Throwback to #PowerShifts Digital Events in 2020

Power Shifts shifted into the digital dimension with great success! The “Power Shifts – Reflecting Europe’s Energy” Project encourages young people from across Europe to explore and discuss European energy policy during events organised by the European Youth Parliament. By taking part in the project’s activities, participants learn ways of engaging and fostering the debate on energy in their communities, from a local up to the European level. 2020 saw the European Youth Parliament organise eight digital conferences in the framework of the Power Shifts project run by EYP Belarus, Portugal, Greece, Lithuania, Azerbaijan and the International Office of EYP. Over 450 participants joined these digital discussions from all corners of Europe!

With each digital event, organising teams had the freedom to think outside of the box and create an event that was truly unique. Take the 1^st Digital Session of the EYP (April 2020), the first event that translated the traditional format into the digital dimension. Traditionally, conference participants take part in four different programme elements: Teambuilding, Committee Work, General Assembly, and a Cultural Programme. The 1^st Digital Session team organised all these activities digitally, using online cooperation tools like Miro and Discord. The 1^st Digital Session also gave participants the chance to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic and digitalisation with no less than four Members of the European Parliament. The Digital Energy Forum (July 2020), which was centred fully around Europe’s shift to cleaner energy, which was centred fully around Europe’s shift to cleaner energy, also worked outside of the box: it brought together youth activists with the forum’s participants in the Youth Activism Lab. brought together youth activists with the forum’s participants in the Youth Activism Lab.  brought together youth activists with the forum’s participants in the Youth Activism Lab.

Never before the 1st Digital Session of EYP, I had organised or participated in anything like this. We hope to continue bringing new participants into EYP and acquainting them with our processes through exciting initiatives such as this one! – Raphael Tsiamis and Eleni Petsa-Tsiami, Head-Organisers of #Synergy 2020 – 1st Digital Session of EYP Greece

Not only did Power Shifts event participants hold important discussions remotely, they engaged a wide diversity of volunteers in the process! Digital events such as Solar (2nd Digital Session of EYP Belarus) gave opportunities to those that might not be able to come to a physical EYP event. What is more, #Synergy 2020 (1st Digital Session of EYP Greece) was even held in two languages, so that many more participants could comfortably discuss Europe’s energy policies in their mother tongue. Power Shifts events in 2020 engaged their participants in a highly academic and inclusive manner!

Organising this session was something neither of us thought we would be doing this year. It definitely was a challenge, and there were so many ups and downs. But overall, it was unquestionably the highlight of this year. – Vaiva Zaleckaitė and Greta Kudzmanaitė, Head-Organisers of the 1st Digital Session of EYP Lithuania

Yes, 2020 was a challenging yearand Power Shifts project faced the challenges head-on with a positive attitude. We are looking forward to the new year with renewed energy!