Strong in Diversity: Lithuania’s 2026 Youth Programme

In summer 2026, three week-long sessions of Lithuania’s free “Strong in Diversity” youth programme brought together about 40 participants each. The experiential training was designed for young people aged 14–19 from across the country.

At the Riterio Krantas rural tourism property in Trakai District, participants spent a week among people they had not previously met. There were no grades, examinations or conventional lessons. Instead, the programme used team challenges, discussions, a hike, creative tasks and evenings around a campfire to help participants learn through their relationships with others.

Young people arrived with different levels of confidence. Some adjusted to the unfamiliar setting immediately, while others needed more time. Their experiences, doubts and fears of being misunderstood or excluded became part of a week focused on getting to know people with different perspectives without losing their own sense of identity.

Trust developed through shared challenges

Sessions addressed active citizenship, human rights, first aid and media literacy. With guidance from programme leaders, participants practised listening, explaining their opinions, making collective decisions and accepting that disagreement does not necessarily prevent cooperation.

Although all 40 participants regularly worked together, smaller groups provided much of the programme’s daily structure. Morning and evening reflection sessions gave them time to discuss experiences, emotions and difficulties.

The smaller groups also completed a hike that required more than physical endurance. Participants had to wait for anyone struggling, encourage those who were tired and ask for help when they needed it themselves.

Swimming in the lake, campfire evenings and informal activities organised by the participants over cups of cocoa created additional opportunities for conversation. As the group spent several days together, attention often shifted away from phones and towards the immediate task or the person nearby.

Leaving and deciding to return

One participant, identified as Tomas because his real name was changed by the editors, arrived while experiencing emotional health difficulties. Spending a week with 40 strangers represented a significant step for him, and his initial priority was simply to adjust at his own pace.

The first days were harder than he expected. On the third day, after speaking with the programme leaders, Tomas returned home. He reconsidered the decision and came back the following day.

Other participants welcomed and encouraged him. Tomas rejoined the activities and took part in an “Open Space” day, during which young people met programme partners and discussed issues important to them. By the end of the week, he was among the last participants to leave. His mother later said the experience had become one of the best of his summer because he had felt heard, respected and accepted by the people around him.

Openness encouraged others to speak

Another participant, whose name was changed to Karolina, had previously experienced drug use and addiction during adolescence. After several years, she completed rehabilitation and began using her experience to support others facing similar difficulties.

During an evening discussion in a small group, participants were invited to speak about difficult experiences in their lives. Karolina chose to share her story openly. The group responded with acceptance and support rather than judging her solely by her past.

Her decision also encouraged others to speak about experiences they had considered too personal, painful or shameful to discuss. The exchange illustrated that some of the programme’s most important moments were not scheduled activities, but developed when one person chose to be open and others chose to listen.

Programme scale and participation terms

The 2026 sessions ran from July 2–8, July 22–28 and July 31–August 6. About 40 young people attended each week, bringing total participation to approximately 120. It was the eighth consecutive summer in which the programme had been organised.

Applications closed on May 17 at 23:59 and were submitted online. Motivation was one of the main selection criteria: applicants were asked why they wanted to attend and which activities they were already involved in. Places were limited, and selected participants were notified by email.

Accommodation, meals and programme costs were covered by the organisers’ partners. Participants were responsible for travelling to and from the venue. Lithuanian was the main language, although other languages were used when necessary to help participants understand one another.

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