Youthmakers Hub hosts interactive workshop at the University of Porto: Bridging continents through youth-led innovation in Africa-Europe cooperation

On April 4, 2025, the Youthmakers Hub team, including Konstantinos Maragkos, Co-founder & CEO; Silvia Diazzi, Communication & Dissemination Manager; and Peace Odili, Project Manager, represented the organization at the Bridging Continents: Youth-Led Innovation in Africa-Europe Cooperation workshop, held in hybrid format online and at University of Porto. The virtual event successfully brought together students, youth leaders, and stakeholders to discuss innovative ways of enhancing Africa-Europe collaboration through youth-led initiatives.

Konstantinos opened the session with an introduction to Youthmakers Hub’s mission of fostering youth empowerment across both continents. Silvia presented the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective, showcasing its initiatives aimed at amplifying youth voices in policymaking. Peace led an interactive session to gather real-time feedback on the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab App and its features for youth advocacy.

The workshop’s interactive ideation session, facilitated by the team, allowed participants to brainstorm solutions to challenges in engaging marginalized youth with digital platforms. The event highlighted the importance of youth-driven innovation and intergenerational collaboration, impacting future Africa-Europe youth engagement initiatives.

“We should care not only about the world we leave to the youth, but about the youth we leave to the world.” An inspiring quote from Professor Miguel Filipe Silva was shared during the session.

The event successfully reinforced the vital role of youth-led innovation and cross-continental cooperation in shaping a more inclusive future for Africa and Europe.