On Thursday, 4 December, Sofia, our ESC Volunteer, attended the European Day for People with Disabilities (EDPD) 2025 in Brussels at the European Commission.

During the day, she participated at the two panels, enriched by personal testimonies, informative presentations, and engaging exchanges. From the opening greetings, it was clear that the space was intended for reflection and for taking responsibility – not only personally, but also institutionally – toward concrete action.

The first panel in the morning, Forging Ahead: The Next Chapter in Implementing the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030, offered a deep immersion into discussions that strengthened the shared mission of building an inclusive future, not only on words but also on tangible actions, policies, laws, and strategies that can be realistically implemented.

The testimony of Nicole Sophia Marinos was particularly moving. She explained how “inclusion gave her a voice, exclusion the determination” emphasizing how the environment shapes both inclusion and exclusion. A supportive environment, she noted, places no limits on potential.

The morning session prompted reflection on key challenges: independent living, mobility, political participation, media representation of disability, discrimination, and employment. As Markus Schefer highlighted that to change a society that was designed to be uninclusive takes time, but the effort must continue.

During lunch and coffee breaks, Sofia had the opportunity to meet and speak with other representatives from European associations and organizations, sharing insights and exchanging ideas. She observed how the common mission connects people not only in intentions, places, and events, but also through concrete actions and initiatives.

In the afternoon, Panel 2, Funding the Union of Equality: Towards a Disability-Inclusive EU Budget, opened with the empowering testimony of Patrick Luypaert about his successful experience as an inclusive employee. He shared that in his workplace, he is no longer seen as “a person with a disability who works on computers, but just a person working on computers”.

Following the panel, the Q&A and discussion provided another valuable opportunity to deepen understanding of both personal and national challenges, as well as the shared commitment to negotiate, act, and promote inclusive practices. The session highlighted how collective efforts can help shape a more inclusive Europe.

For Sofia, attending her first European event was highly motivating. She returned with a stronger commitment to listening, understanding, and contributing to meaningful change.

By Sofia Mangiaterra

From 23 to 25 November, a team of representatives from Views International aisbl and Loryhan asbl (Belgium), united under the VIEWS INTERNATIONAL flag, attended theProfessional Development for Youth Workers: Digital Leaders for a Sustainable Planet initiative in Paphos (Cyprus). Accredited by the Erasmus+ Programme, the Project (No: 2025-1-CY01-KA151-YOU-000302997) was hosted by the Cross Culture International Foundation Cyprus(CCIF Cyprus).

It was a dynamic professional development program designed to empower youth workers with digital skills and environmental advocacy tools. By combining technology, sustainability, and international cooperation, the initiative equipped 20 youth workers from Italy, Cyprus, Romania, Belgium, and Croatia to inspire and guide young people in their communities toward a greener, more sustainable future.

This mobility brought together diverse perspectives and fostered meaningful collaboration among youth workers across Europe.

Sustainability was at the heart of the project. The initiative provided participants with the digital tools and skills needed to address environmental challenges, enabling them to design and lead impactful campaigns that promote environmental awareness and action among youth. Participants also gained hands-on experience in integrating digital innovation into sustainable practices.

Throughout the program, we strengthened our ability to use digital tools and platforms to develop effective environmental campaigns.

Workshops focused on:

• Digital literacy and online communication
• Visual storytelling and campaign design
• Innovative approaches to environmental education
• Tools for collaboration, evaluation, and impact measurement

By the end of the program, we had developed a solid understanding of digital tools, enhanced our environmental advocacy skills, and expanded our network of international peers.

The youth mobility also included a hands-on activity in collaboration with the Municipality of Paphos, during which participants planted trees along the coastline at Antasia – Sodap Beach, reinforcing the project’s strong sustainability focus.

The Digital Leaders for a Sustainable Planet initiative successfully empowered youth workers to become confident, digitally skilled advocates for sustainability. Through practical training, international collaboration, and creative campaign development, participants left the program equipped to make a tangible impact in their communities—encouraging young people to take action for a more sustainable future.

We are confident that the skills we gained will inspire innovative projects and new partnerships in 2026!

By Anca DAVID and Abraham DIATTA

In this context, an educational tool referred to any approach, activity, or method that meaningfully engaged learners—whether through simulations, role-plays, creative workshops, outdoor learning activities, or other participatory techniques.

The ITF provided an open space to exchange, refine, and reimagine these tools with a strong focus on practical transferability.

