Getting ready for Europe: Peace project lab

International encounters are an important step for grassroots peacebuilding. The EU and many other funding bodies support this. However, many are put off by the lengthy applications and lengthy funding guidelines. We want to change that! With the Small Scale Partnership "Getting Ready for Europe: The Peace Project Lab." As part of this partnership, we will conduct workshops, writing workshops, and job shadowing in Erasmus+ projects for a year.

This will enable us to jointly build capacity within our organizations to apply for and implement encounter projects with the EU. The EU supports this with the "Small Scale Partnership" funding program. We are looking for partner organizations for this.

Refusing war from below
Youth encounters and other encounter measures, such as city twinning, have made an important contribution to peacebuilding in Europe and reconciliation after the Second World War. They are a practical contribution to disarmament in people's minds. They convey peace "from below": directly through, through, and between people. They make it possible to convey peace policy content and to make peace and international cooperation a practical experience in one's own life: This is living the refusal of war.

Take the fear out of applications!
The European Union alone provides €42 million annually for youth exchanges and international cooperation between clubs in Germany through the Erasmus+ program. This corresponds to the advertising budget of the German Armed Forces. These funds can also be used in cooperation with partners from many post-colonial countries in the Tricontinent. However, the complex funding guidelines and comprehensive applications deter many. We want to change that! With the project "Getting ready for Europe: The peace project lab!"

Why Smale Scale Partnership?
With a small-scale partnership, we want to learn together to overcome the hurdles of the EU application process. For 16 months, we want to form a network for concrete cooperation ideas and support each other in the development, application, and implementation of EU-funded exchange projects. During this time, we also want to exchange ideas and organize small, high-profile public events in public spaces to draw attention to rearmament and militarization in Europe.

Milestones:
We would like to apply for the Small Scale Partnership by February 2026.
The project is scheduled to start in September 2026.
The project is scheduled to end in December 2027.
During these 18 months, we plan:

- Preparatory meeting

- Job shadowing during an activity

- 1st expert meeting in Berlin? Introduction to Erasmus+ and introduction to project management and action planning (5 program days)

- 1st on-site activity at the partners' locations: Small projects and activities in the partner countries

2nd on-site activity at the partners' locations: Finding ideas for concrete projects - project workshops at the partner organizations

Expert meeting in Sassnitz: Project writing workshop (7 program days)

- The partner organizations will submit their own applications!

- Evaluation and follow-up meeting in Berlin or at the headquarters of one of the partner organizations (2 program days)

If you reply to us, please include the following name in the subject line of your email: Ursula von der Leyen. This is a sign that you have truly read our appeal. Thank you!