On 28 August 2025, the Celje Youth Center hosted the final event of the Erasmus+ project G.O.A.T. – Get on the Action Train, along with the presentations of youth projects selected through the initiative Celje po moje for Youth.

At the opening, we welcomed the Vice Mayor of the Municipality of Celje, Mr. Samo Seničar, as well as international project partners. On behalf of the organizers, Katja Kolenc, Project Manager at MCC, greeted the participants and guided them through the programme of the afternoon.

The conference began with an overview of the project’s goals and results. The two-year project was built on a simple mission – to inspire young people to take action and become more engaged citizens, both locally and internationally. Key project outcomes included:

• a methodology for youth work,
• the eHUB platform with virtual classrooms,
• the G.O.A.T. youth initiative competition,
• a variety of multimedia and educational resources for youth workers and young people.

Alongside MCC, the consortium also included Internationaler Bund (Germany), Europsky Dialog (Slovakia), HIGGS (Greece), and National Management School (Bulgaria).

The highlight of the afternoon was a panel discussion on Youth Participation at the Local, National, and European Level. The Vice Mayor of Celje, Samo Seničar, and representatives of partner organizations shared their perspectives in a conversation moderated by Katja Kolenc. The panel explored the challenges of meaningful youth engagement and the role institutions and organizations can play in strengthening it.

After the discussion, the stage belonged to young people. Winners of the G.O.A.T. international competition presented their initiatives:

• Dominik from Slovakia with a project on creating a student coworking space,
• Aljaž from Slovenia with the Break the Floor initiative, which brought urban culture and dance to Celje,
• additional projects from Germany, Greece, and Bulgaria, presented through video showcases.

For the first time, the audience also had the chance to see the youth projects selected within the participatory budgeting process of the Municipality of Celje for 2026, chosen directly by young voters:

• additional benches at the Glazija bus station (Martin Steblovnik),
• courses for young people (Sonja Drofenik),
• artistic graffiti and a music event (Andraž).

The official programme concluded with informal networking over refreshments, followed by a cultural performance – a concert by Trio Firšt – which wrapped up the event in a lively and inspiring atmosphere.