With sport as a driver for inclusion, wellbeing, empowerment, and community cohesion, the 2025 edition of the Tool Fair highlighted sport as a powerful pedagogical and social tool. Participants examined how both formal and informal sport practices can promote equity, resilience, safe learning environments, and meaningful social transformation.

The structure of the event connected participants in an organic way in a multitude of activities like:

• Tools Workshops – hands-on sessions where selected participants facilitated their own learning activities;
• Tools to Explore – thematic deep dives dedicated to developing or improving specific approaches;
• Tool Coaching – supported presenters before, during, and after their sessions;
• Tools Market – an open and dynamic space showcased a wide range of tools, publications, digital resources, methodologies, and initiatives;
• TF Talks – inspirational presentations inviting reflection, and challenged participants to think differently about education, sport, and social impact.
• Hot Spot of EU Youth Programmes – guidance and insights from National Agencies (NAs) and SALTO Resource Centres into opportunities within the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes.

During the “Tool to explore” we examined how sport can foster inclusion, break down social barriers, and strengthen communities. Through practical strategies and hands-on tools, the sessions highlighted the power of physical activity to promote diversity and equity, use sport as a platform for connection, and create meaningful relationships beyond the basketball playing field. These moments offered not just learning, but trasformative experience-showing how sport can catalyse social change in our local context.

Among the TF Talks, the testimony of Lama HATTAB from Lebanon was particularly powerful: “Twenty-five years ago, I ran 240 kilometers across the Sahara Desert with my twin sister, carrying a message of peace. I didn’t know then that this journey would shape the rest of my life — leading me to discover how sport can heal, connect, and transform. In this talk, I share what I’ve learned along the way — from breaking stereotypes as a woman athlete to witnessing the power of sport through the lives of young people at Generations For Peace. It’s a story about endurance, learning, and how every step can become a step toward peace. » 

The XIX International Tool Fair created an energising, multicultural, and collaborative environment where sport became more than a game—it became a tool for learning, transformation, and social impact. Held in Marrakech, a city known for its hospitality and cultural richness, the event left everyone inspired, connected, and equipped with innovative tools to bring meaningful change to our communities.

Account by Anca David

I enjoy connecting with people, discovering new perspectives and engaging with diverse contexts.
I’m passionate about photography and storytelling, which I see as tools to build empathy and understanding between and within communities. I also love travelling… discovering new places and cultures inspires me like nothing else!

Through our projects and activities, we place a strong emphasis on social rights, participation, and sustainability. By becoming a member of our network, your organisation will join a dynamic European community committed to building a more inclusive society for all young people.

Why become a member?

Membership in VIEWS International offers a number of benefits:

• Expand your network: Connect with organisations across Europe that support young people with fewer opportunities, with a particular focus on those with visual impairments;
• Increase your visibility: Share your activities, events, and achievements with a wider European audience;
• Shape the network: Propose joint initiatives, contribute to decision-making, and exchange ideas with like-minded organisations;
• Take part in joint projects: Strengthen opportunities for cooperation and international exchange;

How to join

The process to become a member is straightforward. To express your interest, please send an email to boa@viewsinternational.eu. Your request will be reviewed by our Board of Administrators (BoA), who will then contact you to discuss the next steps.

Once approved, your organisation will become a full member of VIEWS International. You will be kept informed of opportunities, collaborations, and events, and will gain access to a platform designed for the exchange of ideas, mutual learning, and the building of strong and lasting partnerships.

We warmly invite you to take part in this network and to contribute to shaping the future of inclusion for young people across Europe.

Hello again! Long-time readers may remember me from my volunteer days at VIEWS International. I’m back to share a new adventure. I attended the International Computers and Communication Camp (ICC) 2025 for the very first time. What made it even more special was that I wasn’t there as a participant, but already as an instructor to share and inspire with my experiences. I went in curious and a little skeptical, and came back convinced of its value.

So to start, what exactly is ICC? It’s a summer camp for blind and visually impaired young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one, and it offers a 9-day period packed with learning, exchange, and fun. Participants can attend workshops that cover a wide range of topics such as technology and programming, daily living skills like cooking, educational and career-related issues such as studying abroad or finding a profession, and even disability or just personal advocacy.

A Truly International Experience

Every year it takes place in a different country, and this year’s edition was in Aveiro, Portugal. I guess at this point, I don’t even need to mention that I tried pasteis de nata and other delicious pastries that Portugal offers extensively.

