The trilateral encounters of the FGYO
Many of the meetings sponsored by the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) bring participants together from Germany, France and other countries. In this way, the FGYO strengthens intercultural learning for all participants while at the same time paving the way for the engagement of young people in civil society, both within and beyond Europe.
Turning 2 into 3: Trilateral encounters as an expression of genuine diversity
When young people from Germany and France share their views and opinions with one another, intercultural learning is guaranteed. And if participants from another country join in, the learning effect is even greater. This is why the FGYO also funds encounters among adolescents and young adults from three countries.
Intercultural benefits
Sensitivity for one's own self-perception and views of others, and a well-developed awareness of stereotypes and prejudices, are easier to question and reflect upon in programmes involving participants from three countries. Empirical studies show: If young people from three countries meet, the exchange is more intensive and has a more lasting impact.
European cooperation and vision
The FGYO supports ‘difference-based education’: Viable mutual understanding can only emerge through a grasp of cultural differences. This grasp forms the basis for sustainable dialogue on an equal footing that extends beyond the borders of Europe.
The shift in perspective creates an opportunity for all participants to explore cultural and historically rooted similarities and differences in greater depth. The European idea and democracy itself are also made more tangible in trilateral encounters.
Strengthening civil society through peace education
The shift in perspective hones the critical view of historical events and socio-political developments. Trilateral encounters make it possible to situate these events and developments in a broader context. The intensive and educationally supervised exchange of viewpoints and perspectives forms a bulwark for crisis prevention and cross-border understanding among young people.
"Linguistic added value and historical benefit"
In trilateral encounters, a foreign language is often spoken. Young people recognise the added value of learning together and gain an awareness of their progress in the foreign language. The fear of making mistakes in the partner language diminishes, and all participants are provided with language assistance.
Anyone who becomes involved in an exchange of ideas with young people from other countries overcomes a one-sided interpretation of history. This interpretation is replaced by multi-perspectival explorations and appraisals. Franco-German reconciliation can serve as a role model of this and offer solutions to current conflicts.
Content and structure of trilateral projects
Target groups of trilateral projects
Trilateral encounters are designed to benefit all of the target groups of the FGYO. These might be school or extracurricular encounters for school pupils, university students, trainees, young professionals or job seekers.
Criteria for selection and financial support
The FGYO can provide funding for trilateral encounters that meet the following conditions:
- The project comprises 1 encounter phase per country and thus a total of 3 encounter phases (principle of reciprocity).
- Each encounter phase lasts between 4 and 21 days.
- The project lasts between 1 and 3 years.
- A maximum of 70 people, including support staff, can participate in the project.
- There must be a balance in the number of participants drawn from young people from the 3 countries involved.
- All of the countries participating in the project have equal rights and work together on the project concept.
- All (three) languages must be taken into account in the phases that involve participants’ physical attendance.
Contents
Trilateral exchanges must be of a project nature and pursue a thematic focus. They will deal with current social, geographic and/or foreign-policy issues, such as:
- Future and history of Europe
- Democracy and human rights
- Political education and youth participation
- Vocational training
The aim of each encounter is to impart intercultural skills along with curricular materials in political and peace education. This aim is served when the encounter employs methods in cultural education and the educational methodology of the encounter. The FGYO supports this process with educational materials and training courses.
Countries and regions
The trilateral encounters that the FGYO promotes mainly involve countries in the following regions:
In justified exceptions, the FGYO can sponsor encounters with more than three countries. The project must demonstrate special thematic added value, such as a historical reappraisal between two countries for which Franco-German cooperation can serve as a source of inspiration.
Regional cooperation between four countries on topics such as history, peace and remembrance work, identity and integration include, for example, Franco-German projects with Kosovo* and Serbia or with Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in keeping with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
Funding opportunities for trilateral projects
Application to the FGYO
An application for funding of trilateral projects can be submitted directly to the competent office of the FGYO using the appropriate form . If the first project phase is to be held in Germany, the German sponsor must submit the application; if the first phase of the encounter is to take place in France, the French sponsor must submit the application. For project phases in another country (besides Germany and France), the funding application can only be submitted by the German or French institution.
Funding through Special Funds
The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs provide the FGYO with supplemental funding for the support of trilateral projects. The FGYO uses these Special Funds to facilitate encounters with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, of South-Eastern Europe and of the Maghreb.
These projects are pilot encounters with a focus on topics in foreign policy. Please find the calls for projects for the 2025 special funds here.
