On March 28th, four smart and engaged teens from Kyiv and the surrounding region (including one participant who had moved from Sumy) joined an online World Café-style discussion as part of the YODEC project. The group was small, but the energy and ideas? 💥 Huge. The conversation quickly turned into an open space for honesty, insight, and bold thinking.
🧭 Is living near a border an opportunity or a disadvantage?
Their answer: it depends.
✅ If crossing the border is easy — it’s an opportunity.
✅ Open economies let people work where salaries are better 💼 and shop where things are cheaper 🛒.
✅ Speaking more than one language opens doors 🌍.
But ❗ national identity can get confusing when you’re raised between cultures. These teens see both the benefits and burdens of border life.
🚧 What makes international cooperation difficult?
They were quick to point out real challenges:
- Complicated customs processes 📄
- Lack of trust between countries 🤝
- Language barriers and miscommunication 🗣️
- Stereotypes that shape how countries see each other 🧠
🇪🇺 Ukraine’s EU path isn’t just about policy — it’s also about overcoming these invisible barriers.
💡 Dream projects? These teens have vision.
🚄 One teen proposed standardizing railway tracks with neighboring countries — so Ukraine can move its goods faster and cheaper.
🎓 Another idea: let Ukrainian high schoolers join Erasmus+ with their classmates, not just through NGOs.
🕊️ A project for historical reflection between EU and future-EU countries.
🛡️ And even a cross-border platform to talk about war experiences and develop defense technology together.
YODEC
YODEC
