Youth Influencers Forum empowers youth across five communities of Moldova with EU4Youth support

On 23 May, over 30 young leaders from five communities across Moldova gathered in Chișinău for the ‘Youth Influencers Forum: Rural Youth in Action’, an event dedicated to dialogue, collaboration, and reflection on strengthening youth participation in remote areas and rural areas.

Organised by the Institute for Rural Initiatives (IRI), a grant beneficiary of the ‘EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment’ project, the Forum served as a space not only to exchange ideas, but also to celebrate the impact of the project in empowering rural youth from Cahul, Drochia, Boșcana village (Criuleni district), Roșcani village (Anenii Noi district), and Lingura village (Cantemir district).

The key achievements of the Institute for Rural Initiatives under the grant include:

• 15 capacity-building trainings delivered to over 50 young people, equipping them with essential skills and knowledge;
• 5 local youth action plans developed and formally submitted to local public authorities for consideration and integration into community development efforts;
• 5 cooperation agreements established between youth groups and local administrations, strengthening youth participation in local governance;
• 10 young people completed internships in their home communities, gaining hands-on experience and contributing to local initiatives.

During the Forum, young participants, local government officials, and civil society representatives shared successful youth-led initiatives and discussed the growing involvement of local institutions in youth policy. Local authorities reaffirmed their commitment to supporting youth-driven efforts, especially those focused on inclusion and empowerment in rural and underserved areas.

EU4Youth continues to invest in meaningful opportunities for young people in Moldova’s most remote and rural areas – ensuring that youth voices are heard, valued, and included in building a better future.

The event was organised by Institute for Rural Initiatives NGO, a grant beneficiary of the ‘EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment’ project, co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ.