After months of exchange, writing recommendations, and thorough preparation, our youth-led research on eco-anxiety found its voice in Brussels. The event was organized by Quest and brought together 29 young people from Bulgaria, Ireland, Italy, and Lithuania, who participated over two days in discussions on environ(mental) health—the connection between mental health and the climate crisis—and placed it at the center of European policy-making.

Last week, I had the opportunity to personally attend the meetings held at the institutions of the European Union. We presented our findings and discussed our recommendations with MEP Nela Riehl and Alina Stefania Ujupan, Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Roxana Minzatu. The conversations were open, focused, and targeted at concrete proposals, highlighting the power and creativity of youth-led research based on participation and collaboration. The policy recommendations we presented are now publicly available here, and we would be delighted to hear your feedback.

The following day, the Italian team had the opportunity to expand the discussion to a wider audience, presenting their findings and leading a youth panel with MEP Benedetta Scuderi.

The afternoon was dedicated to non-formal education through art and theatre—an extremely expressive and inspiring workshop—followed by networking and in-depth conversations among participants. It was a time for new friendships, ideas, and many shared smiles.

This experience strengthened my belief that young people must be at the center of shaping policies that affect our future. Eco-anxiety is a real phenomenon, and addressing it requires cooperation between youth, policymakers, and communities. I am proud to be part of this process.

Heartfelt thanks to Association FOR YOU and Quest for organizing and supporting this event.

On behalf of Aya Hegazi

More about the YOU-CARE Project

YOU-CARE (YOUth Creating Action Research on Eco-Anxiety) is an Erasmus+ project aimed at enabling young people to collectively explore the range of emotions related to the ecological crisis. The goal is to help them move from eco-anxiety to active engagement while improving their emotional, pedagogical, research, and advocacy skills.

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The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects the views of the authors alone, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.