a series of short movies. In this creative and collaborative format, they shared their perspective on socially relevant topics important to them.

The movies are available here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKCGlnUNjFJFkPd9z1zRMdVudzRYtTQqn

After the exchange the Hungarian team organised a follow-up event, sharing their experience in the exchange: "Together, we facilitated a Playful Movement Workshop designed to enhance students’ self-connection, body awareness, and interpersonal communication through movement. Our goal was to create a safe and dynamic space where participants could explore the connection between movement, emotions, and self-expression in a fun and interactive way."

More information about the event organised in Békéscsaba, Hungary: https://culturalrelations.network/portfolio/motion-pictures-dissemination-workshop

Countries and organisations participated in the initiative:
The Netherlands: Stichting Olde Vechte - https://oldevechte.com
Latvia: Active Rainbow - https://activerainbow.com
Italy: Scambi Europei - https://www.scambieuropei.info
Bulgaria: Kibela Association - https://smokinya.com
Greece: ESN Greece - https://roes.coop
Estonia: MTÜ Risti-Rästi - https://www.facebook.com/RistiR2sti
Portugal: ZORA - https://www.facebook.com/p/Z-O-R-A-Movimento-Associativo-de-Jovens-Marcoenses-100064424396470
Hungary: International Alliance for Cultural Relations - http://culturalrelations.network

The initiative was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme 🇪🇺

🌍 Moments of IACR Summer Meeting 2025 – Global partnerships in motion

Last week, representatives and friends of IACR member organisations came together in Fonyód, Hungary for a vibrant four-day meeting filled with connection, reflection, and forward-looking ideas.

🍇 Barbecue. Wine tasting. Boat rides. Lakeside chats. Beach time. Strategic talks. New ideas.

Participants from three continents and nine organisations used this informal yet focused gathering to:
- strengthen personal and professional ties,
- explore upcoming project opportunities in youth work and cultural relations,
- and reflect on how IACR can support meaningful cross-border cooperation.

Highlights included a members’ evening meeting on the beach, brainstorming new formats for collaboration, planning future joint mobilities, and exchanging updates on current initiatives.

But just as important were the in-between moments - spontaneous conversations by the water, shared meals, late-night laughter, and the kind of inspiration that only happens face to face.

💬 The future of cultural relations is personal, international, and collaborative - and we are shaping it together.

Thank you to all who joined us. The IACR Summer Meeting marked a new chapter in how we work together - more connected, more personal, and more ambitious. We are already looking ahead: next year, we hope that even more organisations will join this growing circle of collaboration.

Institute for Cultural Relations Policy, EMINA Career Guidance Foundation, Foundation for Consciousness and Environment, Austrian Association for Cultural Relations, Youth Policy Integration Albania, Association for Cultural Relations Finland, Medzinárodné a kultúrne vzťahy Slovákom, Forward for Future, Ukrainian Institute for Cultural Relations Policy, Georgian Association for Cultural Relations, Armenian Centre for Cultural Relations and Development, Institut des Relations Culturelles et Politiques - IRCP, EKİP Derneği, Swedish Association for Cultural Relations, Association des Relations Culturelles, GreenHope, Culture Craze