The UNESCO Youth Club of Thessaloniki is a non-governmental, non-profit youth organization based in Thessaloniki. It was founded in 2004 following a decision by the Greek National Commission for UNESCO.
The main objectives of the UNESCO Youth Club of Thessaloniki are to promote the principles and ideals of UNESCO in the fields of education, science, culture, and technology, as well as adapting them to the needs and priorities of young people in Thessaloniki and undertaking youth initiatives based on UNESCO principles. Its main areas of activity are education, science, culture, and information, as well as the activation of young people, their empowerment, and the promotion of civil society as a dynamic social element that can work effectively for the collective good, especially in areas and cities where the state presence is not so strong, such as in Thessaloniki.
The UNESCO Youth Club of Thessaloniki has a large network of volunteers to whom it provides the necessary space and means to develop personally, socially, and educationally through their participation in educational programs, European mobility programs, and the implementation of action proposals that they themselves develop. In the 20 years of our Group's operation, we have participated in over 250 youth mobility programs, and over 1,500 young people from our Group have experienced the unique experience of non-formal education in a multicultural environment.
We implement actions such as conferences, events, workshops, and voluntary mobilization initiatives for young people aged 15 to 35 at the local, regional, and international levels. At the same time, we develop good practices for promoting intercultural dialogue with neighbouring countries, highlighting the need for active participation and cooperation among young people. You can see our activities either on our website or on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UNESCO.Youth.Club.Thessaloniki
Milestones for our Group's activities include:
1) Official promoter of the United Nations International Year of Youth in Greece (August 2010 - July 2011). Additional material can be found by visiting the following link: https://unescoyouth.gr/15th-highlights-iyy/?fbclid=IwAR3J9SuZj5ScHttuxn…
2) Representation of Greece in the international organization Great Silk Way - International Youth Organization during the period 2012-14.
3) In 2019, the 1st Balkan Civil Society Forum on the UN Sustainable Development Goals was held. The main purpose of the Forum was to promote dialogue between representatives of civil society organizations from neighboring countries on the issue of Sustainable Development Goals, with an emphasis on the needs of young people. The proceedings included an open event, timed to coincide with UN Day on October 24, as well as closed working group meetings held on October 25. More information and material can be found at the following link: https://unescoyouth.gr/1st-balkan-civil-society-forum-on-the-un-sgds/&n…;
4) In 2020, it undertook the implementation of the Erasmus + Jean Monnet Project research program "Strategies and Policies on Youth in the EU | EUSYP," whose main objective was to conduct a comparative study of the youth policies of EU member states and broader aspects related to them. At the same time, the program created a think tank, the EUSYP Think Tank, consisting of young researchers and university professors, who will continue to promote the goals and principles of the EUSYP Project. More information can be found at the following link: https://www.eusyp.eu/
5) In 2021, the "Entrepreneurship Observatory for Sustainable Development" was created to monitor, record, and highlight good practices in the field of circular economy, environmental protection, and green entrepreneurship in light of the 17 Goals. More information can be found at the following link https://peva.observer/
6) Our volunteers and volunteer action groups play a long-standing role in our Group's activities. Every year, our group issues a public call to the youth of our city to join the volunteer action teams. The teams that are formed undertake the implementation of actions that they themselves propose, plan, and implement with the logistical support of our group. At the same time, they are given the opportunity to attend internal workshops and training sessions on various topics such as youth empowerment, social and digital rights, mental health, soft skills, etc.
