SAD4Beginners conference 2025

From 18 to 22 June 2025, SAME welcomed 29 youth representatives from 13 delegations across 12 European countries to Lübeck for the SAD4Beginners Conference 2025. Participants came from student unions, youth organisations, councils, and civic groups, creating a highly diverse learning environment shaped by different national experiences, local realities, and organisational cultures. This international mix was one of the greatest strengths of the conference, because it made clear that while contexts differ, the need for youth-led solidarity and participation is shared across Europe. Across five days, participants explored the logic of the Solidarity Action Day model through non-formal education, peer learning, mentoring, action-planning workshops, and intercultural exchange. They learned from existing practices in countries where the model is already established and reflected on how it could be adapted to their own communities. The main outputs of the conference were the concrete delegation action plans developed by all participating teams, as well as their integration into SAME’s broader mentoring framework. The main outcomes were increased understanding of the SAD concept, stronger confidence in organising future activities, and clearer direction for how participants can move from inspiration to implementation once they return home. The conference was not only about learning a model, but about building momentum. Participants left with practical plans, new partnerships, and a stronger sense of belonging to a wider European movement of young people who want to turn solidarity into action. That is what makes the activity especially valuable: it equips participants with concrete next steps, while also giving them access to continued support, peer exchange, and long-term development through the SAME network. 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.