From May 20 to May 22 2025, the GALPA Côte d’Azur took part in the European CLLD seminar on Youth Engagement, held in Rhodes, Greece. The event brought together FLAGs from across Europe to address a strategic challenge: strengthening the role of young people in the local development of coastal and rural areas.

The programme was structured around plenary sessions, thematic presentations, and interactive working groups, fostering experience sharing and the co-creation of concrete action paths.

Among the shared findings: only 29% of young people are currently involved in CLLD strategies, fewer than 10% of project promoters are under 40, and youth organisations remain underrepresented in FLAG decision-making bodies (16%).

These discussions highlighted the importance of involving young people from the project design stage and throughout the implementation process. It is also essential to improve their access to training—particularly in project development and management—in order to encourage their engagement in the local dynamics of coastal and rural areas.

Several inspiring initiatives were presented, including Smartfisk (Finland), which supports generational renewal in the fisheries sector through a master-apprentice model, and Young Fish (Norway), a professional network for young people working in the seafood industry.

Alongside the seminar, field visits on the island of Chalki showcased projects funded by LEADER and EMFAF, particularly in the areas of sustainable mobility, blue tourism, and renewable energy. Informal exchanges also fostered the emergence of new cooperation ideas between French and European territories.

This experience has strengthened our commitment to further integrate young people into the CLLD dynamic in our territory, by developing more inclusive and innovative approaches.
Our FLAG (Côte d’Azur) stands out at the European level for the strong presence of young people in both governance bodies and among project promoters—a dynamic we are determined to sustain.