Stepping into Brussels for the Intersections for Impact: A Forum on Health, Environment & Education felt like walking into the living heart of everything Sustainaware has stood for over the past years: collaboration, youth leadership, and the belief that systemic change happens when people from different fields sit together, listen, interact, and build. As a member of the Youth Technical Advisory Board for the past 1.5 years, this event marked not only the culmination of our work but also a moment to look ahead at what meaningful youth engagement can continue to achieve.
From the very beginning, the atmosphere was one of openness and curiosity. Young professionals, advocates, and practitioners from across Europe gathered with a shared goal: to explore the links between environmental sustainability, health, and education in ways that are practical, innovative, and grounded in community realities. With each session, it became clear that addressing these challenges requires not only expertise but also empathy, a cross-sectoral vision, and the courage to rethink traditional approaches.
One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to moderate the panel discussion “Cross-Sectoral Collaboration”. Bringing together diverse voices to unpack what real collaboration looks like in practice, beyond project documents and institutional frameworks, was both energizing and deeply insightful. Our discussion touched on how partnerships between civil society, academia, youth groups, and public institutions can move from symbolic engagement to shared ownership. Listening to experiences from different countries reminded me how powerful it is when people work horizontally rather than hierarchically, driven by purpose and mutual trust.
Throughout the forum, conversations consistently returned to the need to integrate health, environment, and education in ways that strengthen each other rather than operate in silos. As someone working at the intersection of innovation, communication, and research, I found it inspiring to see participants bridging their fields with creativity and intent.
Being part of Sustainaware since mid-2024 has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional journey. Supporting the project through advisory input, reviewing materials, providing a youth perspective, and contributing to the capacity-building efforts helped me witness firsthand how young people can meaningfully influence strategic decisions when given the space to do so. The Brussels forum reaffirmed that youth engagement is not an accessory to policy processes; it is a necessity.
What I take with me from this closing event is a renewed sense of responsibility and purpose. The people I met, the initiatives I discovered, and the dialogues we held reminded me that each of us plays a part in shaping the systems we inherit. I return home with new ideas for integrating climate education into youth programs, strengthening collaboration between sectors, and amplifying community-driven actions that advance both environmental and social well-being.
Klevisa Kapo
