Cooperation and Development Institute and its partners Centre international de formation europeenne (CIFE), Association Bourgogne Balkans Express, Environnment Sciences Po, with the support of the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ/DFJW), organized in Berlin, on 25 November - 1 December 2017, the first phase of the trilateral exchange programme "Ideas and Action for Europe: Energy and Environment in the 21st Century".

The workshop in Berlin brought together 24 participants from the three partner countries Albania, Germany, and France, engaged and active in the fields of environment and energy, as well as volunteering or civic activism.

The workshop couldn't start without the participants presenting themselves and their field of education and professional activities and their expectations. Divided in three working groups: 'Energy', 'Environment' and 'European Dimension', they discussed thematics related to interculturalism, renewable and waste management, energy, EU enlargement, ecology and sustainability. Field visits and specific meetings were also part of the programme. At the German Bundestag the participants met Dr. Franziska Bratner (Member of Parliament / Green), who gave a general overview on ecological, economic, and social issues in Germany; at the Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency), Dr. Joachim Wuttke presented the mission and the tasks of the agency in the detection of environmental risks and threats and how to find suitable solutions in order to prevent them; at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Mr. Helge Tolksdorf emphasized the importance of the Berlin process for the Western Balkans countries toward their path to the European Union, its achievements and future goals; meanwhile at Heinrich Boll Stiftung, Mrs. Stafanie Groll explained the visions and projects of this foundation on ecology, democracy and human rights.

Beside preparing their brief for the final phase of the workshop that will be held in Tirana in 2018, each of the working groups will continue to coordinate and prepare their research in view of the second stop of the workshop programme, in Dijon (France) during 25 February - 03 March 2018.

All participants agreed that this trilateral exchange was beneficial for them to learn, engage and further connect to topics relevant to them. All was enriched by the connections and friendships they established with other youngsters from France and Germany.

The programme of the Berlin workshop can be consulted here.

Photos from Berlin workshop activities can be viewed here.

Interviews with some participants can be watched here.