Leeuwarden EYC2028 90-procent versie ingevulde bidvragenlijst incl. geautomatiseerde vertaling

Bijgevoegd is de 90%-versie van de uitgewerkte bid-vragenlijst voor European Youth Capital 2028. Deze is geschreven door een team van jonge schrijvers. In januari vindt er nog een aantal momenten plaats waarop er input en reacties op dit eerste bid worden opgehaald. Naar aanleiding daarvan is er een feedbackronde om tot de 100%-versie te komen voor de werkelijke indiening bij European Youth Forum op uiterlijk 11 februari 2025. In deze eerste bid-fase zijn we gevraagd om een vragenlijst te beantwoorden waarin feitelijke onderwerpen voorbijkomen (zoals bijvoorbeeld de infrastructuur en logeerplekken in Leeuwarden), maar ook vragen over de manier van werken en de motivatie waarom Leeuwarden European Youth Capital zou moeten zijn. Voor die tweede categorie onderwerpen zijn jongeren actief betrokken om mee te denken. Voor alle hoofdstukken geldt dat zij zijn geschreven door een jong schrijfteam, die daarvoor informatie kregen aangeleverd van en gefaciliteerd werden door een team van professionals. Als Leeuwarden doorgaat naar de tweede ronde in de European Youth Capital-competitie, dan wordt het programma dat hoort bij het Leeuwarder bid verder uitgewerkt. In de derde ronde wordt pas het volledige bidbook ingeleverd.

Het bidbook en deze bid-vragenlijst moeten in het Engels ingeleverd worden bij het European Youth Forum. Voor een goed begrip van de teksten vindt u aan het eind van het document een geautomatiseerde Nederlandse vertaling – gemaakt door AI. Mocht deze Nederlandse vertaling vragen oproepen, dan vragen wij u om de Engelse versie erop na te slaan. De Engelse 90%-versie is leidend.

This questionnaire is written from a ‘we’ perspective. We are the writers representing young people: Afrida Adema, Meike Halbersma, Federica Belloni, Negar Jalalifar, Elise Bernard, Rosa Nab, Rico Oppenhuizen, Esther Geertsma, Thom de Haan. And representing the core partners: Karen Metselaar and Janke Johanna van Zanden (Municipality), Annemieke Visser (Tienskip), Sjoerd Bootsma and Nynke Bruinsma (Arcadia) and Gerda Roorda (Keunstwurk). 1. HISTORY AND SITUATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE The city with many names Leeuwarden: the city with many names. In a specific sense this relatively small city in a rural area is already world famous because Leeuwarden is in the Guiness book of records with having had 225 names in its existence. A testament to its ever changing state. The influence of language with both Dutch and Frisian as well as the city dialect called Liwwardders and an addition of a whole host of languages like Papiamento, Arabic, Turkish and Ukrainian due to around 17% of the city inhabitants having a migration background. Leeuwarden can be found in the north of the Netherlands, in the province of Fryslân. About 140 kilometers north of Amsterdam and 30 kilometers from the Wadden Sea and by extension the North Sea. With our own leaning tower (The Oldehove) as a symbol of recognition.

With around 30,000 young people between 12 and 27 living within the city this means it’s approximately 24% of the population. But in addition Leeuwarden is becoming more and more a student city with several education options as well as the place to be for young people from the entire province of Fryslân. This means over 50,000 young people are connected to Leeuwarden through either living, working, education or leisure activities. Leeuwarden is more than just a city as it is connected with 35 villages that are also part of the municipality. Meaning that both the rural as well as the city side of Leeuwarden as a municipality comes into play for this EYC application. Our future, our policy For years, Leeuwarden has focused on creating a safe, vibrant environment where we can thrive. Under the Youth Act and Social Support Act, the city collaborates with local schools, healthcare providers, and safety partners to implement programs that directly impact our lives. Our city's approach is grounded in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, especially Article 12, affirming our right to be heard. In Leeuwarden, we are heard through active participation in shaping policies that affect us. For instance, we collaborated directly on the Jeugd Agenda 2024-2028 (Youth Agenda), working alongside education and welfare partners to ensure it reflects our real needs.

The Jeugd Agenda is a municipal action plan that aims to ensure all of us—from before birth up to 27 years old— to grow up safely, free from poverty, and can develop our talents. We as young people directly helped shape this agenda through questionnaires and several in depth meetings. One of the goals of the Jeugd Agenda is improving youth participation within local policy. Becoming European Youth Capital is our tool of choice. Additional information was gathered to map the current situation for young people. This was done by surveys, meetings and qualitative conversations that gave in-depth responses reflecting all the diverse backgrounds within Leeuwarden. Main challenges identified: increased mental health issues, not enough places for sports, the poverty rates, more activities for young people in general to participate in, being able to buy a house, more safety (in regards to harassment and criminality) and the struggle with social media of wanting to be online but wishing for more offline connections. To make de Jeugd Agenda accessible for young readers a shorter youth version was created. By creating this version the Youth Agenda isn’t just a political document but also provides a clear overview of what Leeuwarden as a city of young people aims to focus on and how to tackle its problems.

Additionally the city is working on improving the way we can be involved in decision-making bodies and offering leadership roles like the Children's Mayor. Example setting A prime example of how young people are involved in the decision making process is the organisation called Tienskip. It is a youth organisation that was founded in Leeuwarden which brings European values to life by engaging us in democracy. This happens through interactive events where we address important issues and work towards finding solutions and learning how to create impact within the democratic process. Tienskip recently won a 1

prize called ‘Gemeentedelers’ (Municipality sharing) as their methods are considered example setting for the Netherlands. On an educational level, Leeuwarden is transforming into a student city. With 4 big vocational schools the city is transforming into a hub of students from all walks of life. Schools like Firda with over 20,000 students invest in expertise platforms (teacher-researchers) that focus on the Frisian language and culture as well as environmental sustainability. Another example is van Hall Larenstein as a vocational university that promotes sustainability with a heavy focus on climate, nature and environment. Or the Watercampus Leeuwarden which is the meeting point of the Dutch water technology and has the ambition to play a sector uniting role for Europe. And programs like Maatschappelijke Diensttijd (MDT) encourage young people to volunteer and participate in community projects, aligning with European youth policies. It’s a chance for young people to discover their talents, meet new people and make more sustainable choices for the future. United in diversity We see ourselves as Liwwadders, Frisians, Dutch and Europeans. Leeuwarden is where multiple cultures and identities meet.

