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Act.ival for Future

A conference for young people active in civil society or who want to make a change from all over Europe to exchange ideas, learn and inspire each other. The programme combines workshops, talks, debates, games and art connected to important social issues for young people in Europe. You will discover new perspectives to empower change in your community, strengthen your competences, find allies and have a lot of fun! We organize the Act.ival for Future to support young people in being a driver of societal change.

We are convinced: You(th) Can Make Change Happen!

What to expect 2026

the Program

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THE ENGAGMENT FIELDS

What are Engagement Fields?

During the Actival´26 you will dive deeper into one of five Engagement Fields and connect your own experience with new ideas, perspectives, and practical tools.

Your workshop journey starts on Friday in “Our Engagement: Voices of Solidarity”, where you will meet other participants who are active in a similar field. Together, you will share experiences, questions, and challenges from your own engagement and explore what solidarity looks like in your everyday practice.

On Saturday, these conversations continue in the workshop sessions. Together with other participants and external experts, you will take a closer look at the realities of your Engagement Field: the issues that shape it, the challenges people are facing, and the bigger questions behind your work. You will also discover practical methods, tools, and approaches that can support you in your own context.

On Sunday morning, in “Our Future: Solidarity of Tomorrow”, you will bring these reflections together and look ahead: What kind of future do we want to build for your engagement field? What needs to change? And what role can young people play in shaping that future?

Volunteering & Community

Volunteering & Community is about being part of your (local) community and contributing to positive change through volunteering and community organizing. Young people engage in local projects, city initiatives, and neighborhood actions that strengthen solidarity and mutual support. The field includes both hands-on help (e.g., community services, mutual aid, local events) and organizing work that brings people together around shared needs and goals. At its core, it builds inclusive spaces and a sense of belonging by connecting diverse groups and making communities more resilient. This engagement empowers young people to take initiative, build collective structures, and turn ideas into meaningful action in their everyday environments.

Inclusion & Diversity is about creating safer spaces where everyone can exist freely and without being questioned, grounded in solidarity, equity, and active anti-discrimination. The field centers the rights, safety, and representation of marginalized communities and works to remove barriers to full participation. Power dynamics are made visible and addressed so that participation is actively enabled rather than assumed. Typical engagement includes awareness work, advocacy, community support, accessibility efforts, and practices that foster respectful and inclusive environments. This engagement empowers young people to challenge discrimination, strengthen belonging, and build fairer structures in their communities and organizations.

Climate & Ecological Sustainability is about taking action to protect and preserve our planet for current and future generations through sustainability and climate justice. Young people raise awareness and drive solutions that reduce harm, protect ecosystems, and support a livable and fair future for all. The field includes practical action (e.g., local sustainability projects), public communication, movement-building, and political advocacy for systemic change. It connects environmental goals with social justice, highlighting who is most affected and how responsibilities and resources should be shared. This engagement strengthens youth to take responsibility, mobilize others, and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient society.

Education & Student Representation is about empowering young people to actively participate and have a say in shaping their educational environments. Through representation, organizing, and advocacy, students make their voices heard and contribute to decisions that affect learning, wellbeing, and access. The field includes student councils and committees, campaigns for better conditions, peer-led initiatives, and efforts to improve equity in education. It strengthens democratic participation within schools and universities by making structures more responsive, transparent, and inclusive. This engagement empowers students to act collectively, take responsibility, and shape education systems that reflect their needs and realities.

Democracy & Politics empowers young people to stand up for democratic values and actively shape their own future through civic and political engagement. Young people represent their peers, participate in decision-making, and influence policies at local, national, and international levels. The field includes advocacy, community participation, campaigning, political education, and efforts to strengthen trust, rights, and accountability in public life. It also addresses challenges such as polarization, disinformation, and unequal access to participation, with a focus on inclusion and representation. This engagement supports youth in becoming active citizens who help build a more inclusive, responsive, and resilient democracy.

FAQ

Who can attend the Act.ival for Future?

All young people aged 16 – 23 (exceptions possible) who are active in cicil society or who want to make a change and live in a country that is a member of the Council of Europe, Belarus or Kosovo.
Your engagement can come in different types and shapes, like e.g. member of a student club/ student council, Fridays for Future activist, mentor for children, sports group trainer, assistant for elderly people, member of fire brigade etc.
Applications will open in December.
A few days after the application deadline we will send you an e-mail with the results and further information.
The participation fee for Act.ival for Future is 30€. Travel costs, accommodation and full catering will be covered by us.

Actival for Future will take place in Lübeck, Germany. The venue of the event is going to be Media Docks (Willy-Brandt-Allee 31, 23554 Lübeck).
The participants will sleep at DJH Jugendherberge Lübeck “Vor dem Burgtor”.

If you need a visa SAME is going to cover any related costs. You will find more information about the process while registering. After registration we will come back to you with further information.
Depending on your country of residence, you can either travel by bus/ train/ plane or ferry to Lübeck, Germany. Please use the cheapest and most convenient connection based on your needs. After the event, we will reimburse any related travel costs. In exceptional cases (for example in case you absolutely cannot wait for the reimbursement), we can book the journey for you (based on your preferences in the registration form for the event). Approximately, one month before the event we will send you the tickets and your travel itenary via mail.
In general, the arrival day for the participants of the event is 23.04.2026. The programme starts officially on 24.04. in the morning. Only in exceptional cases, participants can arrive earlier (or later). In this case they will need to organize additional accomodation and pay any extra costs by themselves. Official day of departure is 27.04.2026. The programme ends on Sunday, 26.04.2026 in the late evening with a party.
In exceptional cases and if you are 18 years old or older, you can come to Lübeck earlier. If you plan to do so, you need to organize and pay for any extra costs (incl. additional accomodation) yourself. We recommend to arrive on the official arrival day. Please note that SAME cannot provide accomodation before 23 April or after 27 April. If you want to arrive earlier in Germany or stay longer, you need to organize this by yourself. Please also note that we cannot reimburse any additional costs that might occur due to an extended stay.
The official language of the event is English. However, this does not mean that your English must be perfect. You should have basic English skills to be able to follow a discussion or to make yourself understandable.

Lübeck, Germany
The Act.ival for Future will take place in Northern-Germany, in the hanseatic city Lübeck. It is a lovely small town with roughly 250.000 inhabitants. Amazing architecture, lovely bars and cafés and a lot of water and parks. Lübeck has three universities and a lot to offer for its students. Most locations can be reached within few minutes by walking. Besides, the town is directly located at the sea with some nice beaches nearby.

The conference itself will take place in the media docks (Willy-Brandt-Allee 31, 23554 Lübeck). It will be the perfect location for such an event with a big plenary room and plenty of small rooms for workshops, networking and to hang out. Besides it’s just a 20 minutes walk from the hostel.
All participants will sleep in the local hostel. The hostel has multiple 2-bed, 4-bed and 6-bed rooms. It is accessible for wheelchairs users. Free Wifi is available in the common areas. Besides some evening activities will take place here as well.

Here’s how last year’s Act.ival for Future programme was structured:
Thursday (Arrival Day): Travel to Lübeck, welcome dinner, optional city tours for early arrivals, informal evening.
Friday: Opening plenary, keynote sessions, discussion rounds, and opportunities to get to know each other.
Saturday: Workshops on various topics related to social justice, plus time for connection, reflection, and evening activities.
Sunday: Barcamp focused on taking action for social justice and diversity, closing plenary, farewell party.
Monday (Departure Day): Breakfast, hostel check-out, and departure.
The detailed timetable will be published on our website closer to the event.