Final presentation of the European Youth Camp 2025

The final presentation of the European Youth Camp took place at the weekend in the packed LernWerk event hall. More than 70 spectators enthusiastically followed what around 60 young people from seven nations had developed together with five workshop leaders during an intensive week from 20 to 27 July 2025.

Claudia Borgers, Head of the Bocholt-Isselburg Music School, and Petra Taubach, European Representative of the City of Bocholt, opened the event. They welcomed the guests and the young people with accompanying persons from Rossendale (Great Britain), Akmene (Lithuania), Vlora (Albania), Wuxi (China), Verkhniodniprovsk (Ukraine), the Netherlands and Bocholt.

Music and art for peace and freedom

Under the motto "Europastadt Bocholt: Music for 80 years of peace and freedom in the year of the EU's 75th anniversary," the young people explored the themes of peace and freedom creatively and musically. The camp was organised by the city of Bocholt in cooperation with EUROPE DIRECT and the Bocholt-Isselburg music school. The youth camp was supported by ERASMUS+ Youth and the German-Albanian, German-British and German-Chinese Societies of Bocholt.

The Ukrainian youngsters opened the event with dancing and singing in national costumes, accompanied by impressive pictures from Ukraine. Pianist Rory Aitken (Rossendale) presented "Interstellar" by Hans Zimmer. Other highlights included choral performances with songs such as "Imagine" and "We are the World", accompanied by a band led by Jannis Sicker. The cup song "When I'm gone" and an international puzzle performance symbolised Europe's diversity.

In addition to workshops, there were excursions to Gronau and Münster, activities in the Borken climbing forest and Bahia adventure pool as well as EU quizzes organised by EUROPE DIRECT.

A sign of international understanding

Special thanks go to all the young artists and the dedicated workshop leaders Jürgen Bauer, Lara Eiting, Irina Mukulevic, Jannis Sicker and Lynn Tuente, whose great commitment contributed significantly to the success of this extraordinary event. With this European youth camp, the European city of Bocholt once again set an impressive example for cross-border exchange and international understanding.