The city actively partners with European networks like ERRIN (European Regions Research and Innovation Network), EUROCITIES, The European Capital of Culture family, The EFFE Seal for Festival Cities and Regions and Culture Next, sharing knowledge and tackling challenges together. Leeuwarden has, together with several other northern cities in the Netherlands, lobbyists with Brussels and the connection with the EU. They help further strengthen our European connection. Diversity and inclusion are core values within Leeuwarden, driven by the municipal Inclusion Agenda (2024-2026). Our differences make us stronger. We are a rainbow municipality, committed to LGBTQ+ rights with a dedicated Rainbow programme 2024-2027. Our Implementation programme for Diversity includes anti-discrimination campaigns and promotes inclusivity in schools and workplaces. From voices to choices Through discussions facilitated by youth workers and input gathered during school events, efforts are made to hear from all of us, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds through outreach programs and inclusive platforms. We are moving from consulting youth to collaboration with youth. With our bid for European Youth Capital, there's a huge push to give us real influence over decisions that affect our lives. We are not just participants; we are leaders and we will symbolically rename and reframe the city. 2.

MOTIVATION AND GOALS Now it’s our turn The first mention of young people taking the lead in Leeuwarden was during a meeting in 2018. An evaluation and legacy meeting was held as part of the European Capital of Culture process (Leeuwarden was ECoC in 2018). It was there that young people present said: ‘Now it’s our turn’. What followed was a string of meetings and actions spearheaded by cultural organisation Arcadia and public organisation Keunstwurk and the education field. In 2023 the municipality took action and appointed a project leader after which a plan was prepared to actively involve young people in creating the bidbook itself. (Full timeline in Annex VI) For the municipality the reason for applying is directly linked to the Youth Agenda. Two specific goals of this agenda include: connecting with the living environment of young people and strengthening the influence of young people on policy and implementation. As a part of achieving these goals the municipality has already named the application to become EYC within the Youth Agenda. The municipality believes the application can act as a flywheel to enhance youth participation within social, cultural, economic and political dimensions. The entire application was created by young people, the municipality and the core partners. It is built on information from youth organisations and thousands of young people.

They provided all the information this bidbook is based on through a process of desk research, surveys, research, meetings, sessions and conversations with young people which took over a year, in preparation for this application. 2

The first draft of this bidbook and ethos was written specifically by 10 young persons. With the trust of the municipality and the help of a facilitator, these young people were part of a 2-day pressure cooker and the base of this application is the result. With feedback from young people through feedback groups as well as different departments of the municipality the bidbook was further refined. This was in collaboration with the young people in the writing group as well as the core partners. By creating the first version of the application this way we can lead by example and show what we want to achieve on a big scale within the city. Put young people in the centre of where value is created. Change the democratic process to give young people an equal voice and opportunity to use their power. Main themes In 2023 the first big steps were taken to gather information and define the main themes for this application. The main challenges (see chapter 1) were identified by young people, desk research and a host of methods like surveys and meetings. We’ve translated these main challenges into 3 main themes and these are why we need this title. We want to improve on these main themes and the EYC title is a great catalyst: ● Vitality: Many young people within the region of Leeuwarden struggle with their (mental) health and the spirit of feeling young.

We need better support systems and an environment where it is okay to talk openly about mental health challenges. Another big part in this is general safety. We have noticed how important it is to feel safe and how that feeling has been lacking in recent years, due to things like harassment, both verbally and physically. This problem is extra significant in specific districts in Leeuwarden, where poverty is an everyday struggle for many inhabitants. ● Sense of belonging: The city and the province have a strong cultural identity but at the same time we see many young people move away. That identity isn’t strong enough to compete with work or housing opportunities elsewhere. In addition loneliness is higher than ever and in particular amongst young people. There are not many things that seem to properly unite young people in Leeuwarden as a community. Youngsters have indicated they want to be able to join activities that are not necessarily outside or cost a lot of money. If we focus more on communal spaces where people from different backgrounds can come together to just be and create together, we might see an inclusive community appear more. ● Equity: Young people have a desire to participate and be heard and respected. We wish to ensure that all young people, regardless of their background, can access the same opportunities.

It’s about trusting young people in a democratic sense as well to use power towards a brighter, more sustainable future. Programs should focus more on inclusive education and employment opportunities. The future place These three main themes strengthen each other and echo the pillars of sustainability. Sense of belonging connects with bearable, vitality links to viable and equity to equitable. We, as a city, are working towards a sustainable future and our three chosen themes reinforce this movement. This is why LEYC2028 facilitates a network of youth organisations and focuses on talent development of young people to help improve life and work skills. By building on and improving what is already in place, we work towards a better, more sustainable future for Leeuwarden together. Just. Be. Young. We have a clear vision for what we want to change (our main themes) and the direction we want to take. Now, we need to focus on the 'how'. Our slogan is the guide principle for our action plan and our programme. During the writing sessions for the application the ethos ‘Just Be Young’ was coined by one of the young people present. A state of mind or a spirit that encompasses the youth vibe in Leeuwarden. Seemingly simple on the surface, it has a much deeper layer. The ethos as a whole is a testament to all the pressures we feel in our current day to day lives.

