List of speakers

Prof. Özgehan Şenyuva has been a dedicated figure in the youth field for nearly three decades, with roles spanning volunteer, project coordinator, trainer, and researcher. His extensive contributions are reflected in his membership on prominent boards, including the advisory board of the European Academy on Youth Work and the SALTO Resource Center on the European Solidarity Corps. He served three terms as a member of the Pool of European Youth Researchers, a key partnership between the Council of Europe and the European Commission, and has been a keynote speaker at significant European youth events, including the European Youth Work Convention 2020.

His research portfolio is covers numerous publications contributing to the discourse on youth work and learning mobility; EU politics and enlargement; and Türkiye-EU relations. He holds a PhD in Comparative European Politics from Universita degli studi di Siena and is a full professor of International Relations at METU-Ankara.

Most recently, Prof. Şenyuva was a principal researcher in the Futures of Youth Work in Europe in 2050 study, conducted on behalf of the European Academy on Youth Work. This pioneering forecasting study already has an influence in shaping the future of youth work across Europe.

Maka is the National Focal Point of the EU4Youth programme in Georgia and National Coordinator of the Young European Ambassadors under the EU NEIGHBOURS East initiative. She is an expert in youth policy and capacity building, with a strong focus on youth development. Maka holds a Master’s in Social Psychology from Ilia State University and an Executive Master in Development Policies and Practices from the Geneva Graduate Institute. She is a dedicated youth development professional and practitioner

Ruard Wallis De Vries has worked in the field of higher education and youth for most of his Commission career. Lately, Ruard has assisted in the EU youth policy sector, more specifically helping to set up the President's Youth Advisory Board.

Anastasiia Bochan has been engaged in the civic sector for over 5 years, coordinating projects for youth in difficult circumstances, rural communities, people with disabilities, and families displaced by war. She is a scholarship holder of the Erasmus Mundus master program in Human Rights Policy and Practice. She has joined Erasmus+ trainings on advocacy, diversity, inclusion, emotional intelligence, and leadership, as well as UNICEF’s project management school and the “Youth is Changing Ukraine” program. In 2023, she became a fellow of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Fellowship, implementing project “You Are the Change.” In 2024, she joined the EU4Youth alumni network.

Grigor Yeritsyan is the President of the Youth Organizations Union of Armenia (YOUA), a nationwide umbrella network uniting 40 youth organizations across Armenia. With over 15 years of leadership in the civil society and youth sectors, he is a long-time advocate for youth empowerment and civic participation in Armenia and the Eastern Partnership. Grigor has spearheaded initiatives to advance youth participation, civic engagement, and democratic inclusion at local, national, and regional levels.

Marcel Marin is a public servant who has been working in the field of youth for the past seven years. His main expertise lies in developing and implementing public policies and programs. In recent years, Marcel has focused on actively promoting youth participation and engagement through pupils’ councils and student governance. He is a big fan of strategic approaches and data-driven policies, and a dedicated promoter of civic engagement and participation at all levels and across all domains for young people. Marcel is an alumnus of programs rolled out by the German Marshall Fund, Stanford University, the U.S. State Department, Leiden University, and Malmö University.

Ana Mosiashvili is a Research and Programme Manager at the European Partnership for Democracy. Ana holds a Master’s degree in International Human Rights Law and has hands-on experience in research and advocacy in the fields of meaningful youth participation, youth work, social justice, gender mainstreaming and intersectionality. Ana leads the research pillar of the WYDE Civic Engagement programme. Specifically, she is coordinating the development of the Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI), the Young Researchers' Network, as well as case studies on the cost of politics and the cost of young voter registration, in collaboration with partner organisations. Ana also leads EPD's participation in Horizon-funded YouthDecide 2040 project.

Romain Boitard is a Human Capital Development Expert at the European Training Foundation, serving as Focal Point for Green Transition. He leads initiatives on integrating green skills into education and training systems, supporting countries in aligning workforce development with sustainability goals. Romain has organised expert networks and authored resources on defining green skills and jobs, focusing on policy actions for a low-carbon economy. His work spans strategic partnerships, capacity building, and promoting inclusive approaches to green economy transitions in Europe and neighbouring regions.

Tomasz Szopa is involved in European youth work for more than two decades now. It has been a professional development journey leading to an expert role within a network of National Agencies of Erasmus+ and SALTO Resource Centres. His focus has been on contributing to the growth and empowerment of youth in the Eastern Partner region through my work with SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus Resource Centre. This role has allowed him to leverage his expertise and passion to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people and communities in the region.

With an academic background in International Relations and European Studies, Lilit Sofyan has built her career in project management, public diplomacy, and youth empowerment. She currently coordinates a refugee integration project at KASA Swiss Humanitarian Foundation, promoting inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and active citizenship among young refugees and host communities. Her early involvement in leading youth-focused civic initiatives as a member of the EU4Youth Alumni Network in Lori region, along with volunteering and mentoring within the Young European Ambassadors initiative, has shaped her professional path and deepened her commitment to youth work and civic engagement.

Roksolana Smerechynska is a policy professional with experience at the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, where she worked on employment policy, workforce re-skilling and up-skilling, and human capital development within the Create Ukraine program. She coordinated initiatives such as the Skills and SME Resilience Alliances, fostering cooperation between government, businesses, international partners and organisations. She holds a Master’s degree in International Governance and Diplomacy from Sciences Po. Roksolana currently works at the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, focusing on international cooperation.

Ana Tsitsagi leads Programs and Projects at the Coalition for Independent Living, a leading disability rights umbrella organisation in Georgia. With nearly a decade of experience in disability inclusion, policy development, and institutionalising social services for persons with disabilities, she has designed and led numerous initiatives advancing employment and self-employment opportunities for vulnerable youth, including persons with disabilities. These initiatives include developing adapted digital-skills training modules, career consultation guidelines for digital professions, AI camps, and mentoring programs. Ana has actively contributed to national employment support working group and serves on an international evaluation committee selecting innovative disability projects worldwide.

Arturas leads the EY Digital services dedicated to the EU institutions and he is responsible for the EU Digital Government Hub which connects EY professionals specializing in the Digital domain across Europe and the EU institutions. In addition, he is also responsible for Performance Improvement and Technology Consulting Services in EY Baltic Consulting Services.

Arturas started his professional career in 1998. His fields of expertise include strategy and organization-wide business transformation, IT-enabled transformations including program and project management, implementation of MIS, ERP and other IT solutions. Throughout his career Arturas has developed a deep knowledge of Government and Public, Financial and Telecommunication sectors.

Arturas holds an MS in Finance from Kaunas University of Technology.

Nazareth Seferian has been working at the crossroads of business and impact for more than 17 years. He has been a key player in the development of the social entrepreneurship sector in Armenia and has also worked with sustainable and impact-centred businesses in the region and the Middle East. Since 2020, he has been working with Impact Europe to develop the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Eastern Partnership, and through the VIA Fund, he has helped establish impact investment in Armenia. Nazareth has en Executive MBA from ESMT Berlin and is seeking CFA UK certification in impact investment.

Baptiste Mandouze is a Policy Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. He specializes in social entrepreneurship, public finance, and inclusive entrepreneurship. With experience as a programme officer in European and international contexts, he contributes to EU policies implementation and manage operational programmes

Sergiu Gurău holds a university and master’s degree in Finance and European Public Administration from “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University in Iași, Romania. In 2012, Sergiu founded Moldova’s first work-integration social enterprise in the catering sector, Floare de Cireș Ltd, which provides training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. He has participated in numerous conferences, roundtables, and training sessions as an expert in launching and managing social and innovative enterprises, drawing on the experience of his own initiative. Sergiu is actively engaged in shaping the legal framework on social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova and serves as a member of the National Commission for Social Entrepreneurship.

Olga Zota is CEO and co-founder of UkraineRobotics, a STEM ambassador, and the creator of the KULYA educational robot. Her path began in eastern Ukraine and has taken her from teaching and creative projects, like the Impulse installation with UN Women, to building open-source robotics that combine engineering, education, and art. Through KULYA, she aims to make STEM accessible to everyone, showing that innovation grows from curiosity, diversity, and hands-on exploration.

Nigar Sultanova is a licensed DanceAbility® Master Trainer and social entrepreneur, founder of DanceAbility Azerbaijan, an inclusive performance company and training center fostering engagement between individuals with and without disabilities. Her initiatives combine art and social impact, from corporate well-being programs to teacher trainings, promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). In 2023, with an EU4Culture Mobility Grant, she advanced her knowledge in movement theatre, later presenting at the UN Climate Change Conference and developing a full-length performance with British Council support to raise climate awareness through inclusive art and cross-sector collaboration.

Tatiana Arcan is Executive Director of InnoVillage NGO and author of the Village Travel Bot (www.villagetravel.md). With a background in project management, digital innovation, and youth mentorship, she works at the intersection of technology, cultural heritage, and tourism. Her initiatives empower rural communities and young creative women in Moldova, demonstrating how cross-sector collaboration and digital tools can drive sustainable social impact.