Youthmakers Hub was represented by MarcoValerio Battaglia, Youthmakers Hub Trainer, at From Cities to Communities: garagErasmus Beyond Borders, a two-day professional networking and strategy-building event held in Yerevan, Armenia, on 28–29 September 2026.

Organized by EduHub (garagErasmus4Yerevan), the activity brought together around 20 participants, including 16 international and 4 local representatives, alongside members and volunteers of garagErasmus4Yerevan, partner organizations, local universities, and representatives of the European Union Delegation.

The event created a space for participants to reflect on the future direction of the garagErasmus network and explore how it can strengthen its role for partner organizations and local communities.

Through discussions, workshops and networking, participants explored how the network can move from a primarily city-based model towards a stronger community-driven approach, with greater emphasis on engagement and expansion beyond the European Union.

Representing Youthmakers Hub, MarcoValerio Battaglia contributed YMH’s experience in recognizing, building, and connecting communities across different contexts, particularly in Europe and Africa.

His contribution highlighted two interconnected elements of sustainable community building: creating a genuine sense of belonging while encouraging individual responsibility and active participation. 

For Youthmakers Hub, participation also provided an opportunity to exchange experiences with organizations working across different countries and explore new connections that could develop into future collaborations and concrete actions.

The choice of Yerevan also carried particular significance for the initiative. garagErasmus4Yerevan was the first local chapter of the network established outside the European Union and has developed into an active community under EduHub youth NGO, making the city a fitting setting for discussions about taking the network beyond cities and towards stronger communities.