discussion panel

Esteemed speakers will reflect on the challenges and current opportunities of youth participation in regards to three main directions: digitalization, environmental, and social cohesion.

MODERATOR

Sabina SPĂTARIU - VicePresident on Democracy and Human Rights at GEYC

Sabina started volunteering at 16 years old as the president of a local NGO in Constanța. During her mandate, she initiated and contributed to various projects aimed at promoting civic engagement and advocacy for students and young people.
In 2023, whe was included in GEYC Changemakers 2023 and she is now part of the GEYC Board of Directors as VicePresident of Democracy & Human Rights.
In 2024, Sabina founded the initiative #TineriiVotează (Youth is voting) aiming to increase the youth participation in the elections. 

speakers

Raluca NEGULESCU-BALACI, Executive Director UiPath Foundation

Raluca Negulescu-Balaci is the Executive Director of UiPath Foundation, a global non-profit dedicated to providing 21st century education to underserved children in Romania and India. With 15 years of experience, she has pioneered innovative programs that integrate education with technology, arts, sports, and community engagement. In 2023, Raluca was honored as the Spring 2023 US Department of State Professional Fellows Alumni Impact Award Winner, recognizing her exceptional contributions to her communities. She previously served as a Legislative Fellow in the US Department of State's program "Building grassroots democracy in minority communities" in 2013, and received the Annual Human Rights Award from the Embassy of France in Romania for her women-driven civic initiative. Additionally, she chaired the board of Fare network from 2017 to 2019, an international organization promoting social inclusion through football across Europe. Raluca is an alumna of the Global Shapers Community and the Young Leaders Program of Aspen Institute Romania. Currently, she serves on the board of the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS), contributing to their mission of empowering citizens for a stronger European Union.

Simona MUSTEAȚĂ, Youth Project Officer ANPCDEFP

Simona Musteață is working as Youth Project Officer within the Romanian National Agency for Erasmus+, ANPCDEFP, being also responsible for three strategic cooperation projects between National Agencies: Digital Youth Work, Europe Goes Local and Europeers, as well as in charge of the RAY network at national level. With 20 years’ experience of working in the field of EU funding and international cooperation both in the private and public sector, Simona is passionate about youth work, organisational development of NGOS and digital transformation.   

Ștefan DOBRE, EFdeN

Ștefan caught the NGO bug in his early college years and hasn't been able to shake it off since. During these years he found his passion in the area of sustainable education for the general public where he believes every day there is room for improvement. Together with his colleagues in EFdeN he organised events and visits, trainings and best practice models, built a smart house and created guides for a more environmentally friendly future. In EFdeN he discovered that nothing is impossible when you want to provide a better future for the next generations. We believe that better means more sustainable.

Elena-Alexandra MIRON, Founder Viitorul pentru tineri

Elena-Alexandra Miron is a graduate in international law, diplomacy, and global change, with extensive experience in sustainability and youth representation. Her main expertise lies in developing solutions against climate change, sustainability reporting, and environmental advocacy. Elena-Alexandra has worked in sustainability across both the public and private sectors, contributing to significant initiatives in Romania. She has also served as Romania's youth delegate at COP27 and COP28, representing the interests of young people in the face of climate change. She is the founder of the "Viitorul pentru TINEri" initiative, a newsletter dedicated to young people focused on sustainability topics, the first one in Romania of this type. 

Tudor ANDRONIC, SDE ASSIST Software

Tudor Andronic is a Software Development Engineer with a focus on machine learning, passionate about technology and sharing his knowledge with others. He began his journey in high school, founding a robotics club to inspire his peers and participating in STEAM contests across America and Europe. Tudor promotes programming and robotics within his city, Suceava, and has organized and delivered workshops for university students, as well as students from rural areas. Tudor's work demonstrates the powerful role technology can play in education, engagement, and building inclusive communities.