As a young person, there is no need to be anything else but young. It echoes the sentiment in article 31 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child as it recognizes the right to rest, leisure, engage and participate freely. The ethos gives everyone the opportunity to participate at their own level and speed. Where some might jump in and actively start to organise events, for others it is a giant step to just leave the house. In our EYC we want to make sure everyone can Just. Be. Young. and partake at their level, whatever that is. We want the EYC title as a way to implement this ethos. 3

In addition, this simple ethos packs more of a punch then you might think. Each word contains its own little world and focuspoint. Just

‘Just’ is about fostering fairness and equity, a commitment to creating a level playing field for all young people in Leeuwarden, both now and future generations. We recognize and celebrate differences while striving for a city where everyone can thrive. Projects include initiatives to ensure equal access, policy labs designed to remove systemic barriers, and connections with social justice movements across Europe. This connects to the theme of equity.

Be

‘Be’ emphasises belonging and connection, it explores who we are together as friends, neighbours, and communities. This programme creates spaces and opportunities to build relationships, celebrate collective identities, and develop talents. We bring these efforts to a wider audience by linking local, national, and European partners and networks. This connects to the theme of sense of belonging.

Young

The ‘Young’ strand captures the essence of youth. To feel vibrant, healthy, and full of life. This part focuses on initiatives that promote physical and mental wellbeing, encouraging young people to thrive in healthy neighbourhoods and a sustainable world. It’s about building a foundation for vitality in the present and future. This connects to the theme of vitality.

This ethos is how we want to improve in the city. Connecting our main themes and our ethos we have a clear pathway forward to change Leeuwarden to a new city! Just

= Equity

Be

= Belonging

Young

= Vitality

3. YOUTH AND PUBLIC EVENTS INFRASTRUCTURE Easy access Young people from the Netherlands and across Europe have multiple options for reaching Leeuwarden. Most importantly, through the airport of Schiphol (4th biggest in Europe) which is well connected to most cities within Europe. A train towards Leeuwarden departs almost every 30 minutes. Additionally several major highways go towards Leeuwarden making it also easily accessible by car. For those that truly want to leave no CO2 emission behind, the city is also easily reached by bicycle via the world famous Dutch bicycle roads. With a little luck the many rivers and channels might freeze over during winter times, making the city also accessible by ice skating. Or, use the typical old Frisian way of ‘Fierljeppen’: walking from field to field and jumping over a ditch with a pole. Definitely something for on your bucket list. Sustainable mobility Navigating in Leeuwarden is sustainable and convenient for young people. The city offers options such as buses, taxis, (rental) boats, shared scooters, and bikes (both rental bikes and Swap bikes). Leeuwarden, as a compact city centre, is easy to explore on foot. The city is very walkable and the main parts of the city can be reached by foot within 30 minutes. Most of the places have well designed sidewalks which are also accessible for people who have disabilities.

The majority of public buses, a number of taxis, all shared scooters, and some rental bikes are electric, reflecting the city’s commitment to sustainability. Additionally, buses are designed to accommodate people with disabilities. Leeuwarden’s accommodation options are well-suited to hosting the European Youth Capital (EYC). In 2024, the city has 736 hotel beds, with plans to expand to 836 beds by 2028. This includes 36 rooms at the NHL-Stenden hospitality school, managed by students, and affordable options such as the Alibi Hostel, located in a former prison 4

turned cultural hub, the Blokhuispoort. For budget-conscious travellers, a backpacker hostel with 26 beds offers additional low-cost options. Leeuwarden’s lively appeal for young visitors includes festivals, the Neushoorn music venue, Pathé cinema, Slieker Filmhuis, skate parks, and various cultural hubs. Education institutions like Firda (vocational education), NHL Stenden (higher education), and University of Groningen: Campus Fryslân (academic education) also offer venues and facilities operated by students, such as theatre and sports spaces, which is very suitable for workshops, events, and meet-ups. We can also consider setting up pods where people can stay for an affordable price. Additionally, as there are many people living in, or close to, the city centre, a call to host any attendees can go towards inhabitants.These accommodations are designed to create a welcoming atmosphere where young people feel at home and can quickly step outside into the feel of Leeuwarden as you are always within walking distance of the city centre. Leeuwarden offers a diverse range of venues for events and working spaces tailored for activities related to EYC. Spaces are available within educational institutions, municipal buildings, libraries, local cafés and cultural hubs both in historical and modern buildings.

This provides varied settings for conferences, workshops, and collaborative workspaces. Accessibility for people with disabilities is prioritised in these spaces, ensuring that all youth can participate. Past experience Thousands of organisations, municipalities, schools, ngo’s, festivals, cultural places and many more have already come together to collectively deliver a European Capital of Culture in 2018. For example: during 2018, the Giants by Royal De Luxe came to Leeuwarden and over 350,000 people visited the city over 3 days. And large scale international conferences like the International Society for Performing Arts were hosted. Through a massive cross-sectoral co-creation for the ECoC year we are now left with a mature infrastructure that can deliver a title like this and create a success that pales the memories of 2018. Sustainability Sustainability is a priority in Leeuwarden, particularly in accommodation and event spaces. The municipality is actively working on making its buildings more energy-efficient with features like insulation, solar panels, and eco-friendly interior design. The city also encourages bio-based construction and circular renovation practices. Many hotels and event venues hold Green Key certification, reflecting their commitment to environmental standards.

Leeuwarden’s investment in youth infrastructure aims to create inclusive spaces welcoming young people from diverse backgrounds. Local libraries like Tresoar and dBieb are also evolving into popular study and gathering spots for young people. In the upcoming years the city will be remodelled with the focus on more open, green and cozy spaces and adding more car free zones. Creating green open spaces gives people more places to just be and to connect with other people. 4. EUROPEAN YOUTHCAPITAL PROGRAMME Give power Back to the night Give a little Power Back to the night Give a little of your power If you won’t Well, you know what We’ll just take it back We’ll take over city halls Get rid of all your limits Throw a party in the rooms Where everyone’s invited ‘Ongehoord’ (Unheard) 25-10-2024 5

These are the lyrics of a song that was created during a creative group session with young people. The aim was to hear what young people think is important and what young people think Leeuwarden should be like. It gives a tiny insight as to what Leeuwarden as EYC (= LEYC2028) will be. Connecting themes to the programme In a world where the pressure from social media, a fluctuating job market, climate anxiety and the quest for a stable identity weigh heavily on their minds, many young people experience feelings of isolation, stress, and insecurity. This is the reason why we have created the ethos ‘Just. Be. Young.’, feeling the need to break free from societal pressures, where the main actor is oneself. Our vision aims for a better future that will reflect on a strong sense of belonging, equity and vitality. Each theme is approached through 3 lenses in our programme: ● ● ●

Me: Who am I? What's in it for me? What does it mean to me? Us: Who are we together? How are we a community? Where do we meet? What policy supports inclusive meeting places? The World: What's going on in the world? How does this affect me and what can I do? How do I meet my European peers and what can we do together?

Relating this to our programme: Just (equity) is focused on ensuring equal opportunities for all young people. Within the programme the initiatives under this topic will include events that promote more equal opportunity and access (me), initiatives aimed towards inclusive policymaking and decision making (us) and collaborations with social justice movements to amplify youth voices across Europe (The World). Be (sense of belonging) is related to fostering a sense of community and collective identity. These initiatives will be focused on developing talent (me) within local communities (us), creating communal spaces and shared experiences connected with the European partners and the world (the world). Young (vitality) focusses on the health of young people. The initiatives will support mental and physical well-being (me) and promote collective well-being, environmental sustainability and climate justice (us and the World).

Me

Us

The World

Just | Equity

Key initiatives about:

Equality of opportunity

Inclusive policy making & decision making

Social & generational justice

Be | Sense of Belonging

Key initiatives about:

Talent development

Communal spaces, places & activities

Connected with Europe and the world

Young | Vitality

Key initiatives about:

Personal health, both mental & physical

Healthy & vibrant relationships. Collective wellbeing

Climate justice

The programme When it comes to programming there is a framework in place allowing for a healthy mix of initiatives, hubs, projects and flagships that have different forms of ownership. There are three ways to be a part of the LEYC2028 program: - Self-produced programme: originates from us, a dedicated young team of LEYC2028; - Co-produced programme: is realized with partners of LEYC2028; - Open programme: welcoming anyone with innovative and creative ideas to help to create LEYC2028. 6

The Open programme specifically is an open frame allowing anyone and everyone to be part of the LEYC2028 story with their own initiatives. Team LEYC2028 helps initiators, both amateur and professional, to conceptualise, create and deliver these projects. This is a tried and tested way since 2015 with the runup to the ECoC and the ECoC year. These aren’t 3 closed portions within the programme. An innovative idea can grow from being an initiative within the open programme to being part of the co-produced segment. And all of the programme will be overseen and facilitated by a team of young people and the partners of LEYC2028. Within the self produced part of the programme we will produce at least 3 flagship projects that reflect both our themes and our ethos and a flagship opening event. Self produced

Co-produced

Open programme

Just | Equity

Flagship project + more

Initiatives & projects

Initiatives & projects

Be | Sense of Belonging

Flagship project + more

Initiatives & projects

Initiatives & projects

Young | Vitality

Flagship project + more

Initiatives & projects

Initiatives & projects

Flagship & Milestones The dedicated team of young people and partners will govern the self produced part of the programme. Though we mention the flagship here specifically, we've already brainstormed about what else could be produced during LEYC2028. During a brainstorm session, we created some other creative ideas, such as free open-air cinema, free theatre, dancing conversation and a workshop by Leeuwarders. All of them help to create a sense of belonging, since they are activities connected to nature and to our city. (Full list in ANNEX VII) The focus on and development of the LEYC2028 programme will be significant in 2025. In addition; by using the large reach of organisations like Tienskip with young people and the creative young people that partake in talent development within Keunstwurk we can expand the programme. Using creativity as a guide for an inspiring programme in 2028. For our flagships during LEYC2028 we look at our themes and Just. Be. Young. The Astronaut effect - Viewing Leeuwarden from a new perspective. This unique learning hub aims to inspire young minds to think about the future of their city, raising questions about the necessary skills to navigate and contribute to an innovative and inclusive city. Anchored by European identity, values and policies, this initiative aims to extend the educational setting, empowering the youth of Leeuwarden.

This heavily focuses on talent development in relationship to the theme; Sense of belonging. LWD Next - A central and collaborative platform created during the European Youth Capital process. It is a place where young people can converge, learn and amplify their collective voice into a formidable instrument for advice and decision-making. Connecting with the Astronaut Effect, participants will gain skills related to the democratic process, while also establishing a strong network that can connect with the European youth to share best practices and promote cultural exchange. This flagship aligns with the theme of Equity. The Playgrounds - Creativity is the driving concept, with a series of pop-up locations dedicated to self-expression and wellbeing. Under the ethos ‘Just. Be. Young.’, these safe spaces will provide an area for young people to show their talents through diverse artistic activities like writing, music, theatre, dance or another form of self expression. By using arts & culture as a tool these places will address topics like mental and physical health but also a topic like climate justice. By making it playgrounds we stay within our ethos of Just. Be. Young. as there is no pressure to perform but just space to play and explore.

