European Recognitions for CULTTERRA

CULTTERRA is proud to announce the double European recognition of its project, implemented in collaboration with DURF2030, titled “From Disruptive Places to Hidden Gems” (Erasmus+ KA210-YOU – Small-scale Partnerships in Youth), which received the following distinctions:

European Charlemagne Youth Prize 2026
CULTTERRA has been selected as the National Winner for Greece at the European Charlemagne Youth Prize 2026, one of the most prestigious European awards recognizing youth-led initiatives with strong social and democratic impact. This distinction places the project among the leading youth initiatives at a European level.

On May 12, each national winner will be represented at the Award Ceremony in Aachen, where the three European winners will be announced. CULTTERRA will be represented by Varvara Mavronasou.

Erasmus+ Good Practice
At the same time, the project has been recognized as a Good Practice by the Erasmus+ Programme, following evaluation by the National Agency in Belgium. As a result, it is featured on the official Erasmus+ Project Results Platform as an example of high-quality implementation, innovation, and impactful outcomes.

It is worth noting that this was the first European project co-coordinated by CULTTERRA.

“From Disruptive Places to Hidden Gems”
The project was implemented between January and October 2025, as a collaboration between CULTTERRA (Elefsina, Greece) and DURF2030 (Kortrijk, Belgium). It focuses on the activation of underused spaces and their transformation into hubs of creativity and participation.

Young people are full of creativity and ideas, yet they often lack the space and support needed to bring them to life. In the Thriasio Plain, public spaces are limited, and their use is often hindered by bureaucratic barriers or fails to meet community needs. At the same time, youth outmigration in search of opportunities elsewhere remains a significant challenge.

Next Steps
CULTTERRA is currently in the process of identifying and developing a community center in the Thriasio Plain, which will function as an open space for cultural, educational, and social activities.

Within this framework, the organization is participating in the International Project, a European initiative running for over 10 years, focused on the renovation and reuse of inactive buildings.

In the summer of 2026, approximately 100 young people from across Europe will come to Elefsina to collectively transform an unused space into a vibrant hub of creation, which will serve as CULTTERRA’s new base.

At the same time, in March 2026, a new proposal was submitted under the Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships in the field of Youth (KA220-YOU), titled “Youth U.S.E.”, in collaboration with new partners. The project focuses on young people unlocking and activating spaces in different contexts (nature, public space, privately owned places), addressing a need identified at a broader European level. It builds on a growing network of youth organizations and cities that have participated in or are interested in the European Capital of Culture initiative (Elefsina, Kortrijk, Chemnitz, Kiruna, Leeuwarden).

These spaces are not a luxury, they are a basic need.

Project Information
Project Results: “From Disruptive Places to Hidden Gems” https://drive.google.com/file/d/17B-8jyy42MIbOh-n6YOZ8kEYDJ1qweND/view?usp=sharing

Organizations:
DURF2030 – https://www.durf2030.eu/
CULTTERRA – https://cultterra.org/el