Giulia Busolin is an enthusiastic young professional, passionate about communications and European affairs. Right after graduating with a MSc in Strategic Communication & Public Relations she moved to Brussels, specialising in advocacy and communications from the very heart of Europe. Within the Civil Society Outreach Unit of DG COMM of the European Parliament, she is committed to communicating Europe better together and connecting the institutions to its citizens through their network of civil society partners.

Silvestar Petrov is a holder of a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies and a Master's degree in the field of Philosophy from the Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Croatia. He is a youth worker, trainer, and project manager. Currently, he is fostering dialogue among youth and decision-makers on the local, national, and European levels through structured dialogue projects. He has worked on developing the Local youth program of Gračac Municipality for 2019-22. He was a member of the working group for preparing the Croatian National Youth Programme for the period 2019-24 and is a local coordinator of European dialogue with youth. He is supporting the development of youth work in rural regions of Croatia. His primary interest is an interdisciplinary approach to non-formal education and the youth work field, moreover, as the development of creativity through visual art, theatre, and music.

Sebastian Berchesan is the Executive Secretary of Stand Up for Europe, a Brussels-based NGO aiming to bridge the gap between citizens and EU institutions. Previously, he was active in the youth sector in Romania on behalf of the Youth Council and he was a member of the Students' Council. Besides his current work in the field of youth engagement and participation, his area of expertise is International Relations and Eastern European Politics.

Olivia Gheyselinck holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from KU Leuven, Belgium, and a Master's degree in Comparative and International Politics with magna cum laude honours from the same institution. Her academic background has given her a strong foundation in the social sciences, which she applies in her role as EU Event and Project Manager at IDP. Olivia's areas of interest are social policies, sustainability, and social and political trust.

Malte Gallée is a German politician from Alliance 90/The Greens. He has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2021. As the youngest German MEP, and even younger than the EU itself, Gallée Malte has always viewed a united Europe as an undeniable reality, not a utopia. He authored a book on the German energy transition and contributed to the umbrella organization for renewable energies in Tanzania. This experience underscored the impact of European policy decisions, leading Gallée Malte to focus his studies in economics and philosophy on economic policy mechanisms to combat the climate crisis, promote fair trade, and ensure sustainable management of planetary resources. His vision entails a global economy that fosters prosperity for all while preserving our shared environment and securing long-term resource sustainability. Gallée Malte advocates for a genuine circular economy as the cornerstone of his work in Parliament.

Hilde Vautmans is a Belgian politician serving as a Member of the European Parliament and Deputy Mayor of Sint-Truiden. She has a background in Social and Criminological Sciences from KU Leuven. In the European Parliament, Hilde focuses on a range of critical issues including foreign affairs, defense, migration, agriculture, and human rights, with a particular emphasis on children's and women's rights. Her commitment to advocating for these fundamental rights underscores her dedication to making a positive impact both locally and on the European stage.

Marina Nekić is an associate professor and psychotherapist at the Department of Psychology at the University of Zadar, Croatia. She also worked as a counselor at the Student Counselling Centre for many years and now holds the supervisor position. For ten years, she has been successfully cooperating with the youth association CINAZ, in whose projects she conducts workshops with students on the topics of mental health and interpersonal relationships. She takes every opportunity to promote the importance of mental health and psychotherapeutic work.

Professor at VUB (the Vrije Universiteit Brussel) (2014-present), specialized in prevention and treatment of emotional and behavioral problems of children and adolescents. Imke Baetens is an international expert in research into the prevention and treatment of intentional self-harm Prof. Imke Baetens specialises in etiology, prevention and outpatient treatment of emotional and behavioural problems of children and adolescents. She has an international reputation in research on intentional self-harm by young people, and has specialized in family therapy treatment for intentional self-injury. In 2017 she opened the doors of the Brussels University Consultation Center (BRUCC) together with Prof. Peter Theuns and Prof. Chris Schotte. Her clinical practice is constantly aligned with recent scientific insights, and conversely, her work experiences in clinical practice inspire her teaching and research. She describes herself as a scientist-practitioner, and believes it is important to include this vision in the education of psychology students. Within BRUCC, Imke is a family and relationship therapist and specializes in the treatment of self-injury by young people. In addition, she co-supervises and gives workshops and lectures.

Her research focuses on the impact of societal challenges (e.g., performance pressure, social inequality, climate change) on adolescents’ mental wellbeing. She recently received a prestigious VENI grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research to examine how adolescents can become ‘agents of change’ by actively contributing to societal challenges. Lysanne is also co-founder of the YoungXperts platform for youth participation, in which not scientists, but young people themselves are seen as actual experts of mental health. 

Scholar-activist, co-founder and the director of Istituto Tevere, a center for interreligious studies. Lecturer at Pontifical Theological Faculty in Naples. Academic coordinator at the International Institute Jacques Maritain, a center for studies on human rights, democracy, and civil society. Public speaker on dialogue, religious freedom, peace education, diversity and inclusion, and peaceful coexistence in Italy and in Europe. Member of the national governing body of Religions for Peace Italy. Member of the executive committee of Scholas Occurrentes, a global foundation for the promotion of education and dialogue. The project ambassador of House of One (Berlin) in Rome.

Alexandre Thiry serves as the Communication and Eu Project Manager at Fedactio in Brussels and is a dedicated human rights activist. Over the course of nearly a decade, he has been passionately involved in projects that focus on human rights, active citizenship, and the promotion of interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Alexandre's educational background includes studies in Librarian-Documentalist and Contemporary Islamic studies, and he has a history as a youth worker. Beyond his professional and academic pursuits, he maintains a deep interest in critical topics such as freedom of the press, critical thinking, and the pursuit of sustainable peace.

Silvestar Petrov is a holder of a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies and a Master's degree in the field of Philosophy from the Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Croatia. He is a youth worker, trainer, and project manager. Currently, he is fostering dialogue among youth and decision-makers on the local, national, and European levels through structured dialogue projects. He has worked on developing the Local youth program of Gračac Municipality for 2019-22. He was a member of the working group for preparing the Croatian National Youth Programme for the period 2019-24 and is a local coordinator of European dialogue with youth. He is supporting the development of youth work in rural regions of Croatia. His primary interest is an interdisciplinary approach to non-formal education and the youth work field, moreover, as the development of creativity through visual art, theatre, and music.