From 18 to 21 May 2026, the Eurodesk Multipliers Seminar took place in Brussels. More than 50 Eurodesk multipliers from 23 countries had the chance to come to the European capital to meet, exchange ideas and learn about Eurodesk.
Almost half of the participants were new to the Eurodesk network and had been involved as a multiplier for 1 year or less. The majority of the participants represent non-profit organisations, local/regional authorities or youth information centres.
During the Seminar, the Eurodesk Multipliers heard more about the 2026 Time to Move & the Eurodesk Volunteering campaigns, brainstormed about the events they will organise, and tested the new Eurodesk ‘Mysterious Backpack’ game. Additionally, they reflected on how information services could efficiently and ethically harness the potential of artificial intelligence to further improve their services and outreach, and received policy updates from the European Commission and the Youth Partnership of the European Commission and the Council of Europe.
Following the tradition, the 2026 Eurodesk Awards ceremony was held to highlight the amazing work done by local Eurodesk Multipliers, who have been empowering and helping young people discover the opportunities Europe has to offer. This year was a special edition, as we also celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Eurodesk Awards.
This year, the 5 members of the jury awarded 4 projects, and recognised 4 additional projects with honourable mentions. Robert Helm-Pleuger, president of Eurodesk, opened this year’s ceremony.
“We have been presenting these awards for 15 years now. Our goal remains the same as it was back then: we are looking for the ‘treasures’ in our network, which now comprises over 3,500 local multipliers. And even today, in times of conflict, AI upheavals, and political populism, we sense that the realities of young people’s lives are changing almost by the hour. That is exactly why these Awards are so important. They are proof of how indispensable our work is at the local level – through genuine, direct engagement with young people.” – Robert Helm-Pleuger.
The Multipliers’ Seminar was a successful event that emphasised the importance of Eurodesk. “According to the 2025 Youth Info Survey, 98% of young people are open to going abroad for a mobility experience. However, only a minority applies for EU funding. Our research shows that the lack of information remains a top barrier for access”, stressed Audrey Frith, Eurodesk director.
Participants of the Multipliers Seminar felt confident and inspired by the sessions and exchanges with other multipliers, returning home with new ideas for practices and collaboration.
These were some of the comments submitted by the multipliers:
“I am taking away a lot of inspiration from colleagues, project ideas presented during pitches and the Eurodesk awards, and possible cooperation with other multipliers.”
“I feel very grateful, especially for the opportunity to meet and work with the people coming from all around Europe who share our ideas and goals.”
