Empowers Young Leaders in Budapest
GWP CEE Country News
Category: Youth, Climate, Transboundary, SDGs
Target Group: Young professionals, students, youth organisations, and early-career water and climate practitioners
Main Partners: GWP Hungary, Solidarity Water Europe, Youth for Water and Climate Programme partners
Implementation period: February 2026
Project type: Capacity building, youth engagement, mobility programme
From 7–13 February 2026, Budapest hosted a Youth for Water and Climate mobility week, bringing together over 25 participants and eight coordinators from seven countries. The programme strengthened understanding of the water–climate nexus through interactive workshops, leadership exercises, and stakeholder simulations. Participants explored youth engagement, collaboration, and communication skills while developing practical solutions to real-world challenges. A field visit to Budapest University of Technology and Economics and the József Gruber drinking water reservoir connected theory with practice, highlighting sediment management, wastewater treatment, and urban water systems. Cultural exchanges and team activities fostered cross-border collaboration and long-term networking.
Water Governance/Impact: The mobility enhanced youth capacity to contribute to water and climate governance, strengthened international cooperation, and created a network of young changemakers equipped to support sustainable solutions in their countries.