Part of these pop-up locations can be new but we also want to build on what is already established within Leeuwarden and let those places grow as playgrounds. The main theme reflected in this flagship is vitality. In regards to milestones we will open and close the LEYC2028 year with a big event. The opening event being the moment the young people truly take over Leeuwarden. In the middle of the year LEYC2028 will collide with Arcadia to create a 100 day event where much of the open programme will be showcased. As Arcadia structurally hosts a 100 day event every 3 years this means we can pull LEYC2028 to an even higher level; using the additional 7

regional, national and European exposure that Arcadia brings. At the end of the year we will celebrate Leeuwarden and rename the city to something that was chosen by young people and fits the new future place we’ve created together. Building on a strong foundation In regards to the entire programme we want to specifically strengthen what is already present within the city. To be able to move towards a new Leeuwarden we need innovation but we also need to see the strong foundation we are building on already. The municipality is leading the way in this regard by investing heavily in the EYC preparation process. But also by working more closely with youth organisations. Though it’s not just the municipality but also an entire network of (Youth) organisations within Leeuwarden that are part of this strong foundation. For example: Arcadia, the legacy organisation of our European Capital of Culture year (2018) organises a cultural triannual, taking place in 2025 and 2028, which will be in close alignment with the LEYC2028 programme. During 2025 many events are scheduled where young people can take the lead, are on stage or come together in sessions to collectively co-create the programme for 2028.

LEYC2028 will be a dot on the horizon with a contribution shaped by young creators, aligned with the themes of immersive Citizenship Education and in collaborative projects that bridge educational institutions and the creative community. Organisations like Generation Fryslân 2035 (GF2035) facilitate a network and platform for young professionals between 20 and 35 to build towards a more sustainable and inclusive future. They want to make sure the voice of young professionals is taken into account as policy choices of today influence what the province of Fryslân will look like in 2035. Leeuwarden was honoured to become a UNESCO City of Literature in 2019, celebrating the strong and old Frisian literary tradition as a crucial part of our cultural heritage. Since receiving the title it enhances provisions for young writers and poets. Initiatives such as Hoge Woorden, Young Writers, and the Poetry Circle give an example of the city’s commitment to talent development in spoken word and literature, complemented by various other programs that target young creators across artistic fields. City of Literature would like Leeuwarden to be UNESCO World Book Capital in 2028 and wants to focus this title entirely on youth literature.

It would be a strong and valuable addition to the LEYC2028 programme! Future educational initiatives, focused on young people, will also be designed through projects like Internationalization Week, Expedition at Sea, Firda’s Finest and Off the Radar. The aim is to enhance personal development and intercultural understanding. Also showcasing the city's move towards becoming a student city as the vocational schools within the city are a driving force of these initiatives. Another example is the Regional University Network Europe (RUN-EU) where our university of applied science (NHL Stenden) works together with 7 other universities in Europe (Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Finland and Romania). By working together with students, teachers but also regional partners these 8 regions can research, study and work together as one big European University. For a more indepth explanation of the mentioned projects see ANNEX VIII. Organisations like Tienskip are setting an example in the Netherlands. Showcasing how young people can actively participate within the democratic system and connecting with schools to increase their reach.They are also leading the way in connecting and strengthening the network of youth organisations within the entire province of Fryslân.

The European connection We want to create a vibrant local and European community of young people characterized by a strong sense of belonging and social inclusivity, where everyone is welcomed and feels safe. The programme promotes inclusion and multiculturalism through activities that recognize a shared identity as part of a larger European context. Individuals from non-Frisian and international backgrounds are encouraged to participate, sharing their own culture as a means of fostering understanding and acceptance of the rich diversity that exists across Leeuwarden. As a city we want to be an inspiration for all small and rural towns within Europe. Using the multilingualism and the polyphony of voices as a strength of the city and a great jumping off point to connect further on a European level. In regards to the European Youth Goals we want to connect our programme to these goals and with a strong focus on:

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Mental Health & Wellbeing Moving Rural Youth Forward Connecting EU with Youth Space and participation for All Inclusive Societies

We want to use the European Youth Strategies and present how they can be useful in a major scale local and regional youth programme. As an example of what we want to help develop further for the European connection is Creative Embassies: a network of local European art scenes that face braindrain which exchanges artists and practitioners through international collaborations. At the moment it is a collaboration between: Rijeka (Croatia), Salford (United Kingdom) and Leeuwarden. And as part of the LEYC programme we want to expand the amount of participating European countries. For all Our goal is to engage an inclusive and diverse audience by ensuring innate support through the LEYC2028 work organisation and its feedback group. We are committed to involving youth organisations in our communication process by establishing a code of conduct. To this end, the LEYC2028 work organisation will develop a Youth Code designed to facilitate inclusive communication and ensure youth participation in the decision-making process of our projects. This Youth Code will also be made available to other organisations outside of the LEYC2028 scope that seek to improve the youth engagement. The Youth Code will also include an agreement by the cultural sector to invest much more in active youth programming.

This follows in the footsteps of Oulu (Finland) where the sector pledged to ‘have high quality youth programs on, every week of the year’. We encourage young people to participate fully in every aspect of LEYC2028, by collaborating closely with work partners, youth organisations, and groups that support newcomers to the development and implementation of our programme. Specifically, the open programme is a place for young people, where they will have the opportunity to lead and develop projects tailored to their own needs or youth groups and communities. We will also ensure that the LEYC2028 work organisation is a true reflection of all the different young people in Leeuwarden from various areas by working closely with all the youth organisations. 5. IMPACT AND LONG-TERM LEGACY A future place Leeuwarden is the city of many names and we as young people will symbolically add one. It will be a milestone in this centuries old city as it moves towards a new future place. As the young people will symbolically rename the city, so starts a new era where young people have more equity and vitality and feel like we truly belong in this city. This translates into a community where people live and work together in a meaningful way that transcends borders, languages, professions, ages and races.

Through promoting inclusivity, diversity, and equal opportunities, it seeks to enhance employability on the global labour market and contribute to economic development. Citizens and visitors of Leeuwarden can take notice of this by the thriving community and low unemployment rates. LEYC2028 isn’t just a goal but also a starting point to further move towards a city where we are at the heart of the sustainability triangle. Legacy During LEYC2028 we will actively work on a new Youth Agenda that will shape the future of Leeuwarden for young people beyond 2028. Where the Youth Agenda 2024-2028 was already made with significant input from young people, this new version from 2028 and onwards will be influenced and made by a larger number of young people than ever before. A direct legacy of the EYC title. We aim for parts of our flagships and initiatives to remain as structural parts within the city. Prime example being LWD Next. LWD Next, an idea created through the EYC process, will be a permanent legacy and remain an ever growing and evolving network of young people that will advise the municipality as well as other organisations within Leeuwarden. The Youth Code that we will develop is another initiative from the LEYC2028 programme that will remain as a new structural code of conduct within the municipality and organisations.

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The mobilities and partnerships on a European level during 2028 will have resulted in a more European identity within Leeuwarden. This leads to more international students finding their way towards Leeuwarden as a student city. We also want to do a mobility mechanism that works so well that it is a legacy by giving a model for other European cities and EYC’s after Leeuwarden to emulate. Also on an European network scale we want to grow and promote more cross-border projects and networks. An example is the before mentioned (chapter 4) Regional University Network Europe (RUN-EU) where our university of applied science works together with 7 other European schools. We want to further grow these kinds of networks and be a leading example. On a network level the impact and legacy of LEYC2028 will be massive. Youth organisations and partners from LEYC2028 can cooperate more and work smarter (not harder). This network has also expanded to a strong European connection making it easier to share innovative ideas that impact young people. There are more physical places for young people to gather, share ideas and develop ideas into full fledged projects. The connection between schools and youth organisations has strengthened as well. Improving this network of partners surrounding LEYC2028 is in line with the desire to build by using what is already available.

Making it sustainable by not reinventing the wheel but building on our strengths as a city. A city where we don’t have to advocate to Just. Be. Young. but where that ethos just goes without saying. Monitoring and evaluation Our evaluation and monitoring put young people at the forefront. We focus on how they feel, whether they feel at home in Leeuwarden, their levels of participation, and the number of European collaborations they are part of. These 'success factors' are flexible, evolving to reflect the needs and aspirations of youth as they arise. Key assessments will be made in 2025 and 2027 (both well before LEYC2028), during 2028, in 2029 (immediately after LEYC2028), and 2033 (five years later) through surveys and legacy meetings. We’ll further develop plans surrounding outcomes and impact in a later stage, using expertise gained from the ECoC process. However, our primary measure of success comes from young people’s voices directly. We prioritise gathering insights by speaking with youth who participate in events and projects, visiting schools, hangouts, and events across the city. Testimonials will be collected at events, and dedicated spaces will be available where youth can share their evolving opinions and wishes. Platforms like youth-led reporting and podcasts will amplify these voices, ensuring their stories are heard and acted upon.

Youth organisations are key partners in gathering this information. 6. YOUTH PARTICIPATION Participation ladder Young people have been involved from the very start of the EYC process. It was young people in 2018 that said it should be their turn. And from there on young people have participated on different levels within the process. We want to use the existing pathways within the city for youth to optimize youth participation. To help define how we are doing regarding participation we use the concept of the participation ladder. This way we can visualize where we are, what we have achieved and where we want to go. We also acknowledge that we are not yet at the top of the participation ladder. But we are working to get there and the EYC process is exactly what will help us to get there.

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In preparation In preparation of this application we did desk-research and that had information from around 2.500 young people in Leeuwarden regarding their needs and opinions. In addition, a survey was held by youth workers (peer to peer) about wellbeing in a broader context to retrieve quantitative scores on themes and values from the desk research. And to give more context to the themes a value based research through NHL Stenden (University of Applied Sciences) giving more in-depth responses to the themes and also narrowing down the themes even more and pointing towards the 3 main themes chosen. For an overview of the value bases research see ANNEX IX) Co-thinking, co-writing, co-checking The creation of this bidbook was a pressure cooker in and of itself as we aimed to let young people with diverse backgrounds be a part of this process from 3 different angles. Or, if you liked, you could join not from just 1 but from several angles. This resulted in: ● Pizzasessions with LWD Next - this group of young people is a direct creation from the process of applying for this bid. The main aim of these sessions was to involve young people to think about the future and it organically became a go to sounding board and advice group in regards to the EYC process.

This meant choices like: how to communicate with young people and deciding on the visual identity for Leeuwarden in the EYC process. ● Tienskip gathered input from 100 secondary vocational education students about what they liked and disliked about Leeuwarden. This input was used in creating this application. Additionally Tienskip also facilitated a diverse feedback group of young people with a wide age and education range for co-checking this application during several stages. ● Arcadia facilitated 2 creative sessions as part of the co-thinking process with one of the results being the song with lyrics that can be read in chapter 4. ● Keunstwurk facilitated writing sessions. One where the ethos of Just. Be. Young. came to be. The other session was a 2 day pressure cooker where the first draft of this bid was developed. The 10 writers from this pressure cooker were also asked to do the co-checking regarding the definitive version that you have before you know. ● Professionals working with young people were present at a meet-up hosted by Tienskip. During this meeting, they provided information about what kind of young people are often forgotten in applications such as this one. These organisations will help the core group to reach these young people, to ensure that everybody feels heard.

