Connecting student representation and solidarity in Romania

From 8 to 10 June 2025, SAME met with Consiliul Național al Elevilor (CNE) in Romania to exchange on student participation and explore how the Solidarity Action Day model could connect with school-based youth engagement. The visit was an important meeting point between SAME’s international solidarity-based approach and CNE’s nationwide student representation structure in Romania. As a democratic, student-led body representing secondary school students across the country, CNE already provides a powerful framework for youth participation. During the exchange, SAME introduced SAD as a model that links civic learning with practical action, allowing students to cooperate with schools, communities, and local partners while creating tangible impact. The main output of the visit was a shared reflection on how the model could fit into school-based structures and support grassroots student action. The key outcome was CNE’s clear interest in further exploring implementation and its recognition that Solidarity Action Day could become both a learning tool and a practical mechanism for student-led initiatives. What makes this especially promising is the scale and diversity of the Romanian student context. If developed further, the exchange could help transform existing representative structures into even more action-oriented spaces, where young people do not only speak on behalf of students, but also organise concrete solidarity initiatives that benefit their communities. This activity was implemented by SAME – Solidarity Action Day Movement in Europe and financially supported through the 2025 Work Plan grant of the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe.