Storie di studenti 

Our unforgettable experience: a trip to Brussels

In April 2023, we decided to take part in a project displayed by our school which gave us the opportunity to visit the city of Brussels while working with the Italian Diplomatic Academy on ‘The 2030 Climate and Energy Framework’.

Our studying experience about European institutions began with six online lectures led by university professors which allowed us to build up our knowledge about the European Union and its history. 

After the preparation course, we moved to Brussels and during the first days we were able to visit some of the highlights of the city. Indeed, we went to the Grand Place, the Atomium, the Grand Roue, the Parlamentarium and the House of European history.

Moreover, we had a one-day trip to Bruges where we had a meeting at the College of Europe. 

It goes without saying that we also went to the EU Parliament, the EU Commission, the Committee of the regions and the Economic and Social Committee. There we had the chance to exchange our personal ideas and opinions with other teenagers coming from different countries. In collaboration with them, we participated in four working committees to discuss and focus on the main topic of the project. In particular, each of us was assigned a political party and a delegation of a country. We had both Italy and Czechia. We had already drawn up our position-paper at home and it helped us while giving our speech to the other parliamentarians.

Our working experience ended with a closing ceremony held by the association’s president who congratulated us and later we were given a certificate of attendance. 

So this is how we spent our time in Brussels, but it was not just about working. As a matter of fact, we also met so many new people with whom we were able to practice our English pronunciation and share our feelings. As you might have understood, our parents were not with us and we stayed in a hotel room on our own. This means that we had to be independent, but at the same time, we are pleased to have joined this programme together, looking after each other. 

To conclude, we are proud of our commitment and determination and we will always remember this wonderful experience. That’s why we feel like recommending this kind of project to everyone who is interested in travelling around the world, meeting new people and getting in touch with other cultures.

Quaglia Francesca & Savoia Sillani Sofia