“Born in the United States of Europe (BUSE)” is a project which was implemented by Resource Centre Leskovac, YEU’s member organisation in Serbia, and supported by YEU. The project was a youth exchange programme which took place in Leskovac, in June 2014.
The main idea behind this project was to inform and educate European youth about European Union (EU) citizenship rights, codified in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as well as in numerous treaties. The need for BUSE arose due to the fact that many EU citizens do not get the chance to exercise their rights fully. What is more, a survey endorsed by the European Commission in 2012, pointed out that 54% of EU citizens are not fully aware of their rights. In addition to this, non-EU citizens are often not aware of the benefits of being part of the EU.
With a focus on non-formal education and cultural exchange, the project gathered 40 youth workers from eight different countries to discuss and explore the meaning of European citizenship. The results of the project were very successful and the objectives accomplished. Thanks to the healthy environment created, participants were able to freely share ideas, experiences and opinions concerning EU citizenship and as a result develop new skills and knowledge.
