Cities have the opportunity to nominate talented young people to take part in the ‘Young City Shapers’ programme at the 2025 Eurocities annual conference in Braga.

The Young City Shapers programme is designed to empower young leaders from across Europe to take an active role in shaping the future of cities. As the voices of future generations, young people have a crucial role to play in developing sustainable, inclusive and innovative urban solutions.

This innovative programme will be an essential part of the 2025 annual conference, as it brings together young leaders who represent the diverse challenges and opportunities facing European cities today. 

The detailed programme is now available. Check it out here! Ask your talented youth representative to complete this form: https://forms.gle/nqsMKKThpEZv5Sqs8 

Why we need youth representatives

Eurocities is committed to creating a fairer and more sustainable future for all. It is essential that young people, who will inherit and shape the cities of tomorrow, are included in the decision-making process.

The Young City Shapers programme will provide an opportunity for young people to contribute their ideas, perspectives, and innovative solutions to the pressing issues facing urban areas.

By involving young leaders in the annual conference, Eurocities and Braga's city government will ensure that the policies discussed and developed are reflective of the needs, aspirations and vision of future generations.

The challenge from the Braga context

This year we wanted with Braga to propose to the young participants an overarching challenge rooted in social inclusion, giving them the opportunity to tackle it by discussing the different transversal sub-challenges which form the issue:

Fostering Roma Inclusion in Braga: A Public Policy Challenge

The Municipality of Braga has been actively working to promote the inclusion of the Roma community through targeted initiatives in education, employment, and social integration. However, key challenges remain in ensuring equal opportunities and breaking cycles of exclusion. 

Overarching Challenge: 

How can local policies further strengthen Roma inclusion in Braga, ensuring access to education, housing, and gender equality while fostering long-term social cohesion? 

Sub-Challenges: 

1. Education and Training – Despite progress, school dropout rates remain high among Roma youth, requiring more tailored support and inclusive learning environments.  

• How can local policies improve school retention and create inclusive educational pathways for Roma children and youth? 

2. Gender Equality – Roma women face multiple barriers to education and employment, compounded by traditional gender roles and early marriages, which limit their opportunities for personal and professional development.  

• What strategies can help empower Roma women and girls while respecting cultural diversity and addressing early marriages? 

3. Housing – While the municipality has supported self-building initiatives, access to adequate and non-segregated housing remains a structural challenge.  

• How can local policies ensure sustainable housing solutions that promote social inclusion and avoid segregation? 

Complete this form: https://forms.gle/nqsMKKThpEZv5Sqs8 by Wednesday 9 April 2025!

Here you find the overview of the full call. 

Note: we will only accept applications completed via the online form. However if you want to see the questions that will be asked, you can have a look at this pdf document.