Moreover, these organisations provided input for the bidbook and will likely contribute to the planning for 2028. The municipality, together with the mentioned partners facilitated the young people and youth organisations to make sure there is a very clear diverse youth voice present in this bid. With all these different methods youth was included in all three parts of the process: co-thinking, co-writing, and co-checking. This first version of the bid book is a starting point for including more young people. This will be done by using the existing routes to youth more efficiently, while adding on to make sure everybody is heard and included. Existing forms of youth participation In order to involve young people to contribute to the bidbook and EYC-programme, we aim to make use of existing networks and places. This means going where young people gather, meaning: schools, clubs, cultural locations and online. These spots already exist and can be put to better use. Additionally, youth organisations within Leeuwarden have a large network and are also key in contributing to the planning, providing input and keeping a sharp eye on which young voices are still unheard and underrepresented. And, of course, LWD Next and the network of young people from the core partners are a good place to ask for quick feedback from young people.

All these existing forms of youth participation will be connected and best practices will be shared. By visiting the places youth visits often, or asking the large pool of young people that (youth) organisations reach, we will co-create 11

on LEYC2028. Special attention will be put to reaching the unheard voices, in which youth organisations and professionals like youth workers can be of great help. With young people, by young people For the implementation phase young people will be a key part in the project organisation running LEYC2028. Youth organisations and organisations working with youth can participate within the different layers of the programmes. They can either be full fledged partners or choose to participate within the open programme. Micro-budgeting will start in 2025 as a way for young people to quickly develop and create ideas and projects about subjects they care for, always with the guideline of the main themes of vitality, sense of belonging and equity. This means that a young person can dream up a project idea and receive a small bit of funding to make it reality. Key part of micro-budgeting is how you can easily apply and receive funding without too much of a bureaucratic hassle. Meaning that besides co-thinking, co-writing and co-checking we will also be adding an additional line of creating for young people within the EYC process. Legacy: co-creating policy by youngsters After LEYC2028, there will be a structural change within the municipality in regards to democratic power of young people.

The municipality can simply never act without the youth voice and new policies can only be created with input from youth or youth organisations. We have to be equal partners in agenda setting and policy making. So this will become the standard in preparations for 2028. LWD Next is an example of how young people can have a structural voice within policy making. 7. MANAGEMENT Community of youngsters It is our goal to have young people between 12 and 27 years old in charge in the run-up to and during European Youth Capital 2028. Our city’s experience with large-scale programs during Leeuwarden - Fryslân European Capital of Culture 2018 (LF2018) is taken into account in the perspective on management. European Youth Capital will be built up by a community of youngsters. This is a continuously growing group of young people who have been actively involved with LEYC2028, some of them since the start of writing the first application. The young people that already have been co-thinking, co-writing or co-checking and all young people who have joined and will be joining the Tienskip days are part of this community as well. In addition, every young person who is connected to Leeuwarden is welcome to join.

The professional partners of LEYC2028 are and will be challenged to create their part of the EYC programme with young people: with young people in the lead and with the support and backup of the professional partners. The governing structure The governing structure has a working organisation of young people in its core: ● EYC-community of youngsters (=LWD Next): a large, ever-growing, diverse group of young people who will work on programme ideas for European Youth Capital. They collaborate with potential partners to further develop their ideas. The community is an expanding go-to-group of youngsters that start initiatives, co-create and collaborate and give advice on subjects that are important and may address the needed structural changes. We consider this community to be part of the legacy of the EYC-year. ● EYC-programme team: consists of a diverse group of young people reflecting the youth demographic in Leeuwarden. They make overall decisions regarding the compound of the LEYC2028 programme, within the frames set by the municipality. Young people have the support and expertise of the partners to fall back on. ● Core EYC-team: the base starting point for applying for the title. It will be reformed to consist of a majority of young people, while representing organisations working with young people and the municipality. They will make final decisions regarding LEYC2028.

Young people in the core team are coached by experienced professionals, creating an apprentice construction to create space for talent development. Decisions on the EYC-budget are made by the core EYC-team, after advice of the EYC-programme team. 12

The partners will support and facilitate young people whenever needed during LECY2028. Strengthening the working organisation with expertise already gained like during LF2018 for example. About the programme The LEYC2028-programme consists of - on the one hand - a bottom-up, grassroot programme where everyone is invited to join in as long as young people are at the heart and start of the initiatives, and – on the other hand - of a programme from the professional partners, with events and projects developed by and for, but always with young people. Partners can join in from every sector; we aim for a diverse range that helps in reaching more young people. These can be youth organisations, the cultural and social sector and also educational organisations or organisations that look to impact the future like GF2035. The LEYC2028-programme delivered by these partners is the responsibility of those partners. Parts of the programme will be co-funded from the EYC-budget (with guidance on the programming from the LEYC2028-programme team), for other parts the partners are fully responsible for the funding and programming. Cooperation with young people is a must for joining the EYC-programme, cooperation with other professional partners is strongly endorsed by the EYC-programme team.

By making it visually clear where each partner operates this will provide a working model to seek cooperation. The visual aid will be in the form of a map. By openly sharing information about partners that join on the different levels cooperations can be formed more easily. We aim for this map to be a legacy product as well, evolving and growing as Leeuwarden grows as a city of youth. Also, we will be hosting meetings to further facilitate cooperation. The core partners The (core) partners are already and will keep on facilitating young people to be able to advise, co-create, make well-informed and substantiated choices, organise initiatives and eventually direct part of the process. 1. Municipality: applicant and holder of the title. The municipality guards the structural changes around working with young people and in decision-making processes in the municipal policy by implementing the yet to be developed Youth Code in their way of working. The municipality is the main facilitator of the process and sets the frames. 2. Tienskip: youth organisation that involves, reaches and moderates a large group of young people in order to create broadly supported plans through a democratic process. Their proven methods and recurring Tienskip days with schools offer a solid structure to work on youth participation.

