From 2/10/2017, Claudia Guzzon, from Italy, joined the Interreg Sudoe team in the framework of the new “Interreg Youth Volunteer” EU pilot project, financed through the European Regional Development Fund. Claudia will work at the Secretariat until March 2017 in order to support the Programme’s communication and capitalization work. 

Our collaborator accepted to reply to some questions and share with us her vision on Interreg and young people in the EU.

Tell us more about yourself..

Claudia Guzzon: I am Claudia and I am from Italy. I studied international relations and I have experience in project management. In the last few years, I lived in several European countries and I am very interested in questions related to local development and cooperation. 

 

Why Interreg Sudoe?

CL: When I applied to IVY Programme (ndrl: Interreg Voulunteer Youth), I wanted to cooperate with an Interreg Programme Secretariat. I was particularly interested in transnational programmes due to the projects variety and Sudoe kept my attention, as it is a space I wanted to discover.

 

What do you expect from your experience?

CL: The tasks I had to develop are related to the Programme’s promotion. I like the idea to have the possibility to see its local impact and have direct contacts with people, seeing how the Programme contributed to change and improve their day to day.

¿Did you already know the Sudoe area?

CL: Sure! Previously, I had the opportunity to work on territories of the Sudoe Space even if I know better the Mediterranean as I am coming from there.

In your opinion, how does the Interreg Sudoe Programme benefit people and territories?

CL: Indeed, it is related to solidarity, as promoted by IVY, and the idea to create a community, fostering cooperation between people. Interreg Sudoe contributes to exchange ideas; ways to work and to live … It promotes intercultural dialogue and therefore common value sharing among different communities, which are close to each other’s and at the same time, different.

 

In your opinion, what is the role of Interreg Volunteers?

CL: IVY is a programme very flexible so, according the programme in which you have your experience, your tasks are diferent. In my case, I have to contribute to the programme’s promotion among different target audiences. In this sense, I think that the good thing of the volunteers is that they can reach groups, which are not reach by the Programme as young people.

¿How do you see the role of Young people in the EU?

CL: Today, with all it’s happening within the EU, it is crucial to remain together despite the existing limits and differences and it is important to keep the wish to remain together in the diversity.  And I think it is the role of young people to do this because they are the ones who are free to travel, know people, countries and so on. To sum up, they can be the bridge, which link everybody.

¿In your opinión, what should the EU do to reach Young people?

CL: It is important to keep in mind the Young people’s needs and to promote tools in this sense. It is important to continue financing programmes which could provide solutions to their needs and priorities. Indeed, the most important is to listen to young people-

Lastly, three words to define Interreg Sudoe?

CL: transnational, cohesion and impact.

 

¡THANKS CLAUDIA!

You can follow the experience of Claudia through our section: Interreg Sudoe Volunteer Diary.