A united Europe with consolidated values within the region is what we strive for within this Programme. To achieve this we have launched a series of activities aimed to reduce prejudices, overcome nationalism and to be able to think and live across borders.      

This Programme is designed to support the European unification process in Central and South Eastern Europe and seeks to actively assist existing EU enlargement initiatives. We want to work against prejudice and nationalism, to integrate thinking and living across borders, and make these experiences accessible, particularly to the young generation. Initiatives such as the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence or the Academy of Central European Schools are just two of the ways we are working to achieve this.

The two main themes of the Programme are:

Encounters: Enabling dialogue and mobility in Europe

We intend to contribute to mutual understanding and the consolidation of European values within Central and South Eastern Europe. Based on this motivation, a network of people and institutions is to be set up to deal with the European integration process. Together with them, we launch a series of activities in order to strengthen the region and develop joint perspectives. Particular emphasis is placed on the young generation.

Enlarging Knowledge: Documenting and passing on European enlargement knowledge

Since the political, economic and social turning point of 1989, a wealth of new experiences and findings about Central and South Eastern Europe has emerged in very different areas. Some of them have originated in the region, while others stem from external observers. These experiences and this knowledge have so far not been brought together in a comprehensive, thematic synthesis and are therefore not available. Our paramount aim is to process this knowledge, consolidate it and ultimately make it accessible.