As a foundation, Tienskip works with 175 volunteers and this number is growing. 3. Arcadia: support organisation experienced with developing and implementing large-scale programs and events in collaboration with young people. Arcadia is the legacy of European Capital of Culture LF2018, is organised by the same ngo, and develops and implements a triannual since the title year. 2028 is the third triennial of Arcadia, focused on youth and the future. Arcadia created a programme with 10,0000s of people in 2018 and brings a lot of experience to the table when it comes to co-creating with a community. 4. Keunstwurk: public organisation with a specialisation in talent development of young people through programs and projects in the field of education, cultural participation and community. Keunstwurk has been coordinating the bid writing process in cooperation with our young writing team. In the bidding-phase of the EYC-process the municipality is the executive body, and in charge of management, organisation and the financial management and control. The core partners are forming plans for future governance, decision-making and implementation structures in order to create space for youth participation of the highest level (see the participation ladder in chapter 6).

Participation for all To make sure we reach young people from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds we lean heavily on partnerships with youth and welfare organisations who already have a strong connection with these groups. They 13

know how to reach them and will be the key to more representation of these groups in the governing structure as well. Project ideas for the programme that aim to reach these groups will take priority. 8. BUDGET INDICATIONS Investing in Youth: Leeuwarden’s outlook towards 2028 The estimated total project costs for the European Youth Capital 2028 is € 7 million. The expectation is the municipality of Leeuwarden will contribute € 5 million. This contribution is exclusive of the involvement of a large number of employees, which is not quantified in financial terms. Not only including employees from the municipality but of the (core) partners as well. Estimated Costs and Funding for the European Youth Capital 2028 by the Municipality of Leeuwarden Phase 1 Preparing the Bidbook € 710,000 and 2: Selection and Assessment March 2025 – November 2025: Budget allocated by the council for preparation: € 710,000 Phase 3: Preparation for the Run-up December 2025 – December 2027: Phase 4: Implementation Year 2028: Phase 5: Legacy 2029 Estimated Costs for Implementation:

€ 1,790,000 € 4,000,000 € 500,000 € 6,290,000

Total Expected Costs:

€ 7,000,000

Estimated contributions from funds, sponsoring and program-partners (at least) Estimated Own Contribution from the Municipality of Leeuwarden (in total – phase 1 – 5): Expected Funding:

€ 2,100,000 € 4,900,000 € 7,000,000

The municipality of Leeuwarden has a lot of experience in co-producing and co-financing major events during the ECoC year like the Giants of Royal de Luxe. And more recently the internationally acclaimed ‘Bosk’ was a large-scale collaboration between Arcadia (ECoC legacy organisation) and the municipality. This means Leeuwarden is well versed in hosting big European scale events with a big presence and high financial costs. Knowing what investments can result in impact on an economic and tourism scale. Key experience for the entire process of EYC. The city council of Leeuwarden has formally allocated the preparatory funds (€ 710,000 for phase 1 and 2). The formal approval of the remaining € 4,290,000 contribution by the city council will depend on the details of the programme, the jury evaluation, and the engagement of partners and sponsors. We estimate at least € 2,100,000 will be contributed by external parties. We want to raise this external contribution through a mix of grants and subsidies sought from European, national and provincial governments, the involvement of partners in specific parts of the programme from private funds and foundations, and sponsorship contributions. The municipality of Leeuwarden has a large and strong national and international political network in Brussels and The Hague.

Our Economic Affairs department maintains good relations with local entrepreneurs and funding sources for sponsorship. We seek substantive collaboration at the national and European levels to create the best possible programme for Leeuwarden 2028 and aim to be recognized nationally and internationally as the city for youth culture, policy and events. Already formed connections as a pathway Being a core partner, Arcadia has offered to let their cultural triannual (3 year event) coïncide with LEYC2028 adding in a financial sense as well. Many businesses within Leeuwarden are represented in a consortium called LOF which have invested in big events before as they also impact the tourism and economic side of Leeuwarden. This would be 14

a very valuable coöperation for LEYC2028 as well. Organisations partaking in the open programme of the co-produced programme will need to bring (additional) funding themselves. Additionally, we are in contact with ministries and the National Youth Council (the Dutch partner of the European Youth Forum) as a prospect of exploring national funding. Budgeting for change The municipality offers different types of funding to help young people in different areas of their lives. These costs vary from financial help enabling youth to join a sport club to support in escaping poverty to funding for cultural projects youth participate in. These funding options are spread across many different departments, therefore we do not have a proper overview of the annual budget for youth over the past five years. This is something we aim to improve during the process of application. Giving insight into the money flow towards young people helps not only the municipality but youth organisations and young people alike by improving monitoring and giving opportunities for better, more efficient investments. However we do have a clear overview on the costs of “youth care”, which have significantly increased in recent years, both in absolute terms (euros) and as part of total municipal expenditures. The rise of these costs is connected to the rise in mental health of youth.

In 2023, the costs for youth amounted to € 61,000,000. A significant portion of this budget goes to specialised youth care (Annex X: Expenditures annual youth costs). Keeping young talent in the city Although the city’s population is growing, many young people eventually leave for larger, more technologically advanced cities in the Netherlands.The more appealing the city becomes, the more likely it is that young people will choose to stay, strengthening the local economy by supporting businesses and filling key jobs. Their presence also draws companies in need of skilled workers, which creates additional job opportunities. Striking a balance between retaining local talent and encouraging exploration of broader opportunities is crucial for Leeuwarden’s future. 9. EUROPEAN YOUTH FORUM EVENTS Leeuwarden would be very honoured to welcome the members of the Statutory Meeting and to host this annual event. We would also love to take on the organisation of the Award Ceremony for the European Youth Capital 2028. Leeuwarden has a great reputation for hosting large-scale and international events. Over the years, we have consistently proven our capabilities in organising all kinds of different events like festivals and congresses in different types of venues. Examples of this are: - Europaparty: a live openair viewing of the Eurovision song contest. Nominated for the EA Award 2024.