But ICC is not just about the workshops, or learning, or pastries in my case. It is also a truly international meeting point. Young people come from across Europe and sometimes from much further away, this year, for example, even as far as from Japan. That means it is as much a cultural exchange as it is a learning camp, also with good practices in accessibility and disability rights being shared across borders.

And of course, there was plenty of time for fun too. The evenings were filled with activities like dancing classes, painting sessions, treasure hunts, and even making local sweets. Learning and growth were at the center of the program, but joy and friendship took the front seat just as much.

Discovering ICC

As for my own role, I represented the European Blind Union and co-led a workshop on studying abroad together with Paraskevi, another travel and study-abroad enthusiast. We shared our personal experiences of studying abroad, talked about how to plan a semester or two in a different country, and gave practical tips on everything from mobility and accommodation to funding and accessibility.

Later, I also joined Paraskevi’s workshop on languages and language-related professions, where I introduced participants to computational linguistics, human machine interaction, and artificial intelligence. The curiosity in the room was palpable, and the conversations were so passionate that we barely stopped it from spilling beyond the official workshop time. Beyond my purpose to be there, I loved meeting people from so many different places, exchanging stories, and getting a sense of the vibrant community that ICC aims to foster.

Reflections and Takeaways

At first, I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure whether such a concentrated week of workshops could really make a difference in the long run. But seeing the participants engage, hearing their thoughtful questions, and watching their confidence grow day by day quickly changed my mind. It seems like ICC creates an environment where young people don’t just absorb knowledge, they also meet role models, discover concrete opportunities, and realize that paths which once seemed distant or impossible or unimaginable are actually possible.

The social side of the camp only strengthens this effect. Friendships formed at mealtimes or during evening activities often become just as valuable as the lessons learned in the workshops.

Looking back, I can say that ICC 2025 was a unique experience. For me, it was both rewarding and inspiring to contribute as an instructor, and for the participants it was clearly a chance to grow in ways that will continue to matter long after the camp ends. If you’re blind or visually impaired, between sixteen and twenty-one, and curious about technology, independence, study or career opportunities, or simply the chance to connect with peers from all over the world, I can definitely recommend applying to ICC next year. It’s a week that can open doors, expand horizons, and leave you with friendships and memories you’ll carry for a long time.

Join our team!

We are looking for a project manager (50%) to support us with the drafting, implementation and reporting of EU-financed projects.

Our new colleague will be responsible for:

• Project management: drafting applications and narrative reports for European projects, financial reports and presentations of results for donors;
• Budget management: budget planning, following and evaluating the projects’ financial resources;
• Liaison with the partners: regular meetings with the consortium’s partners, ensuring the correct implementation of the projects’ tasks and activities
• Project implementation: planning and organising the projects’ activities in collaboration with the team, prepare activity reports
• Organisation of local events like our “Dinners in the Dark” and similar;
• Any other task in support of the smooth functioning of the organisation

We are looking for someone who:

• Holds at least a Bachelor’s degree in project management, psychology, social sciences or equivalent;
• Has experience in managing and implementing EU-funded projects (including, but not only: drafting project applications, narrative and financial reports for European projects, presentation of results, information analysis);
• Has full working knowledge of English; proficiency in French is desirable, knowledge of any other language is a plus;
• Is organised, thorough, proactive and open to learn new skills, is able to prioritise and is comfortable working both autonomously and in a team;
• Is based in Liège or can regularly join us at our Liège office.

Extra points if you:

• Have previous work experience in international environments;
• Are familiar with European programmes such as the European Solidarity Corps and the Erasmus+ programmes;
• Have an understanding of the specific requirements and issues related to visual impairment or disability at large
• Have work or volunteering experience in the NGO sector.

We offer:

An eventful, open and international work environment, flexible working hours in accordance with the employer, and a competitive salary based on your level of studies and work experience.

VIEWS International promotes an open and flexible working culture that strives to value and enhance its personnel’s skills and experience, and to offer them continuous opportunities of personal and professional development.

VIEWS is an equal rights employer. Persons with disabilities, and, in particular, persons with visual impairments, are especially encouraged to apply.

How to apply:

Send us an email by 18 April 2025 at office@viewsinternational.eu AND board@viewsinternational.eu with:

• A motivation letter in English
• A CV in English or French
• One reference contact from a previous employer

Interviews will take place between 22 and 25 April. The successful candidate should be available to start their contract on 18 April or as soon as possible.

Recap:

Position: Project Manager (50%)
Duration of the contract: 6 months
Location: Liège
Apply by: 18 April 2025
Starting date: 5 May 2025 or ASAP