Each of us took part in international youth exchanges before Elemdiar existed, and saw how much they can change a young person's direction. We started Elemdiar to bring that home.
We work above all with young people from rural Harghita, young people from the Hungarian minority, and young people from families with fewer means: the ones who rarely get opportunities like these.
We believe that informed, motivated and adaptable young people are the key to a resilient society. Every project we run is a small seed for something bigger: young people who don't just adapt to the world as it is, but help shape it into something better.
Elemdiar started with a simple wish: more opportunities for young people in our community. Before the association existed, each of us had taken part in international youth exchanges, and we saw first-hand how much non-formal learning and meeting other cultures can change a young person's direction. In 2023 we founded Elemdiar in Harghita county to bring that same energy home.
Harghita is a county where different ethnic communities live side by side. We believe that when young people meet, share their stories and listen to each other, stereotypes start to fall away. We also focus on what school rarely teaches: mental health, public speaking and entrepreneurial thinking.
Our first project, Involve to Evolve, took place in June 2024. Since then we've hosted three Erasmus+ youth exchanges that brought together 135 people from six countries, sent groups to exchanges in Slovakia and Czechia, and organised local activities like United by Football.
About half of every group in our exchanges were young people with fewer opportunities. We plan for that from the first idea. Our inclusion strategy
Intercultural learning and dialogue between communities, at home and across Europe. Non-discrimination
Shared buses instead of separate trips, buffet meals that waste less, digital booklets instead of print. Go green strategy
We divide the work clearly: coordination, facilitation and logistics. Behind us are our facilitators, group leaders and volunteers.
President
Edina is our president and legal representative, and she coordinates our projects and partnerships. She studies Nursing at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca and has taken part in youth exchanges in Romania, Norway and Hungary. She has an eye for detail and makes sure every task is well organised and finished on time.
Vice-president and lead facilitator
Coco designs and runs the sessions that get people talking and working as a team. He studied Information Technology at the Polytechnic University of Cluj-Napoca and is now doing a Master's in Entrepreneurship. He also keeps our projects well documented and visible.
Logistics
Andrei makes sure everyone gets there and has a bed: transport, accommodation and schedules for our international groups. He studied Civil Engineering in Cluj, specialising in Geodesy, and had his first international project in Slovakia. He's great at explaining complicated things simply.
We're a registered non-profit association. Our exchanges are funded by the European Union through Erasmus+, managed in Romania by the National Agency (ANPCDEFP).
